Movie Review: Kottukkali
Set in rural Tamilnadu, the film traces some events and their aftermath, in the lives of Meena and her fiance, Pandi.
Meena ( Anna Ben) is being taken by her family to an exorcist, as her strange behaviour indicates she maybe possessed. She is accompanied by Pandi's sisters and parents as well.
As they journey through the roads to a neighbouring village, visiting their local deity temple on the way, the tensions between the couple and their families come to the surface.
Is Meena really possessed or is her behaviour a silent rebellion against social pressure and her choice to marry someone else?
P S Vinothraj's movie is a slow-burn, slice of life film that requires both concentration and patience from the viewer.
Its no run -of-the-mill screenplay. There is no BGM nor any songs. The only sounds are of Nature, the characters speaking vehicles, loudspeakers and the like, reflecting the reality of daily life.
As we follow the characters' actions, hear them talk and witness their pent up emotions and outbursts, we get to slowly peel off layers and thereby get a hang of the emerging tale.
The film makes no attempt to spoon feed the audience nor hasten things up. This can be either seen as a refreshing screenplay for some, or a test of patience by others.
The synch sound aka live recording adds to the realistic feel of the film.
The supporting cast of actors have done a splendid job of giving a most realistic touch to their characters, be it via their body language, expressions or dialect. You get a feeling of being transported into their world.
The talented Anna Ben ( Kapella, Kalki2898 ad) is superb as Meena. Her empty gaze and expressionless visage conveys volumes. Despite of having only a line as dialogue, her performance is most impactful. The scenes where she follows the rooster, exchange of glances with her mother and watching Nature around her are amongst those that stand out.
Soori as Pandi is equally impressive. The scenes where his built -up fustrations come out violently, his rants against his family from time to time and his sudden change of behaviour as he ponders over deeper meanings, are well exceuted, brilliant performances, showcasing another side of the actor.
The director with his open -ended climax seems to leave it to the viewer to fill in the blanks, introspecting after all that one has viewed in the last 100 minutes.
The slow burn narration is not for everyone. Several issues are touched upon, from women's emacipation and patriarchy to the pressures of societal norms.
The manner its all presented is different, as the film is not plot centric. It is more for those who are keen to study and observe, as they join the tumultous journey of a group of people, and like as in real life, wait and watch as to what will emerge, the only constant being change.
Rating 3/5
