Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam movie review: funny, innovative, down to earth & universally appealing

 

Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam movie review: funny, innovative, down to earth & universally appealing

What: Director Senna Hegde’s Malayalam Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam (The Engagement is on Monday) is a smartly weaved funny family drama that comes with innovative quirks, good energy, intriguing shades and universal appeal. Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam is a Kerala state award winner as the best story and second prize in the Best Film category (The Great Indian Kitchen won the best film).

Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam movie synopsis

Set in Kanhangad, a small town in North Kerala, Suja (Anagha) Vijayan's (Manoj KU) second daughter wedding is round the corner. Vijayan's (Manoj KU) is still nursing the wounds of betrayal caused by his elder daughter Surabhi (Unnimaya Nalappadam) decision to marry a man of her choice against his wish.

Vijayan is determined to make sure that Suja’s marriage ceremony to the NRI boy goes perfect as per planned and he regains his pride back.

Suja on the other hand is waiting for the right moment to elope with the man of her choice.

Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam movie review

Attack on male patriarchy, sly take on religion (the Sabarimala temple episode), feminism, culture, tradition, the discrimination, a wedding and a chaos.

Director Senna Hegde tactfully handles all the human shades of black, white and grey in an easy, simple, real, and relatable approach.

The template is off repeated – family, occasion, personal interpersonal equation and then a chaos.

Writer director Senna Hegde with his co writer Sreeraj Raveendran may have set the premise in Kerala’s Kanhangad but the premise has the power to strike a universal appeal.

This could have been set anywhere in the world. What happens in Vijayan's household in Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam could happen to any household anywhere.

Senna Hegde convincingly right from the first frame takes us to the Vijayan’s household and we feel the pain, suffering, joy, love and all emotion with the characters.

Performance

Anagha Narayanan as Suja excels. Manoj K.U. as the father Vijayan is outstanding. Ajisha Prabhakaran as the mother Lalitha is wonderful. Unnimaya Nalappadam as Surabhi leaves her mark.

Flaws

The wind up is weird, strange and against the color, tone and soul of the movie. That attempt to show a contrast of how a cool independent city girl would look shows the vulnerability of Senna Hegde in falling easy prey to the clichés or say a failed attempt to please all.

Technicalities

Cinematographer Sreeraj Raveendran’s excellent camera work and Harilal Rajeev’s fine editing enhance the experience

Final words

Cut that city girl episode and embrace Senna Hegde’s  Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam as another Malayalam cinema’s beauty in this ongoing Malayalam cinema wave which is getting unstoppable. This is how a universally appealing family cinema is made. Catch Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam on Sony Liv