Monday, November 18, 2019

When Man turns Beast - Jallikattu Malayalam Movie Review by Shine Syamaladevi




Angamali Diaries and Ee Ma Yau fame Lijo Jose Pellissery’s new movie Jallikattu revolves around a buffalo, which escaped from the butcher Varkey. The escaped beast and the struggle by villagers to capture it, form the crux of the movie.  The whole village is behind the animal. But among the mayhem, there are egos to be satisfied and scores to be settled. 



The title may confuse you, but, the movie doesn’t have any relation with the bull taming ritual followed in Tamil Nadu. 

At the outset, #Jallikattu is the story of man versus beast. However, with lot of intricately woven layers.  The movie deals with the question, “what will happen when the thin line that separates man from beast disappears?” And the outcome has been portrayed in a hauntingly realistic manner. 

The movie will make you think. And as you think, you will understand that the man-beast conflict is actually a mirror turned towards you. To make you understand that in every man lies a beast, waiting for the right moment to begin the hunt.  Man has been hunting the weaker section since time immemorial. 



Most of the scenes in the movie has been shot in night. But the director, Lijo Jose Pellissery, could convey his message as in broad daylight. He is right at the helm steering the movie perfectly with images scattered here and there. 

The cinematography by national award winner Girish Gangadharan with realistic frames and perfect lighting. The cinematography is perfect enough that the viewer would feel himself as one among those two-legged beasts.  

Prashanth G Pillai plays magic with his background music. Even the silences in-between is so meaningful and blended perfectly with the scene. The background music with the camera is exhilarating. 

Jallikattu is not a celebration. Families may not like the violence and the enveloping darkness.
Jallikattu is for serious moviegoers. It is for the people to contemplate, to analyse, oneself. Jallikattu tells us that, behind the decorated mask of culture and civilisation, we still are beasts. 

A brilliant movie from master of chaos. Thank you Lijo Jose Pellissery.
You can watch the review in Youtube here.

Rating ****1/2

Shine Syamaladevi is the author of bestselling novels THOSE NAKED LIES and THE RIBBON TRAP

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