BOTTOM LINE
Decent Thriller, Filmi Twist
PLATFORM
SonyLIV
RUN TIME
2h 17m
What Is the Film About?
A guilt-ridden elderly man Rajendran confesses to a crime he had committed 40 years ago and commits suicide, recording the same on Facebook. A suspended cop Vivek is entrusted with the case which involves the discovery of skeletal remains connected to the disappearance of a young woman from the set of Mammootty’s 1985 film Kathodu Kathoram. Vivek is desperate for answers.
Performances
Asif Ali is fast cementing his authority as one of the most bankable actors in modern-day Malayalam cinema. Rekhachithram is a worthy follow-up to his other recent thrillers Thalavan and Kishkindha Kaandam. Anaswara Rajan fits perfectly as a Mammootty fan girl, who aspires for a career in films, playing her part with verve, innocence and integrity.
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Analysis
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While looking back at a memorable film from the past, a hint of sentimentality and nostalgia attached to it generally clouds your judgement. You sometimes end up revering it rather too much, even overlooking its possible flaws. This has a more detrimental effect when a story is designed as a tribute to the power of cinema. Rekhachithram smartly reimagines this tribute in the garb of a thriller.
Rekhachithram weaves a fictional story around the shoot of Kathodu Kathoram, connecting it to the disappearance of a film-crazy nun and a suspended cop, which involuntarily celebrates the cultural impact of the 1985 release. A social media suicide post prompts the cop to investigate a 40-year-old murder – through which he discovers fragments of the victim’s past, events leading to her death.
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While Rekhachithram would’ve been just another functional thriller without the film connection, the director still stitches together a neat, tight screenplay out of a fairly straightforward story, throwing in surprises regularly. Beyond the pivotal character’s death, he creates enough curiosity with the trivia around Kathodu Kathoram – capturing the rise of Mammootty and sharing intricate details about the people associated with it.
The narrative is less of a whodunit and structured like a whydunit – decoding the possible reasons behind a young girl’s murder. The challenges are massive for the cop because he’s in charge of a 40-year-old case – it’s a struggle for Vivek to establish key links to the case. There are consistent setbacks; people know very little of the girl and those who know more are barely alive or dead.
Though the protagonist’s aim is to catch the all-too-powerful culprit (who covers his aces well), the larger goal is to provide justice to a girl, whose identity has been completely erased for no fault of hers. Truth has its way of reaching the right person – is the inherent idea behind the film. One may have the best of resources and influence to suppress it, but it will eventually reach its destination.
Unlike the many recent Malayalam thrillers, which have enjoyed a universal appeal, Rekhachithram is likely to be savoured more by the average Malayali viewer more, given the specific references around Kathodu Kathoram and eminent film personalities in the 80s – Sibi Malayalil, Bharathan, Jagadish, John Paul, to name a few.
The director effectively recreates the era of the early VHS days, the craze around film magazines and times when a fan’s handwritten letters to a star held value. By the end of Rekhachithram – you do savour the thrills and the judicious execution, but also appreciate the fondness with which the story looks at the past. These are the kind of efforts that push viewers to rediscover retro films with greater zest.
Rekhachithram is a fine thriller with a quirky filmi twist – ideal for OTT viewing.
Performances by Others Actors
Manoj K Jayan’s Vakkachan/Vincent is a fairly straightforward antagonist, but he pulls off a decent portrayal of the role despite its limitations. Many brief appearances bring value to the film, with actors like Indrans, Siddique, Zarin Shihab, Harisree Ashokan and others making their presence felt.
Music and Other Departments?
While the story doesn’t offer much scope to enhance the narrative through the music, Mujeeb Majeed’s songs preserve the soul in the story and the score provides the right emotional impact in crucial junctures. Appu Prabhakar’s cinematography, alternating between the past and the present, has a raw, appealing visual texture. Though the film loses its mojo slightly in the second half, it is generally engaging. The effective use of AI to recreate Mammootty’s appearance from a 1985 film deserves praise.
Highlights?
The filmi tribute in the guise of a thriller
Good screenplay
Neat execution, good performance by Asif Ali
Drawbacks?
The trivia around the 1980s Malayalam films may not work for all
Loses its edge briefly in the second half
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes
Will You Recommend It?
Sure, those who typically enjoy slow-paced Malayalam thrillers won’t be disappointed.
Rekhachithram Movie Review by M9
