Vettah - വേട്ട

Cast	:	Kunchacko Boban, Indrajith Sukumaran Manju Warrier, Sandhya
Director	:	Rajesh Pillai
Cinematographer	:	Anishlal
Editor	:	Abhilash Balachandran
Music	:	Shaan Rahman
Producer	:	Haneef Mohammed & Rajesh Pillai
Release Date	:	26 February, 2016
Length	:	1 Hour and 52 Minutes
Language	:	Malayalam

My Thoughts

Rajesh Pillai’s Vettah is a psychological thriller in which Kunchacko Boban as Melvin plays with the psychology of the IPS Sreebala (Manju Warrier) and ACP Xylex Abraham (Indrajith Sukumaran) as well as the audience. His smile is mysterious and often makes us wonder if he means what he says. And if he does, if he is really capable of doing what he confesses.

The narrative shifts between present and future. Such oscillation takes a repetitive style. The first half is slow and often we are clueless because we are unable to various events that takes place. They seem to be random or confusing. The pace of first half is eerily slow and we would be mostly trying to glance at our watch to see the time (in spite of the dark lighting) or unapologetically fiddling with our mobile phones. Bang! The second half passes in a lightning speed, solving all the puzzles and startling the audience. At times, we might also feel guilty for not following the first half properly and hence, missing a few apparent clues.

The background music infuses life into the film and accelerates the pace. The dialogs are cryptic. Manju Warrier as IPS officer looks too think. All her salwar suits are good. But, when she wears trousers and shirts with a pony tail and a diamond studded ring in her right hand, it is impossible to not to compare with Aiswarya Rai Bachan from Jazbaa. Indrajith comes with an air of mystery and looks manipulative. Kunchacko Boban is daring and plays mind-game. Sandhya as Sherin leaves a lasting impact in the minds.

The movie is less than two hours long. Yet it feels like forever in spite of an interesting narrative and intriguing screenplay. The editor has done his best, but the overlap could have been handled smartly.

In short, Vettah is bold venture by the director who had made a terrific movie like Traffic. It’s sad that the director passed away the day after its release. May his soul rest in peace. Malayalam film fraternity and the audience will miss you - the director who made impactful movies like Traffic and Mili.

Rating

3/5