Niranj Maniyanpilla Th
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A picturesque rural setting, a group of children, a huge traditional house (Tharavad), a land rich in folk tales and beliefs, and a group of fine actors. All these things should have been enough for an entertaining film in the hands of an experienced director or screenwriter. But ThFilmmaker Manu Radhakrishnan’s debut feature film doesn’t deliver the thrills and excitement expected from a film based on spirits and supernatural powers.
Gu (Malayalam)
Director: Manu Radhakrishnan
Cast: Saiju Kurup, Maniyanpillai Raju, Niranj Maniyanpilla, Aswathy Manoharan, Devanand Runtime: 127 minutes
Story: Members of a family gather at their ancestral home for a ritual to deal with some supernatural events. Sai arrives with his family and gets entangled in the spooky events that take place there
Th The story begins with the tale of a teenage girl who is believed to be haunted by the spirit of a little girl who died an unnatural death in the premises of the house. To help her parents, the whole family returns to their roots and performs rituals to exorcise the spirit and deal with the effects of the bad luck it has on various members of the family.
The plot hinges on the myth and belief of Gulikan and tries to give it a new interpretation by portraying him as a friendly supernatural creature who takes care of children. Cinematographer Chandrakanth Madhavan’s frames capture the greenery and hint at the horror that can arise even in the dullest surroundings.
Sai (the brilliant Saiju Kurup), Nimisha and their daughter Minna (Deva Nanda) come with their family from Bangalore. Sai’s maternal uncle Maniyanpillai Raju comes with his differently-abled son. Sai’s scientific temper rebels against the superstitions and beliefs of his relatives. Mithran, played brilliantly by Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju, is a cousin who loves spending time with the children of the family.
The humour comes from Mithran’s antics as he tries to hide his fear with some bravado and tall tales. But it reflects in the weak script and doesn’t gel with the film at all.
After the initial scenes of the spirit possessing the teenager, nothing happens for a long time in this 126-minute-plus film. The background score has been reworked with some tired sounds heard in many films to create fear and suspense.
Manu, who has also written the screenplay for the film, cannot decide whether it is a horror film based on folklore or a psychological thriller. As a result, it does not do justice to both these sub-genres of horror films. The weak screenplay hampers the story of the film.
The threads of the story fade away as the director gives the kids time to mingle with each other and with Mithran. Child artist Deva Nanda is confident as always. But it would be interesting to watch a young actor like Appu.
A scene where the women in the family are possessed by a spirit could have been portrayed more subtly. A forgettable song could have been removed.
A few scenes of a scarecrow (reminiscent of Marvel Comics anti-hero Sandman) coming alive courtesy of a spirit add a thrill that was missing earlier.
What Manu has done right is the way the kids bond and spend time together. Some scenes are nostalgic, when kids brought up in the city discover happiness and fun in the rural environment in the company of Appu.
If you want to watch a family drama with some supernatural folklore, then this movie is for you.
Th is is currently playing in theaters.
