The film was a great one to watch. Mahesh Narayanan as a writer-director crafts a fine film. This is a story and a type of film which we have never seen from Mahesh and isn't something that falls in the usual form of filmmaking from Mahesh. It was quite refreshing to see Mahesh try his hands at an arthouse film. The writing of the film is rock solid. There is a believable plot that takes its time to unfold. Though there isn't any element of thrill or suspense, the way in which the tale progresses builds an intrigue amongst the viewers to know what can happen next. The plot may seem to be slow and dragged out. However, it is necessary to build the tension and the environment for the tale to unfold. Mahesh does a superb job with the writing, by keeping the screenplay as authentic and genuine as possible. He also has put in efforts to make sure that the happenings of the film is believable and adds a local flavour to it, to up the naturality of the film. Mahesh's brilliant writing combined with the spot on execution makes Ariyippu a superbly crafted film. Looking at the acting performances, the film boasts of some stellar performances by the cast. Divya Prabha as Reshmi Hareesh deserves a lot of praise. She is phenomenal in her role and the way she slips into character and portrays it with utmost conviction and precision is highly commendable. Divya has made proper use of the opportunity she has been handed with, and delivers one of the most powerful performances of the year. Kunchacko Boban is absolutely brilliant as Hareesh. This role is perhaps one of his finest performances in recent times and is surely worth a lot of accolades. The remaining supporting cast members too deliver good performances. Looking at the technical side, the cinematography by Sanu John Varghese is great. The shaky camera movements and the steady shots for almost the entire film gives the film a rustic and realistic feel. Editing by Mahesh Narayanan and Rahul Radhakrishnan is crisp and tight, making the film a good one to watch. The background score by Sushin Shyam is pensive and intense, which is unlike most of his work. It was quite a surprise to see such a pensive scoring being orchestrated by Sushin. Special credits has to be given to the production designers, set designers, art department, costume designers and sound designers for their valuable contributions.
As a whole, Ariyippu is a film that is what the general public would call "a typical arthouse film". However, if you watch the film a bit closely, you will realize that this isn't just another arthouse film, but a film that showcases a very relevant topic in the guise of an arthouse film. What makes Ariyippu a film I loved watching is the approach and gamble Mahesh Narayanan took to try his hand at an arthouse film, that pays off, superb making, spectacular acting performances by Divya Prabha and Kunchacko Boban as well as the score by Sushin Shyam. I personally found the film to be something which you all should check out to see a very different Kunchacko Boban and also to realize the filmmaking skills Mahesh Narayanan possesses. The film is slow and would test your patience if you aren't a patient viewer of films or expect a grand climax. This one is surely worth your time. Do check it out!
