Ariyippu - Declaration

Interesting, Intense... An Asghar Farhadi feel, little less, maybe....

The film may not be entertaining for everyone. It's simple from the outside, but, has a great impact within. Realistic making adds to the essence. Acting side is worth mentioning, Kunchakko has done a great job, he is choosing films wisely in recent times, excellent job. For Divya Prabha, this film is a great leap in her career, a way to prove and take herself to the next level of her acting career, she did a fair job. Cinematography was also amazing, blending to the film's realistic mood.

There are few negatives to point out, but, as a whole, it's a great movie.

For some reason, Ariyippu's (Declaration) most striking scenes are that of the assembly line of hand glove factory where the two central characters of the film work. I felt it was a metaphor to something Mahesh Narayanan was trying to convey, yet was overburdened by his main story of that of a Kerala-based couple stuck in Delhi with an ambition to move abroad. More than the conflict in the film, it's the aftermath that is loud here, asking you to think about the politics involved. In several places, I saw shades of Ishq (2019), leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Overall, Ariyippu is a decent film worth watching to know why you shouldn't be careless about what you do.

(Watched its India premiere at the 2022 International Film Festival of India in Goa.)

We're clapping for the cast and crew for a splendid job! They achieved so much with so little, well done😃

-Watching Ariyippu's trailer, we thought it was going to be one of those films about society bashing women. But Mahesh Narayanan used a different and better approach through a heavy inclusion of symbolism

-The film was extremely quiet, the passive atmosphere was due to the story taking place during the pandemic lockdown. The serenity was necessary to analyze and reflect on the narrative.

-The handheld camera was very appreciated to demonstrate the feelings of uneasiness, anxiety, and tension hovering over the characters throughout the story

-So many symbols made the screenplay rich and full of layers, however, we're just going to zoom in on the reason why a glove-making business was at the center of the film as opposed to any other.

We usually use gloves to keep hands free of dirt, fingerprint tracks, contamination, etc. Bottom line is to keep ourselves clean and this was the objective of the factory, Hareesh, and Reshmi.

In the end, they all unknowingly adopted the glove mentality for good and bad reasons

-No need to talk about performance when we had pros on set!

-Ariyippu is a hidden treasure that has so much to offer, a good example of how you can achieve a lot with a simple cast, locations, and production.

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!

#Ariyippu - An intense drama which explores human relationships when life throws unexpected challenges at us - What drives the movie forward are the brilliant performances from the lead actors - DivyaPrabhaa & KunchackoBoban.

The film doesn't have a lot of dramatic moments. All we get is a series of suggestions that paints a crime scene, where the powerful never misses an opportunity to prey on the weak. No blood, fury or horror is visible to our eyes. But, the sufferings of the people who inhabit the lowest strata of society dot every inch of the frame. The pain, the shame and a sense of collective entrapment all hide in plain sight. It's for the audience to unpack the cruelty of poverty

Surely one of the best Malayalam movies of 2022 !