Perhaps no single creator has become emblematic of the thriller genre in Malayalam than Jeethu Joseph, the deliciously diabolical mind behind the Drishyam series and "Memories (2013)" and when a mystery film is announced as presented by the master himself, interest in automatically piqued. "Antakshari", directed by Vipin Das is a smartly shot and moderately satisfying thriller that makes an impact not because of the ingenuity in the plotline but thanks to a handful of brilliant performances.
The narrative is told from the standpoint of police inspector Das (Saiju Kurup) who gets embroiled in a cagey cat-and-mouse game with an elusive, psychotic killer who finds joy in tormenting him with games and wordplay. While Kurup and other established names like Sudhi Koppa ("Srinivas"), Priyanka Nair ("Chitra") and Binu Pappu ("Jayachandran") deliver assured performances, it is the new faces like Ishita Singh, Sandeep Pradeep and especially the mercurial child actor Mridul Mukesh that steal the show with natural performances, sans any theatrics or generic cinematic tropes.
Saiju Kurup is perfectly cast as the bumbling, often inept but immensely likeable protagonist, whose trials and tribulations become our own as the story moves along, with the actor earnestly portraying his character's turmoil at every turn. Kottayam Ramesh shines in yet another classy supporting role, after having made his mark in "Ayyappanum Koshiyum (2020)" and one can only hope that Malayalam's creators write better roles for this talented character actor.
As with the director's only previous film, "Mudhugauv (2016)", the characters are laced with insecurities and eccentricities that add to the vibrancy of the storyline. With a smartly framed hyperlink narrative that moves back and forth between the current timeline and events from the past that reveals more about the killer's motives and background, the director keeps you on your toes and just when you feel like you have figured out where the story is headed, he pulls the rug from underneath you with some deft surprises.
The minimalistic sound design and finely placed BGM along with the smartly framed visuals captured by cinematographer Bablu Aju accentuate the impact of the rural, hillside setting where the story takes place. At just barely two hours long, the director smartly ensures the audience is hooked for the full ride, delivering a taut thriller that might not exactly reinvent the genre, but has enough elements to keep you entertained.
Given the offbeat nature of the narrative that drifts widely from the beaten path of run-of-the-mill whodunits, the makers made the right call in opting for a Direct-to-OTT release. If you want to explore a murder mystery that offers up dollops of quirkiness, unexpected jump scares and a razor focus on performances over plotting, this might be the right pick for you. Recommended!
