Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali

The movie is based on a short story that the writer, director Chandrajith Belliappa had written about 10 years ago it seems. Anyway, Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali is a simple love story that reads like poetry. The movie is divided into different chapters with voice over narration at the beginning of each of those enhancing the feel even more. It feels like listening to an audiobook and getting lost in the world. The story revolves around Sid who has a crush on Anahita which doesn't materialize. How this affects him much later in the life and what he does about it forms the rest of the story.

In an era where every movie needs to be an action thriller with mega budgets, heavily computerized EDM tunes and loud BGMs, Ibbani comes across as a breath of fresh air. Its simple story, human-like characters, pleasant music and background score more than suck you into the narrative. But what really pulls you in is the astounding cinematography. Cinematographer Srivathsan Selvarajan opts for a lot of tracking shots with minimal cuts to ensure that we stay with the characters. While this may come across as "lag" in a normal film, here it works wonders and only adds to the poetry that is unfolding on the screen.

I highly recommend watching this movie. This is one of those movies where you need to sit down and immerse yourselves in. If you expect fast paced action or dialogue, then this is not going to be for you. This is supposed to be enjoyed the same way you'd enjoy your morning cup of filter coffee. One sip at a time.

-@CinephileIndia2023.