There has been some buzz surrounding Tovino Thomas’ new film Adrishya Jalakangal, particularly regarding his tanned transformation and whether he delivers a noteworthy performance. And the answer to both of these questions is yes – he is almost unrecognizable as the marginalized and unnamed protagonist who is suddenly deemed mentally unstable, aided by false teeth and a disheveled appearance. Tovino successfully keeps his real-life personality hidden, displaying a level of quirkiness in his body language that includes jaw movements and walking and running patterns, which adds to the authenticity of his transformation. Comparisons can be drawn to what Mammootty did in films such as Ponthan Mada and Boothakannadi, where the former involved a makeover and the latter involved the protagonist’s way with electronic equipment and his constant use of a telephoto lens.
Adrishya Jalakangal – Review
However, while Tovino’s performance is noteworthy, the same cannot be said for the film as a whole. Director Dr. Biju’s new movie Adrishya Jalakangal is essentially a play stretched to a two-hour feature. The film touches on various issues such as land encroachment, displacement, life-threatening factories, war, a woman’s agency and her rights, exploitation, oppression, and fascism. However, the entire film appears to be built around a checklist, seemingly designed to appeal to film festival juries. While the narrative approach taken here can be described as surreal or magical realism, it fails to evoke a sense of amusement, wonder, and uncanniness, let alone emotional resonance. The movie lacks any of these qualities, and even the convincing use of front projection and painterly frames fails to salvage the overall storytelling approach.
Nimisha Sajayan’s portrayal of her character stands out for the warmth and ferocity she brings to the role. She initially interacts with Tovino’s character on a sour note but eventually finds common ground with him and bonds with him. However, as with Tovino’s contributions, Sajayan’s acting is wasted in a storytelling approach that comes across as pretentious and fails to do justice to the actors.
The film also includes some awkwardly funny moments, such as a band member collapsing of a heart attack after cops disrupt their concert that features cringe-worthy music and performance. There are also episodes of Tovino conversing with dead people, but these interactions fail to create any emotional impact due to their theatrical staging.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with making political statements through cinema, Adrishya Jalakangal’s approach falls short. Filmmakers like Mari Selvaraj or Vetrimaran have managed to address the same issues with far more innovative and cinematic approaches, even with minimal budgets, making Adrishya Jalakangal pale in comparison.
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