Anarkali

We watch many movies these days, thanks to all the streaming services that make our life simpler by bringing all the content we want, right to our fingertips, but hardly a few impress us to stick on to our memory forever. However, occasionally these TV channels do surprise us with certain movies that we already love, call it sheer luck, to get us glued to our cozy couches even through the ads, like good old days. Yesterday was one such day where one of the Malayalam movie channels surprised me with Anarkali. Anarkali, a 2015 Malayalam release directed by Sachy, tells us the story of an Indian Navy officer Shantanu (played by Prithviraj Sukumaran) who gets expelled from his job when he falls in love with his senior officer’s daughter Nadira (played by Priyal Gor). The movie takes us through Shantanu’s life, his struggles across timelines during his wait to unite with the love of his life Nadira. This is only written from a fan-centric perspective, where I put down my opinions and thoughts about the movie while yours can vary drastically. However, I see myself doing this on other Malayalam movies as well, to help my fellow friends to make a decision when they are confused as to ‘What Malayalam movie to watch next?’ Let's now get back to Anarkali…

Shantanu and Nadira fall in love at the naval camp, and in one fine moment, they are caught kissing by Nadira’s father (played by Kabir Bedi) who also happens to be Shantanu’s superior officer in rank. A charge is filed against Shantanu for molesting Nadira and Zachariah (played by Biju Menon) for aiding his bestie Shantanu, for which both don’t plead guilty at the military tribunal. That is when they come to know the grave truth that Nadira is just 15 years old and hence a minor. The case goes for further investigation, where Nadira accepts them kissing but also declares her love for him. In a wild turn of events, both Shantanu and Zachariah are asked to put down their resignations to avoid further criminal proceedings and dismissal so that they can build a career elsewhere. When someone questions the credibility of Nadira’s statement on her love towards Shantanu, she challenges to prove them five years later. Fast-forward 14 years we see Shantanu at Lakshadweep, struggling to find his love after haven’t heard from her for around 2 years. From Nadira’s brother, we also get to know the various efforts from Nadira’s father to curb their relationship. Shantanu risks his own life to unite with Nadira finally!

Anarkali is a movie that talks about the intensity and pain of love, though we all can predict it to have a happy ending. The movie for most of its present tense takes place at the Kavaratti island of Lakshadweep. We get to witness the culture of the people of Lakshadweep, their dialect, their value for friendships, and the respect for family bonds. The cinematography of Sujith Vaassudev captures the elegant beauty of the islands which are indeed a treat for the eyes. Me, being a person who has never been to Lakshadweep I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the place, which even helped me make my mind to plan a visit there. It also explained the problems faced by the locals during a curfew and other govt. decisions. Another big takeaway was their mobile helicopter ambulance service that helps in getting critical patients to mainland Cochin, which at least I was unaware of, I’m not sure how many of us know this fact.

The actors breathe life into this movie. Prithviraj, as in recent times has done complete justice in the role of Shantanu, conveying his emotions in a language we as an audience can understand clearly. The character of Shantanu breaks down in one particular scene, which was played brilliantly by the lead actor, convinces us that even the bravest of hearts can falter. Priyal had little screen time for a heroine, of which I personally preferred her younger version, who was quite spontaneous and quirky in her expressions. The older Nadira was stern with a grim face, where there weren’t many expressions and her strong retaliation against her father looked a bit forced, rather than being spontaneous. Biju Menon plays it right to the point, as usual, can never really imagine someone else playing this role. This man is definitely the evergreen personality of Malayalam cinema, does he even know the number of movies he has been in? The supporting cast including Mia, Suresh Krishna has given some of their best performances, we feel walking among them witnessing Shantanu and his life as a story. The overall experience of the movie counters the few bad/boring scenes and a few larger-than-life events that the movie portrayed.

The movie has a decent soundtrack, from Vidyasagar, with a couple of songs that can keep one hooked up for days. So, yes! This movie lured me with some of the best performances, the beautiful landscapes, the soothing songs, the cracking Sufi quotes and a heartwarming story of love and sorrow. Sometimes it makes us feel glad for our easy lives, that we didn’t have to go through such phases of pain. It also ends with a neat little fact from the literature world, which is all yours to find out. Trust me, you will like this one.

After all ‘Love is stronger than death!!’

Give it a try if you haven’t yet (Not just the movie ;). If you have, please let me know your thoughts too.

Image credits: Google