Filmmaker-screenwriter Shahi Kabir's gift for haunting us with his police-centric stories takes on a whole different dimension (literally!) with his latest writing effort, "Unmadham". This time, his protagonist is haunted (literally!) — by unsettling visions and unnatural forces.
Marking the directorial debut of one of Malayalam cinema's most talented editors, Kiran Das ("Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum", "Joji"), the film sees Shahi Kabir venturing into hitherto unexplored terrain: the supernatural. Ill omens, recurring lizards, flickering lights, gusty night ambience... But "Unmadham" is no ordinary supernatural/psychological thriller.
Yes, you see all the tropes associated with the horror and psychological thriller genres, but it doesn't definitively say it’s this and that. It leaves the job of interpretation up to us. You have to wait till the final moments, right up until the final frozen frame, that makes you question everything that came before, to make that conclusion. And I’m sure different people will have different takes on this: "Unmadham" is the kind of introspective horror film rarely made in Malayalam cinema.
It’s got a lot of meat on its bones, because it combines multiple elements, some of which are now known for being Shahi Kabir trademarks — the policeman's personal life, criminal investigation, procedural and interrogation routines, dimly lit atmospheres, haunting deaths — along with the world of cinema and, of course, the supernatural. It takes some big leaps in logic, in a good way, even though it takes its own time arriving at the destination (a creative choice some audiences with Insta reel-addled brains might have a problem dealing with). I, for one, enjoyed the journey.
Kunchacko Boban, already having worked with Shahi Kabir twice, in "Nayattu" and "Officer on Duty", brings on a level of acting game that works wonders for "Unmadham" in a big way. He doesn’t repeat what he did in those two films. Yes, we see a different side of him. Undoubtedly, a hat-trick win. It's one of the actor's best performances. (As someone who grew up on his romantic movies, I must say I'm getting a big kick out of seeing his current phase.)
"Unmadham" is neither "Nayattu" nor "Officer on Duty" or any of Shahi Kabir's previous scripts — I believe he has mentioned this already in his interviews. I can attest to that, but that doesn't mean he hasn't let go of his penchant for making you constantly uncomfortable and nervous. When the film has a protagonist who gets jumpy and bombarded with nightmares and ghostly visions, not to mention experiencing bouts of self-pity, humiliation, and being taken to task by a wife who doesn't blink twice before making her displeasure known, how can you expect a... comfortable, cheerful film?
But don't worry: "Unamadham" is, thankfully, not as traumatising as “Joseph”, “Nayattu”, or “Officer on Duty”, despite featuring some familiar sights and sounds that go with the investigative thriller territory. But in the midst of them all, Shelly (Kunchacko Boban's character) finds space for joy and laughter, albeit briefly. The wife, Soumya (Lijomol Jose), despite being fed up with their living quarters and her husband's tendency for focusing more on his cinema dreams and less on family matters, is quite the forgiving and caring kind, even though she appears from the distance as someone unapproachable.
Those who have interviewed Shahi Kabir (I did) will recognise aspects of his own personal life and personality traits in the characterisation of Shelly. He even gets a cameo which requires him to shake hands with his ‘alter-ego’. This meta nature, I must say, is what makes "Unmadham" much more exhilarating. It’s a classic mindbender. (Note: There's a fight scene that can be read differently when you see how things play out in the closing moments.)
The Kunchacko Boban-Lijomol Jose dynamic is one of the film's strongest aspects, aside from, of course, the fairly distributed quota of tension and grittiness from an efficient supporting cast which includes not just Shahi Kabir's previous collaborators but also Kiran Das. "Unmadham" functions like a well-oiled machine — slow-moving, though — where everything comes together and attains a kind of harmonious synergy, even if the intention is to make us nervous. I'd rather not go further, because the less you read about this film, the better. I'll end with this: Malayalam cinema has gained another brilliant director.
Film: Unmadham
Director: Kiran Das
Cast: Kunchacko Boban, Lijomol Jose, Kiran Peethambaran, Arun Cherukavil, Sudheesh, Sabumon, Krishna Prabha, Gokulan, Sreeja K Das
Rating: 4.5/5
