Eesho
Introduction
It is still Wednesday and before we proceed with the review of the newly released film today, we at Popcorn Reviewss would like to wish you a very Happy Dussehra and Durga Puja. And with the start of the holiday season comes with it another Malayalam film Eesho which has started streaming on SonyLiv. As is the case always, if there is a Malayalam film which is out then I would jump at the first opportunity that I get. The film stars Jayasurya who I believe is a highly underrated actor and often slips under the radar despite some terrific performances. I had recently watched him in the recently released Malayalam film John Luther and had absolutely loved his performance wherein he was able to bring out the subtler nuances to his character. So with some high hopes I finished watching the Malayalam film Eesho. Is it worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Eesho is essential a story of one night wherein a watchman at an ATM befriends a stranger who calls himself Eesho. Seldom is he aware that there is danger ahead. The story is a decent thriller which also touches upon an impending social issue through its narrative. The screenplay standing at just over a 100 minutes means that it is a very quick watch.
The drama opens with a song and I haven’t seen too many Malayalam film do that recently. The entire prelude does introduce the viewers to a set of characters in what initially seems like an unrelated event from the main subplot. Slowly but surely you are introduced to the protagonist and you instantly know that there are a bunch of people after his life.
The setting of a drama unfolding primarily over a single night can be a tricky proposition. This is because your writing may tend to get repetitive given the limitation of the setting. And so it needs to ensure that it does rise above the script in many ways. While the writing is watertight and consistently watchable, it is predictable on many levels which eventually is its ultimate downfall(although credit to the writers for holding your attention throughout).
The buildup over the night is good and it does engage the audience briefly keeping them over tenterhooks. But the writing lacks the shock value which I was expecting in a film like this. Perhaps(and this is just a thought), that the structure of the screenplay could have been changed to make it a serial killer film with the exact same setting. That may have added a new dimension to the drama which did feel a tad predictable.
The events leading up to the final act are far fetched and less believable although the writers did manage to tie the loose ends together effectively. The awareness of the social issue is important and that is decently well expressed. But the messaging lacks that impact, all this while the drama remains consistently watchable. The final scene has an emotional connect to it which was nicely presented marking a screenplay which is decently well penned but rather predictable and one-dimensional.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are adequate nothing much to shout about. The music is really melodious and it sets the ball rolling for the drama rather well. The BGM is good and goes well with the drama. The cinematography captures the mood of the drama well. The editing is sharp and one of the unsung heroes of the film. Director Nadirshah does a good job here making the drama consistently watchable and briefly engaging the audience too.
Performances
The performances are really good here. Arun Narayan has his moments to shine. Namitha Pramod as Aswathy is sincere and really endearing. Jaffar Idukki as Pillai is excellent and does a fabulous job. His eyes reek of innocence in what was a well restrained and dignified performance. Jayasurya as Eesho is brilliant. He is intimidating in parts yet is really a natural onscreen. It was a pleasure watching him here in a performance that saves the day to an extent.
Conclusion
Eesho is a decent and predictable thriller with strong performances that can be watched once. But the Malayalam Film standard is high, so on that aspect it did fall a tad short. Available on SonyLiv.