- Date of Release: 03 November 2023
- Genre: Crime, Thriller
- Language: Malayalam
- Watch On: Amazon Prime Video
Garudan
Introduction
It is a Tuesday and I have decided to catch upon a few films that I had missed watching last year. This is primarily to bridge the gap before we start collating the lists of 2023(by language). So first up, I finished watching the Malayalam film Garudan which is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Year 2023 was a relatively forgettable year for the Malayalam Film Industry which a string of films that neither worked theatrically and neither on OTT. This may well have been a wake up call for an industry who has otherwise been the most consistent in churning out quality content. But amidst the ashes, there was this one film that managed to end up making money at the Box Office. The film was Garudan starring Suresh Gopi and Biju Menon, two of the veterans who are prolific actors too. I was requested multiple times to watch and review Garudan on my Youtube Channel ‘Popcorn Reviewss’, and I am thrilled to have kept my promise. But the important question remains on whether Garudan manages to impress, stick around to find out.
Story & Screenplay
Garudan follows the story of two individuals – a straight forward cop and a college professor as they get engulfed in a crime while being pitted against each one. What is the truth? The story here presents a fresh spin to the otherwise standard serial killer genre with some interesting arguments thrown in. The screenplay standing at about 135 minutes is decently thrilling while keeping the viewers fairly interested with its treatment. Yet, I feel a major flaw in the screenplay lies in its predictability despite the twists and turns thrown in.
The drama has a thrilling setting of a heinous crime being committed as rain beats down in a city. This while the witness and the audience alike do get a glimpse of the culprit. The image isn’t clear but just enough to keep you guessing on who the culprit it. And thus begins an investigation followed by the identification of the culprit. I must bring the other Malayalam film Neru in discussion here which had a similar premise but chose to unfold by highlighting the legal route and its issues along the way. But here, the tone of the drama is essentially a thriller that is weaved around a fairly predictable premise. And this element for me remains a bit of a hit and a miss.
The proceedings are fairly engrossing as the thriller concludes towards the identification of the accused followed by a trial to punish the perpetrator. The drama is fast paced and it does leave your loyalties tilted towards one particular character against the other leading to the ultimate verdict. Yet, this exact loyalty is put to test in the events leading to a stellar interval block after the drama takes a 7 year old leap with the accused now scott free. The twist in the tale occurs when the accused files a case against the verdict that turns the drama on its head. On a side note, the politics of the land is nicely highlighted too.
The second hour moves in a different direction with the roles of the hunter and the hunted reversing, thereby testing your loyalties too. The arguments presented will make you question your beliefs but at no point did the drama seem entirely unpredictable. The beats of the story had a manipulated consciousness that also contributed to the predictability factor. This is not to say that the drama was bad, it was very watchable, quite thrilling as well. But given the high standard of the Malayalam Film Industry, this one just met the baseline. The twist and turns towards the end followed by the grand reveal did not really give me a high while the final act did seem a little abrupt and a tad too convenient for my liking. But the John Wick reference at the end was quite enjoyable to witness. Overall, the screenplay is decently thrilling and makes for a decent watch.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are filled with arguments from both parties and they do create the desired impact. The music is excellent and there is something about Jakes Bejoy understanding the world to perfection. Even the English lyrics hit home wonderfully well. The BGM aides the drama quite well by elevating it at various places. The cinematography is good but what was a slight deterrent for me was a few slow motion shots that seemed out of place. The editing was a little patchy but it didn’t hamper the overall product. Director Arun Raj Varma does a good job here in constructing a fairly engaging thriller despite the predictable beats. The situations created were interesting and you have to hand it over to the director for contributing well to it.
Performances
The performances are pretty good but essentially this is a two-men show. However, I also wish to highlight that the impact of the drama would have been better if a couple of lesser known actors may have been cast. This is not to say that Suresh Gopi and Biju Menon are bad. Suresh Gopi has a stellar screen presence and a swagger to die for while Biju Menon is wonderfully understated in such a towering act. But my argument is that the predictability of the drama may have been slightly nullified if there were actors cast without the baggage of their images. That would have kept the viewers guessing throughout the drama. All other actors are good but have very little to do otherwise.
Conclusion
Garudan is a fairly decent thriller with splendid performances that makes for a decent one-time watch. The issue in the drama lies with its predictability that hampers an otherwise thrilling joyride but it is still quite watchable overall. Available on Amazon Prime.