Live
Introduction
It is a Wednesday and just a day to go before the weekend releases start pouring in(yes from Thursday for a change), and I decided to watch and review the new Malayalam film Live which is streaming on Manorama Max and Simply South. I had previously missed out on its theatrical run and since then have keenly waited on its OTT release.
By now you know my love for Malayalam films and their storytelling flourishes especially when they pick up hard-hitting or socially relevant subjects. From the first look of Live, it seemed like a story based on the media circus and the sensationalism that is created by the TV journalists. We all know by now that this is a relevant issue and is still lingering on for quite some time now. As usual I hadn’t watched the trailer of Live and wanted to go completely with a fresh slate in the film. So then does Live manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Live follows the story of the media creating a hype around a case of a mistaken identity, which leads to a witchhunt and a media trial. Will the truth ever come out? The story here was relevant although there have been plenty of content made previously on a similar subject. Yet, the writing here is quite weak wherein it barely touches upon the deeper issues with the media. The screenplay standing at a shade less than 2 hours does make for an insipid watch which is messy and it barely scratches the surface.
The drama opens with a man supposedly destroying evidence while news plays out in the background. Soon as a part of the extended flashback, you are introduced to the protagonist who is celebrated as the best doctor of the state(I wonder why). This, while other principal characters also begin to enter the narrative. This was so unlike a typical Malayalam screenplay(not in a good way) because the characters weren’t well etched out too. Certain sequences at the beginning were barely used as fillers as opposed to them having a pivotal role in the screenplay. But to my shock, this period was still the best part of the screenplay that nose dives after the introduction of the conflict.
The proceedings are pale and never really take off. I was expecting a deeper conversation related to the media and the effect that they have on the psyche of the individual. But the writing doesn’t really cater to either. It is preachy and doesn’t get into the depth of the matter. I was also shocked at the detour that the screenplay took by sketching out an entire back story of the head honcho of a media house. That was absolutely unnecessary and just not convincing enough. Crucial minutes were wasted in discussions which should ideally have been shown through actions onscreen.
Just when I was about to switch off, bang….there was a twist in the tale that did catch my attention. But I tried to ponder and reason with it, that why didn’t it have any shock value or emotional attachment to it. The reason lay in the fact that the characters were etched out well and so any of their actions did not create any sort of an impact. Even the drama post that was so half-hearted with a subplot of revenge that it left me disinterested. The ending was far too predictable and simplististic while not really touching upon an issue that should have been the foundation of the drama. Overall, the screenplay is a hot mess and it never recovers from its mediocrity.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are conversational but they end up being preachy. The music and BGM are average and literally do nothing to raise any stakes in an already flat drama. The cinematography and editing are decent but nothing much can be done when the story itself is weak. Director VK Prakash had such a relevant topic to weave a story around but he misses the mark and soul of the story completely. The direction is off and detours on the wrong track as opposed to getting deeper into the issue.
Performances
The performances are a mixed bag too. Priya Warrier as Anna is such a one-dimensional character who is given so little scope, whereas the fact of the matter is that the writing could have tapped into her psyche in a meticulous manner. Soubin Shahir as Sri is also given limited scope and as a fan of his previous works, I really want him to choose the right kind of scripts. Shine Tom Chacko as Sam is terrific and does a fine job as the shrewd and flamboyant journalist. But he too needs to move away from getting typecast in such roles. The one person to standout is Mamta Mohandas who is excellent as Amala. She looks pretty and is very assertive in her performance in otherwise a losing cause.
Conclusion
Live is a shallow representation of a very pertinent issue that fails to impress. It was hard for me to believe that this was a Malayalam film. A rare miss it is! Available on Manorama Max and Simply South.