My review: Kunjananthante Kada
When your debut movie was one of the finest movies made that gained accolades from all around naturally you feel the jitters when you embark on the next project. Salim Ahamed must have gone through it when he made his second movie "Kunjananthante Kada" following his massively impressive "Adaminte Makan Abu". Starring Mammootty ( once again proving his mettle with a superbly restrained effort ) and Nyla Usha ( an impressive debut), "Kunjanan...." has its heart in the right place but has got undone by poor writing and execution this time around by Salim.
What could have worked wonders as a short film has gotten stretched beyond its capacity, as a result the movie lacks the punch and fails to engage the viewers after a point. Since there is paucity of the written material execution of the same becomes a problem especially if one has to maintain the same amounts of intensity for a period of 2 hours. And the strain with which the makers have tried to do it shows on screen. In the end, the movie comes across as a wannabe classic shot in the style of movies which reaches out only to the confines the air-conditioned rooms of the jury of film festivals and award committees. But this time even there I think there would not be many takers for this half-baked attempt.
Except for the performances of the actors in the movie there is nothing much to harp about. Mammootty is splendid as an anankastic, rigid-minded, brooding Kunjananthan who is fixated with his grocery shop to the extent that he ignores his family and its happiness. He has once again reveled with the subtle acting that he is known for. Pity that in spite of his earnest performance, due to poor writing his character fails to kindle any emotions in the viewers. Nyla Usha is very impressive in her debut movie. She is so casual and natural in her portrayal of a frustrated wife whose aspirations and even minors pleasures are denied by the rigid thinking husband of her's. Rest of the support cast have also done their parts to perfection.
Madhu Ambat's camera work is pleasant to the eyes. Especially his lighting in the night shots are a treat. M.Jayachandran's background score supports the narrative as much as it can.
But in the end, certain stories have a better impact if they are made as a short film. They loose their steam if stretched beyond it which is what the precise problem here with "Kunjananthante Kada". Only solace here is that the makers have abstained from being preachy or taking sides in this development-displacement debate. The ending was more naturalistic than poetic or contrived which is appreciable.
On the whole, "Kunjananthante Kada" fails to impress in spite of good performance from its actors due to poor writing and execution.
Bottomline: What could have been a crisp short film....
2.5/5
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