Anweshippin Kandethum (2024) Movie Review – A Malayalam film to be remembered not for premise but execution

A Malayalam film to be remembered not for premise but execution

If you’re familiar with films such as ‘Visaranai,’ ‘Karnan,’ ‘Jana Gana Mana,’ or shows like ‘Paava Kadhaigal,’ then you might have already streamed ‘Anwesippin Kandethum’ on Netflix. This 2024 Malayalam film, starring Tovino Thomas and featuring music by Santosh Narayanan, shines not so much for its premise but for its execution.

The film tackles the themes of police brutality and honor killing, delivering a gripping police procedural drama. Directed by Darwin Kuriakose, ‘Anwesippin Kandethum’ struck gold at the box office, raking in over forty crores despite its modest budget of eight crores.

In the search for answers, one often finds them, as in the case of the Malayalam term ‘Anwesippin Kandethum.’ Sub-Inspector Anand Narayanan, portrayed by Tovino Thomas, locates a missing girl in central Travancore. However, the complexities of the case reveal deeper tensions within the local community.

A conflict between the Kurloise and Packemeose communities comes to light, pitting the police against the prime suspect. The missing girl, Lovely Mathan, is a member of one of these communities. Besides the communal challenges, SI Anand faces internal departmental politics that complicate the case further. Now, he must decide whether to confront these obstacles head-on or remain silent to protect himself from scrutiny by his superiors.

Additionally, Anand is also investigating another case in Cheruvally, the murder of a woman named Sridevi several years prior. The film delves into the connection between the Lovely Mathan and Sridevi cases, promising a suspenseful exploration of these intertwined mysteries. With a runtime of 2 hours and 26 minutes, ‘Anwesippin Kandethum’ offers a brilliant story that’ll leave you yearning for more. 

The film aims to shed light on several issues, including police brutality. This theme has been powerfully portrayed in other South Indian films, such as ‘Visaranai,’ which delivers a chilling depiction of this very topic. In these narratives, some police officers are shown attempting to frame innocent and financially vulnerable people, often without any political connections.

There are several reasons behind such actions, including the pressure to quickly solve cases due to social and political influences. Sometimes, officers may try to protect people with strong political or financial backgrounds, or their motivations may be different altogether. However, regardless of the reasons, the film stresses that the wrongful actions of authorities cannot be condoned.

In their role as protectors, policemen can sometimes become harbingers of death. This sad reality is not confined to fiction but is reflected in the socio-political history of India. 

Using God as a justification for violence is a troubling trend seen among some believers. Jinu V. Abraham’s writing skilfully addresses this issue. In one scene, the police face a challenge from a devout man at the church gate. Additionally, Anand’s success in solving cases often leads to jealousy among his superiors. They question whether he seeks to hog the spotlight. This pattern repeats itself, with similar expressions of envy surfacing after Anand and his colleagues achieve a significant breakthrough.

If you’re into Malayalam films, you might not find the storyline impressive, but you’ll be hooked by the way it conveys the story and music, especially by Santosh Narayanan, for the next two and a half hours. The screenplay is split into two parts. The first half shows the central character’s rise and fall well. At the interval, you’ll be wondering what the second half will bring.

The screenplay in the first half is mostly good. The start of the second half is engaging, but it slows down for a bit. However, it picks up again towards the end with a big twist. The cinematography, especially the drone shots depicting the geography of both the missing and murder cases, is visually stunning. There are a few scenes where the police’s perspective is recreated. In the first half, there’s a POV from Anand’s side, and it’s done really well.

Tovino Thomas, playing Anand, and his fellow police officers deliver strong performances too. Tovino stays true to the character’s tough demeanour without adding unnecessary heroics. Overall, Anwesippin Kandethum tells a familiar story but with exceptional execution. If you’re familiar with Malayalam cinema, chances are you’ve seen similar films with stronger plots but it’s a decent watch all the same.

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