Odiyan is the legendary clan of sorcerers from the region of Palakkad in Kerala, India, during the time when electricity had not reached the many towns in India. They were the shape shifters and they made a living by scaring people in the darkness of the night.
Hailing from the region of Palakkad, I have heard many a tale from my grandmother of how an Odiyan would scare people by changing their form to various animals, attack and immobilize them but not kill them (but leave them a mere vegetable); how they would take the foetus to use it for their black magic; the various people in the village that were attacked by Odiyan. Odiyan ruled the darkness and the night.
With all these tales in mind, I was very excited to watch Mohanlal’s Odiyan. I was very happy that I was able to relate to the movie and the proceedings.
This movie is certainly not for those that are looking for some Mohanlal type actions or for those that is expecting a horror story. Neither is it a superhero story as what it was promoted as.
This is a simple, yet poignant tale of the last Odiyan, a great, noble sorcerer, who returns to his village after 15 years to clear his name of a crime that he never committed and to safeguard the widows of the Kelakkam Tharavadu (Kelakkam House), to whom his clan is indebted to for generations.
Odiyan is also the story of the darkness within the human and the anecdotes that the fear and guilt creates.
Highlights and Lowlights
The non-linear story telling that is used by the director keeps the audience thinking and correlating the various pieces of this puzzle. Though the audience knows who the villain of this piece is,they are still looking for a convincing conclusion and yearns that justice is served.
Now infamous “Kanji Edukatte” scene – I consider this scene, particularly this dialogue to be the most powerful one as it is this dialogue that very clearly confirms that the Odiyan is once again welcomed into the Tharavadu. This scene, in that dilapidated setting, with the widows now tired and dreary, actually comes in as a ray of hope for them. The trust on the Odiyan is once again established.
Climax – The fight sequence choreographed by Peter Hein. Odiyan is restored to his full form, menacing to the wrong doers but gentle to the believers. A fantastically executed fight sequence, that which would leave the audience craving for more.
BGM – what an amazing score! It is so melodious yet haunting. The BGM becomes a character in the movie, clearly depicting the various moods of the principal characters – be it joy or pain.
Music – the beautiful and melodious songs are not a hindrance to the story. They actually serve to enhance the poignancy of the scene and/or move the story forward. The “Kondoram” song is beautifully shot in the Athirapalli Falls locale.
The underlying love between the lady of the Tharavadu and Odiyan is beautifully woven. There is no lust, just pure pristine love – the Thambrati that is mesmerized, just like a kid, by the shape shifting capabilities of the Odiyan and the Odiyan’s devout strong bond of gratitude for this Tharavadu.
Mohanlal – is certainly a fantastic actor. The way he has reduced his weight to portray a younger self is amazing. The way he expresses his gratitude to this Tharavadu; how he menaces the people that does wrong to him; how he ends the villain thereby serving justice – all just amazing. There are two scenes where Mohanlal scores as an actor – the one where he is on his knees, pleading his innocence, trying to explain to the Thambrati that he is not the culprit, the reason for the pathetic state of the widowed sisters of the Tharavadu. That imagery will haunt the viewers for a long time. The other scene is in the song sequence where he is shown as loathing what he does for living; he sees a bull in his shadow and shows surprise, fear, anger and self pity – all at once. Wow!
Manju Warrier – in her second innings, is cautious about her roles. And in Odiyan, she had gotten a meaty one, for her to happily sink her teeth in. She displays the vulnerability, yet the strength in her character, very easily. She, in a weird way is the reason for all hatred and the subsequent deterioration for one and all. Her face and her eyes speak more than her dialogues. Be it the scene where she is waiting for the Odiyan to appear as the deer in her front yard or the one where she spews anger on Odiyan or when she realizes the truth and accepts Odiyan back into the Tharavadu or when she nods to show her gratitude for saving the Tharavadu, or the one where she tells her sister’s teen-aged son “sometimes what we hear need not be the truth”, she is just amazing. It is a real treat to watch her on screen.
Sana Althaf – the blind sister and the widow of the Kelakkam Tharavadu. She is such a natural actor that she is very convincing as real blind person. She is the core of this piece and the only believer of Odiyan’s innocence.
Prakash Raj – the perfect, menacing villain, with no ethics whatsoever. He oozes venom all over and his lustful gait will certainly be nauseating. Though in today’s world, his nickname in the movie, Kariman, denoting black and also his bad character, can be considered racist, it has to be taken with a grain of salt for this is set in a period when there was no electricity. A period drama, when such names were absolutely fine. The director could have utilized his skills even better. Though, his voice over in Malayalam was quite good, I still missed his original voice, which would have been even more ravaging.
Cinematography was apt with a tinge of yellow throughout. The Art Director should be given kudos for erecting a set to depict the village of Thenkurissi without electricity. They had ensured that all the electric poles were missing. Mamooty’s deep voice in the background to narrate the story is a classic touch.
Direction by V A Shrikumar Menon, in his first movie has done a good job of narrating this tale of the lost legendary character of Odiyan. Kudos to him for taking on a tough subject, with no real data or historical records and bringing Harikrishnan’s story of Odiyan, to life. Shrikumar will certainly go places as he grows in the industry, as he learns how to please the audience even better.
My Rating:
4.25 / 5 👍
Don’t miss this drama if you are a fan of folklores and legendary characters. A different taste served to us, to savour.