Moothon Review: A Gritty Thriller Designed for Ardent Cinephiles!

Moothon is the second directorial venture from Geetu Mohandas (who previously helmed a two-time National-award winning film – Liar’s Dice) and stars Nivin Pauly in the lead role who plays a gangster in the film. Co-starring Shashank Arora and Sobhita Dhulipala in supporting roles the film opens with some beautiful shots of Lakshadweep. We are then introduced to a kid named Mulla (Sanjana) who is adamant to search his elder brother Akbar, who went missing a long ago. In this long process, he travels to Mumbai but ends up in Kamathipura and in the hold of a dreaded gangster named Bhai (Nivin Pauly). The relationship between Bhai and Akbar, their real identities were detailed in the second half of the film.

ALSO READ: TOP 5 FEEL-GOOD MALAYALAM MOVIES IN RECENT TIMES

Kicking off with the performances, Nivin Pauly who plays the lead of the film is in unchartered territory here as not many actors would want to do an unorthodox role at this point of their blossoming career. But, he pulls it off splendidly with his expressions, his best in terms of acting. On the other hand, Shashank Arora as Salim is riveting to watch in a role which had become the standard for him in the recent past. Also, Sanjana Dipu, holds the film in the first half and is very much enjoyable to watch as a performer.

Furthermore, to give credits where credits due, kudos to writer-director Geetu Mohandas for attempting a strong film as the narration deserve a round of applause, especially after seeing how delicately the flashback portions and the scenes related to sexual identities were portrayed. But the same can’t be said with the climax which floundered in the mix and looked cliché and forced.

Technically, the film was solid. Rajeev Ravi’s excellent camera work and the different color tones he used for both stories added to the grittiness in the narration. Overall, Geetu Mohandas’ Moothon is strictly designed and will appeal to all the cinephiles out there rather than the mainstream audience who look forward to the commercial elements in a film. [This review was first posted on Biju Peter’s Movies & Photography Blog]

Rating – 3.25/5 | Grade – B

Written by Biju Peter
Edited by Surya Komal