CAST: Fahadh Faasil, Nimisha Sajayan, Indrans, Joju George, Vinay Forrt, and Dileesh Pothan
DIRECTOR: Mahesh Narayanan
BLUF
Ahammad Ali Sulaiman AKA Ali Ikka is planning to go for the Hajj pilgrimage, but his past sins catch up to him as he gets apprehended by the police at the airport. Due to his dishonorable past and his authority over his people, the influential officials decide that he must be assassinated within the 14-day period of imprisonment.
THE MEAT AND THE POTATOES
The film starts off with a brilliant long shot that has at least 100 actors and that is the highlight of the movie.
The premise of the film is nothing innovative. In fact, this story is about a young man Ali, who starts smuggling but uses his money to help his Christian and Muslim community members. Fearing his growing influence, his friends in the Christian community decide that they must stop his growth before he becomes too influential. Ali’s influence, however, wins and he ends up becoming a “proper man of the people”, Fearing his influence, he is arrested at the airport as the cops devise a plan to assassinate Ali by using Ali’s underage nephew to kill him. Here is where the climax comes in.
The plot of the film is quite unsophisticated. Fahadh Faasil and Nimisha Sajayan are at the top of their game. Most of the movie features these two actors and their presence on screen pushes this slow-moving narrative with the help of the supporting cast.
FWAR/ IN THE KNOW
Malik is all about Fahadh Faasil and his performance. Fahadh delivers a legendary performance as a character whose life’s story is told over thirty years as he gathers power and influence in his community. Nimisha Sajayan makes her presence felt as she consumes a great amount of screen time. Other actors with supportive roles Indrans, Joju George, Vinay Forrt, and Dileesh Pothan don’t leave any scope for a lax execution. They are all brilliant.
The slow pace of the movie in parts could be a downer along with a few open loops but what is the winner in the script is the dark humor. The climax of the movie is for the fables. You must watch it to know.
This is a great biographical gangster with a paced second half. Music and Cinematography are top of the game. There is some awful Comp-generated imagery in the scenes in parts that may need some editing assistance. Sanu John Varughese is is the cinematography and Anvar Ali is the man behind the music.
WHAT WE LOVED
Opening Frames
Fahadh and Nimisha’s as actors.
The climax
Music
WHAT WE MISSED
Optimized run time
Loop holes in the plot
slow-paced
