Kutty Sranku
Cast Mammootty, Padmapriya, Kamalini Mukherjee
Director Shaji N. Karun
Rating U
Cinema is a visual, not a verbal medium. And when a film overlooks this essential aspect, it tends to veer off course. Shaji N Karun has woven a very interesting story into his directorial effort, Kutty Sranku. But much of the plot unfolds through words rather than images. Therefore, despite a riveting performance by Mammootty, the movie meanders into the mundane.
Mammootty's Kutty Sranku leads an eventful life. A child abandoned at birth, rootless and restless, he finds a sense of fulfilment when a mute woman, Kali, (Meena Kumari), crosses his path. Shunned by the whole village as an evil omen, she finds respect and love in the arms of Kutty Sranku.
The other women in his life are Revamma (Padmapriya), a doctor who turns Buddhist after returning from Sri Lanka, and Premmena (Mukherjee), a fellow artist in a dance troupe that Kutty Sranku was involved with. They share an unrequited love for him.
The narrative unfolds over two hours and the pace is far too leisurely to grip your attention. Though the three stories, each tracing one woman's experience, have been interestingly linked, it is only that of Kali that engages us. The one significant saving grace is Mammootty, who is perfectly cast in the role, and manages to enact a none-too-easy part with considerable ease.
More of an arthouse production, Karun's latest work may well find itself impeded by its sparkles and a feel about it that does not fit with current cinematic standards.
