Aavesham Movie Review

"Three teens come to Bangalore for their engineering education and get involved in a fight. They find a local gangster to help them" -- the plotline appears rather ordinary and lacks intrigue. The limited potential of the storyline fails to offer much excitement. Perhaps this is why I chose to skip this movie in theaters and watched ROMEO starring Vijay Antony instead, although that turned out to be a regrettable mistake.

The bold title card boldly announces “Re-introducing Fahad Fazhil,” and it certainly lives up to the hype. Despite FaFa (Ranga) and his reference being absent from the film for nearly 25 to 30 minutes, the movie kicks off with an epic and unconventional introduction shot that puts Fahad Fazhil front and center. The storyline primarily revolves around three characters, making it unclear who the true protagonist is. The college, hostel, and ragging scenes are captivating, especially when the freshmen band together for protection. Their coordinated movements, suit are all reminiscent of the 12-men shootout scene in the movie “Thuppaki,” add a comical twist. The character Kutty is well-crafted, evoking both hatred and a desire to smash his face. These individuals embark on a quest for local support, frequenting bars where they encounter Fafa and his crew. For reasons unknown or perhaps for no reason at all, Fafa takes a liking to these guys. Initially, Amban seems like an exposition character, but he later evolves into a lovable figure, sharing entertaining stories about Fafa and his journey.

As a whole, Fafa’s gang resembles Gru and his minions, while the three guys are akin to adopted girls. Fearlessly, they engage in daring acts, including wielding a faulty gun, printing Fafa’s face on shirts, turning a lorry into an impromptu swimming pool, and even Amban shaking his body to clear seats. This gang knows no bounds when it comes to their audacious escapades.

The film consistently reaches intense moments, where the combination of cinematography, music, and editing signals that the story is about to elevate to a new level. The energetic music played loudly, primarily through the woofer. However, due to the well-crafted scenarios and other elements, it didn’t become overwhelming. Unlike most movie fight scenes that feel like mere fillers, this film had a few well-choreographed fight sequences, including one involving a car. These scenes maintained awareness of the spatial context and avoided feeling like a continuous barrage of random hits.

As I mentioned earlier, there’s an intriguing ambiguity surrounding the protagonist (not in a negative way), and we lack a clear-cut antagonist. Interestingly, the antagonist introduced at the beginning receives their comeuppance during the intermission. This left me curious about the movie’s direction. Writing the first half is relatively straightforward – it involves setting the stage – but it becomes more challenging when you write the second half. Unlike the director’s previous movie, “Romancham,” which had a strong first half but faltered in the end, this film maintained its momentum.

Questions arise: Why does Fafa care for these kids? Why doesn’t he follow his mother’s desires and leave everything behind? Did he truly harm Amban during a game? The attention to detail, from posters to the final animated scenes featuring Fafa, reflects careful craftsmanship. Interestingly, the movie was released only in Malayalam, unlike many others that are dubbed in multiple Indian languages. Whether this choice was artistic or related to the movie’s context remains a topic for future discussion. Overall, it’s a fantastic film worth watching, re-watching, and perhaps even re-re-watching.