1001 Nunakal (2022) (Cinema)

 

1001 Nunnakal (2022)

Director: Thamar K V

Apologies for not commenting on this excellent movie so far …

People on vacation/ special occasion coming together for a festive respite commencing with silly pranks and then proceeding to nervous breakdown in the absurd display of ballooning egos is a familiar cinematic trope. Further complications come into play in unexpected forms like calamities, personal losses, threats or deadlines.

Sanalkumar Sasidharan’s uncompromising probe into the hypocrisy of friendships marred and mutilated by racial prejudices and casteist mentality was aptly titled ‘Ozhivu Divasatthe Kali’ or ‘The Game of a Holiday’. Bash Muhammed’s Lukka Chuppi was a decent effort, though marred by an overdose of drinking scenes.

Jeethu Joseph’s 12th Man was another example which, with its contrived script, ended up being just a mass-masala thriller. These movies generally follow certain patterns like most of the protagonists being drawn from one particular segment of the society, like the middle class; well-placed, decently employed characters facing existential threats of one sort or another, often due to circumstances beyond their control and quite often they want to hide their misfortunes from others for vanity. Interspersed with these seemingly lucky or bossy characters, at times there are fates of lesser ones like maids or menial workers. These characters invariably come from lower segments of the society, caste-wise or race-wise. They often become scapegoats, and their presence serve as cover for the privileged ones. Again, in the course of the action, nasty, buried secrets and passions erupt, or are unearthed, changing the entire equations among the protagonists once and for all. In the end, all are burned and bruised beyond repair and nothing would be the same again. One stormy night, and everything is laid to waste the next morning. The moral: games are not for grownups, for, growing up simply means shedding your innocence which is the essential prerequisite for games.

That 1001 Lies follows the above pattern is clear. Yet, the movie stands out with finely drawn characters and tight scripting that leaves no ends loose. Performance-wise all actors did well. The most appealing aspects were the economy with which the pace of the movie is held tight, accommodating no extraneous elements, and the way the expatriate ambience is evoked. Almost all the scenes are within one luxury apartment and, yet, it never feels claustrophobic. Dialogues are focused, and the Director deserves kudos for not over-indulging in the familiar ‘Mallu’ weakness of celebrating alcoholism as the sole lubricant of gatherings. Overall, the restraint necessary in a get-together of friends-turned-family couples was neatly worked out.