Oru Kuprasidha Payyan DVD Released

Everyone around Ajayan (Tovino Thomas) knows that the timid orphan is incapable of murdering his maternal figure, Chembakammal (Sharanya Ponvannan), but they all are forced to say and make others believe that he brutally killed her for money.

The idea of an innocent man going to jail in a case framed by the government on wrongful charges has been a true crime cliché in Mollywood for quite a while but Oru Kuprasidha Payyan explores the same from new and interesting angles.

Ajayan is an insecure youth working in a restaurant in a small town in Kerala. He was abandoned by his mom soon after his birth and the uncertainty and loneliness that afflicted him in the very moment has been his constant companion. He finds solace in the motherly affection of Chembakammal. Based in Tamil Nadu, Ammal runs a catering service and Ajayan is in-charge of delivering the idli she makes to the restaurant. One night, the village, which has only seen the smiling face of Chembakammal, wakes up hearing her harrowing scream. She is savagely killed by someone. The investigation begins and everybody in town is questioned. Being close to Chembakammal, Ajayan too is under scrutiny. The department is under pressure and they are forced to find the murderer and Ajayan is framed.

While entering the doors of the jail, Ajayan tells the police officer Simon (Sujith Sankar), “I will survive. For those who have no one, there is God.” The protector appears in different shapes, genders and sizes and the movie progresses to the courtroom proceedings of Chembakammal murder case.

Oru Kuprasidha Payyan grips the audience from the start till the end. And Madhupal’s brilliant direction gets the credit along with Jeevan Job Thomas’ smart screenplay that leaves the audience with no choice but to go with the flow. The makers have a keen understanding of its setting. Each argument and the counter argument are well studied and taken care off. In fact, it surely gives a kick to the fans of courtroom dramas. The film is beautifully constructed over the concepts of human emotions and societal parameters such as caste, gender, status and power. The maker of Ozhimuri once again makes it clear that there is much more to come from him.

How can a courtroom drama be perfect without impassioned performances? Tovino Thomas, Nedumudi Venu, Nimisha Sajayan, Siddique and others deliver a slew of compellingly acted characters ranging from the aggrieved parties and their counsel to the supporting characters indirectly involved in the trail.

Nedumudi Venu and Nimisha Sajayan stand out as the lawyers and Tovino brings in complexities to the insecure yet courageous Ajayan. The actor has once again proved that he is here to stay. The stunt sequences with the buffalo and at the jail are classic. Siddique, who appears in a cameo is the MVP among the cast. Anu Sithara, Sujith Shankar, Alencier and Balu Varghese have made their characters impeccable. The cinematography and music too need a special mention.

There has been many investigation thrillers in Malayalam, but Oru Kuprasidha Payyan is one among those classic gripping and resonant courtroom dramas.