Under World DVD released

Director Arun Kumar Aravind’s film leads the audience into the gateway of the underworld through the lives of Stalin John, Majeed Abdul Rahman, Solomon and Padmanabhan Nair. Stalin (Asif Ali) doesn’t have a care in the world and is only interested if it involves making large amounts of money, regardless of the method. The consequences don’t deter him and he confront every situation with grit.

It is the same urge to make money that introduces him to Majeed Abdul Rahman (Farhaan Fasil). While they resent each other, soon they also forge an unbreakable bond of friendship.

In a different setting is Padmanabhan Nair (Mukesh) who was arrested for a multi-crore scam. With Solomon (Jean Paul Lal) as his aide, he feels relieved that his money is safe and assures himself that life in prison is better, as long the dollars are converted into rupees and hidden away.

What happens when the money-minded foes-turned-friends’ desires are threatened by Padmanabhan Nair and Solomon forms the rest of the story. Will the burning desire for money change people, both in the police force and rival gangs?

Asif Ali’s depiction of the indomitable Stalin manages to strike a chord with the audience. There are moments when you are moved by his tragic fall and want to vouch for him. His swag and attitude are equally eye-catching. Farhaan Faasil plays the role of gunda Majeed well and the way he supports Stalin during his turbulent times is also heart-rending. Mukesh also scores with his performance as the corrupt politician, who can’t see anything beyond money. Jean Paul Lal, as Solomon who is driven only by his sheer love for money, would remind one of his father Lal in his demeanour and voice and yet impressively carves a style of his own. His mannerisms as a villain make you want to see more of him on-screen.

The Arun Kumar Aravind directorial, written by Shibin Francis, aptly fits into the genre of gang war movies and crime drama. The fact that in the underworld, ruthlessness reigns supreme over loyalty is brought forth effectively, and could have been gripping if the filmmaker took care of certain aspects. Certain scenes, especially during the first half stretch the film, and the final encounter between the arch rivals could have been more dramatic. Moreover, the film’s characters belong to a utilitarian world and not a moralistic one, showing there is room for people who double-cross each other to make money.