Meow HD Released

 Sulu leaves her marital home over a disagreement with her husband, Dasthaker. And when an efficient maid runs the home smoothly, Dasthaker wants Sulu to eat humble pie and won't bring her back

Director Lal Jose and writer Dr Iqbal Kuttipuram have given us a couple of interesting films, such as Arabikkatha and Diamond Necklace, both of which were based among the Malayalees in the Middle East, and dealing with complex characters. So when the duo return with Meow, expectations are understandably high. But at 145 minutes, the length of the movie is just one of its problems.

Soubin Shahir plays Dasthaker, once a hard party animal who turns to religion after a fatal accident. He is now a small provision store owner and a father of three struggling to make ends meet. He and his wife Sulu, played by Mamta Mohandas, are now estranged over a money management issue. Sulu thinks it’s a good idea for her to stay away so that Dasthaker realises that running the house isn’t easy.

Meanwhile, he is unwilling to accept defeat and ropes in his driver, Chandran, to help around the house, till he chances upon Jameela, a maid from Azerbaijan. She quickly and efficiently gets things done and generally lifts the mood of the house, leaving Sulu a bit frustrated. And now that things are moving okay, Dasthakar wants to teach Sulu a lesson for having abandoned them so easily and isn’t willing to bring her back home.

In the midst of this, we see vignettes of how the couple met and got attracted to each other, a college reunion where everyone is surprised to see how the vibrant Dasthaker now seems like a hardline Muslim. Some episodes, such as the ones showing him as a strict, but loving father, though sweet, are unnecessary and stretched out too much, causing the story to drag. The film brings in messages about tolerance of other religions and communities, and also about not stifling children.

Overall, there is the problematic issue of how people consider a woman’s position. Dasthaker and other men feel Jameela does a great job, so Sulu is not indispensable to the house and does not need to come back. Also, in the resolution at the end, there arises the question of whether a couple should discuss an issue and arrive at a solution together or just deal with what one side decides. This ending feels puzzling and unsatisfying, and you almost feel that one partner is less than happy.

Meow