Kotthu Malayalam HD Released

 

Like in the 'banality of evil' thesis coined by political theorist Hannah Arendt, 'Evil acts are not necessarily performed by the evil'. Instead, it can be mere obeying of orders of superiors.

The Sibi Malayil directorial tells the story of a bunch of people living in Kannur who have normalised the 'eye for an eye' principle in the name of political parties. They aren't evil but conditioned to keep up the honour of ideologies. When the martyrs are reduced to numbers, what is left behind are forgotten human grievances, poverty, incomplete families and the tragedies around it.

Shanu and Sumesh are childhood friends who grew up together as party workers under the guidance of Sakhavu Sadhanandan. He is their godfather whose instructions will be obeyed without second thought. After the murder of party worker MA Nagendran, the party decides to commit a revenge killing in order save its honour. Sadhanandan assigns Shanu, Sumesh and two of their close friends. Post incident, their lives take an unexpected turn where they become preys in the game of equivalence. Are they free to think beyond the orders? Are they allowed to be morally conscious about their deed and take up the responsibility?

'For which political movement did you kill that man?' asks Shanu's wife Hissana while she confronts her husband when she realises that she is not just married to a catering worker but a political gunda. Scriptwriter Hemanth Kumar realistically protrays the life beyond the fear that the party has created by instilling arrogance and aggression in the minds of youngsters in order to build a monopoly. He puts through the fact that those who create fear can also succumb to fear. It speaks through different viewpoints - the wives, the mothers, the fathers, the party workers and the children. However, one will leave the theatre with an incompleteness as there are many imperfectly woven ends. It seems some of the characters are left without meeting justice. Well, time for a question - how much can you criticise a system while being in the system?