Movie: Kumbalangi Nights (Malayalam)
Cast: Shane Nigam, Soubin Shahir, Fahadh Faasil, Sreenath Bhasi, Mathew Thomas, Anna Ben
Rating: 4/5
The movie starts from the perspective of the youngest sibling of a dysfunctional fishing family. Frankie is shown to be haunted by a drowning incident from his childhood which makes him feel choked. This foreshadows the events which are to take place as he makes his way back to his house for his vacation.
We are introduced to a quarreling family of four brothers - Saji, Bonny, Bobby, and Frankie, who live in a fishing town of Kumbalangi in Kerala.
The village is beautifully captured with the use of only natural light during both day & night shots. Especially during the night time, the whole village feels like a serene canvas in which fishermen are shown fishing in the backwaters. These visuals set the environment and tone of the movie.
The family which is central to the plot of the movie is shown to even fight and quarrel on the day of their father's death anniversary and the frustration of the situation is presented through a scene where Frankie kicks his football in utter frustration towards the water body. That scene also signifies hope, as the ball is shown floating and surviving on the water body just as this family still has time to come together as a happy family or forever get drowned in an abyss.
Bonny is shown to be totally disconnected from his family, but he is shown to share a close bond with Franky. Saji is presented as the head of the family, but contrary to him being the most responsible one, he is shown to be a drunkard and gambler who does no worthwhile work. This highlights the plight of fishermen in these changing times when their livelihoods are on stake and this leads them to alcoholism which is a prevalent issue in Kerala. The movie also shows how toddy bars have destroyed families and the likelihood of these struggling fisherman communities.
Then we are introduced to an interesting character- Shammi. Shammi is portrayed as a "complete man" who lives in his wife's home and maintains a strict and polished lifestyle. Bobby is shown as a junkie who also lazes out with his friend Gopi without doing any productive work except listening to music on his beloved portable speakers. But he gets a reality check about his life when he comes to know that his closest friend Gopi is planning to get married and settle down.
Shammi's misogynist behavior is emphasized in a scene where he takes cheap shots on his wife's uncle who cooks delicious food, as he considers homemaking to be a very feminist characteristic while the man of the family to be the bread earner of the family.
We are also introduced to the character of Baby who is the sister in law of Shammi and gives guided tours to foreigners in Kumbalangi as part of eco-tourism. She is shown to have a nascent love interest in Bobby.
Bobby and Baby's love story becomes the pivot on which the story of the movie revolves. The company of Baby brings a sense of responsibility and longing in Bobby, and he longs for a companion who will care for him.
Shammi is again and again projected as a controlling freak who is shown slowly taking control as the head of the family and this is signified when slowly his sitting position in the dinner table changes. And this control he starts exerting on Baby too, as he starts unnecessarily interfering in her love life.
As the story progresses, it becomes clearer that due to Saji's past behavior, their mother has left the house to go and live a spiritual life. The main entry of their house is shown to have no door and this shows that someone is required in this house to put a frame and door to unite and bind this dysfunctional family.
Then due to an unfortunate event, Saji's character arc takes a turn. The build-up to this whole event is beautifully portrayed and shot.
To be a part of some productive work, Bobby joins the frozen fish industry and this highlights how the frozen fish industry is destroying the livelihood of the fisherman who sells fresh fishes.
Shammi is continuously projected as a macho man who is proud of his masculinity. He is projected as an epitome of a misogynist and chauvinist man who should be emotionally strong.
On the contrary, Saji loses his mask of masculinity by sharing his suppressed feelings with a doctor and leads to his process of reconciliation with his family.
In one of the most beautiful and touching scene, Saji is shown bringing someone to his family house on his boat with a unique background score. The scene feels surreal and melts your heart. This event acts as a catalyst to bind the dysfunctional family together and the siblings come together to make each other happy again. This highlights the importance of family support in times of need and its positive effect on overall mental health.
In one scene when they go to meet their mother in her religious institution, Franky is shown the most vulnerable individual who is longing for a mother's love which is absent in his life.
Shammi progresses from being a new member of the family to the head of the family, and he starts commanding absolute authority on the household which he considers is his privilege being part of a patriarchal society.
There is an apt reference of Murrel fish which in hunger even kills of their own baby, and how this is not possible in humans as they possess true love for their own blood.
The climax of the movie exposes the consequences of a patriarchal society that pressures men to be macho and emotionally strong, and it also gives the message that we need to explore our real roots to realize the things we like to do and which will keep us content and happy. It also highlights the importance of family and family love, which is ever present irrespective of the circumstances.
The director Madhu C. Narayanan brings the fishing village of Kumbalangi alive in this movie and as the title of the movie suggests he does gives a magical portrayal of the village during night time. The movie could have turned out an ordinary drama movie, but he creates emotion and immersive narrative by framing each scene perfectly. However, he tends to overdo some scenes involving Shaami and he failed to explore the perspective of Franky further in the movie after the first scene.
The screenplay by Syam Pushkaran has multiple layers to it and forces us to put a mirror to our patriarchal society and the consequences it faces because of it. It explores the theme of masculinity in multiple levels and the importance of emotional outlet which keeps every human being sane. However, when the story starts from the perspective of the youngest sibling Franky and later it is not explored further in the movie, it felt a bit disappointing.
The real winner of the movie is the cinematographer Shyju Khalid. He immerses us in the environment of the movie by capturing the village of Kumbalangi beautifully without any added effect. He shots scenes in the presence of natural light sources which gives rawness to each frame of the movie. His camera work creates magic in some scenes and it helps in taking those scenes to another level. The night time shots are also flawless.
A special mention for the music by Sushin Shyam and especially his background score which gives you goosebumps in particular scenes.
The whole acting ensemble is at the top of their game in this movie. Soubin Shahir and Fahadh Faasil standout in the movie. An emotional breakdown scene by Souchin Shahir is at the top of the lot. The creepiness and authenticity which Fahadh Faasil brings to his character is note worthy. Special mention for Anna Ben and Shane Nigam who brings their characters to life and makes you root for them throughout the movie.
Kumbalangi Nights shows the power of family love and the ills of a patriarchal society where men are expected to act in a specific manner. This movie gives you hope that however dysfunctional a family is , it always supports you in times of need so that we as individual can come out as a happy and content person.
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