Review: Drishyam 2

Jeethu Joseph comes up with an engaging story that keeps you guessing and entertained. And guess what, Drishyam 2 is as fine as Drishyam 1, if not better.

Drishyam 2 review

Film: Drishyam 2 (Malayalam)
Director: Jeethu Joseph
Cast: Mohanlal, Meena, Esther Anil, Ansiba, Asha Sharath, Antony Perambavoor, Murali Gopi, Anjali Nair and Aneesh Menon.
Music: Anil Johnson
Cinematography: Satheesh Kurup

Just when you thought that making a sequel to the finely made Drishyam is going to be next to impossible, director Jeethu Joseph proves you wrong.

He comes up with an engaging story that keeps you both guessing and entertained. And guess what, Drishyam 2 is as fine as Drishyam 1, if not better.

There have been sequels to other films too. But what makes Drishyam’s sequel special is the fact that the story more or less begins from the exact point the first one ends.

Jeethu Joseph’s creative skills as a writer come to the fore in Drishyam 2 as he seems to have allowed the emotions of his characters to flow freely. As the characters begin to show their true colours, the plot begins to evolve.

Synopsis:
George Kutty (Mohanlal) and his family, comprising his wife Rani and daughters Anju and Anu, pick up their lives after the turbulent storm that hits them in the form of the murder of IPS officer Geetha Prabhakar’s (Asha Sharath) son. Six years later, the family is in much better shape, with George Kutty now owning a theatre. However, George Kutty’s financial success doesn’t go down well with neighbours and locals, who begin to feel jealous about his growth.

Tongues start wagging and stories begin doing the rounds. Efforts are made by the locals to damage the reputation of George’s elder daughter Anju, who, incidentally, is still unable to completely come out of the trauma caused by the incident. It is under these circumstances that the family starts limiting its interactions with its neighbours.

The only exception to this rule is Saritha (Anjali Nair), a woman who has recently moved in as George Kutty and Rani’s neighbour. Rani likes the hardworking Saritha, whose life is made miserable by her alcoholic and abusive husband. The trust that Rani, who is scared to stay alone with her children in her home, has in Saritha is so strong that she invites Saritha to sleep at her place everytime George Kutty goes out of town on business.

One dark, stormy night when George Kutty is out of town, Rani is unable to sleep and begins to have a conversation with Saritha. She inadvertently blurts out something during this conversation which brings trouble knocking at George Kutty’s door. That’s not all. There is an eye witness that testifies to seeing George Kutty come out of the police station, which was then under construction, on the morning of the day of the incident with a shovel in his hand.

The leads are too precious for a police force that is determined to win this case against George Kutty. Will the police be able to find the body that has been buried in the police station? What does George Kutty do now? Drishyam 2 gives you the answers.

The story is told in a beautiful fashion. It starts off with the eye-witness, a murder convict, happening to catch a glimpse of George Kutty walking out of the police station building that is being constructed. You know right then that Jeethu Joseph has hit the nail on the head and that an exciting investigation thriller lies in store for you. This opening sequence excites you so much that it generates immense interest in the plot. Jeethu seems to be aware of what his opening sequence can do to audiences. So, soon after the opening sequence, he takes the time to lay out details that seem totally unwarranted and insignificant, all in a non-chalant way. However, as the plot begins to thicken, you realise that every scene, every development that he’s presented has some significant contribution to make to the plot. They all add up to make Drishyam 2 a fine thriller.

Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba and Esther Anil, all deliver fine performances like how they did in the first part. Asha Sharath too comes up with a sterling performance but this time, the length of her role is just a shadow of what it was in the first part.

Two actors who steal the limelight in Drishyam 2 are Anjali Nair, who plays Rani’s neighbour Saritha, and Actor Murali Gopy, who plays IG Thomas Bastin. Saritha, in particular, is simply outstanding as the poor, ill-treated housewife who puts up with the abuses of an alcoholic husband.

Lovely visuals from Kurup help Jeethu tell the story in the most convincing manner possible. Anil Johnson’s music only adds to the excitement. In short, Drishyam 2 is just another fine film from Jeethu Joseph. One, you cannot miss!