CAST & CREW
MOVIE RATING
DIRECTION
Unda is a 2019 Indian Malayalam action comedy film directed by Khalid Rahman and written by Harshad. The film received positive reviews, with critics praising the realistic portrayal of police officers and the performances of the cast. Director Khalid Rahman’s Unda is an example of intelligent filmmaking whose ideological perspective is directed at the political scenario of one of the world’s largest democracies.
Never pretending to be erudite for a moment, ‘Unda’ is full of brilliant insights delivered in rapid succession, making it one of his most thought-provoking Malayalam films in recent years. During what appears to be a moment of unusual silence during a long chat session, Noushad (Noushad Ali), a plainclothes police officer from Kerala, wittily talks with Maoists. Ask who they are and what their needs and demands are. It is clear that he is one of the hundreds of thousands of people living in this country. For them, Maoist is just a word that occasionally hits the headlines, forgotten as quickly as it is absorbed.
Nushad is part of a police team deployed on “other government operations” during the election period. When a group of cheerful young men set out on a journey to Chhattisgarh, they wonder what lies ahead. I knew very little about it. To Nushad’s questions, her officer, sub-inspector Manikandan (Mammootty), gave an evasive reply, jokingly admitting that the Maoists themselves had the answers to his questions. Unda, directed by Khalid Rahman, comes with an ideological perspective focused on the political scenario in one of the world’s largest democracies.
Unda’s plot structure is admirable in that it puts a little too much emphasis on personal life but cleverly ties it back to its underlying political principles. It has a more introspective intent, exploring personal stories and digging into the subtext with great dexterity while exposing the foundations of a vast political system.
For example, PC Biju Kumar (Rukman), despite donning a police uniform in a very dangerous situation, faces many jokes from his colleagues in the force, especially PC Unnikrishnan (Abhiram Poduval) and faces the brunt of it. Biju, who comes from a humble background, is scolded and ridiculed for his lineage, but he accepts everything until he decides he can’t continue any longer. His HDR Jojo Samson (Shine Tom Chacko) is on the verge of divorce, and PC Girish (Arjun Ashokan) is eagerly looking forward to marriage despite Jojo’s cynicism towards marriage. PC Aji Peter (Ronnie David) is upset that neither his sister nor Girish told him the news beforehand. PC Gokran Balachandran (Gokran) worries about his feelings for his wife.
He is a child who is expecting a baby any moment now. There’s also Nushad, who becomes pale due to Chhattisgarh’s extreme heat and fears it will ruin his chances of becoming an actor someday, and PC Varghese Kuruvilla (Jacob Gregory), who lives in a remote corner of the world.
The movie subverts every cliche that comes with the cop genre and is one of its kind. The director continues to reject the star’s testosterone-fueled lines and flattering camera angles, strategically ensuring he doesn’t conform to the traditional alpha male portrayal. Throughout this film, the audience encounters an incredibly authentic storyline, blending satire with poignant moments.
