Nirnayakam

Story: After discontinuing his course at the National Defence Academy (NDA), Ajay decides to visit his dad from whom he was separated at the age of five. What awaits him is a truckload of revelations about his father, the causes he stood for and the reasons behind the same.

Review: Some tales are to be told loud and clear, rather than being smothered in government papers or court files. VKP’s Nirnayakam stands up to tackle a seemingly trivial issue that most Indians have faced, getting trapped in traffic jams – brought forth by marches or hartals by political parties – that curtail a citizen’s freedom of movement. Post such episodes, our tendency is to complain about it until the next similar incident. We hardly do anything about it fearing political influence. Friends, politicians, bureaucrats… this is a movie you should see.

Though timid by nature, Ajay always wanted to be a soldier. The tough training at NDA demotivates him and he discontinues the course. He decides to visit his ailing dad, a figure he grew up hating. Little does he know that the episode is potentially a turning point in his life.

The movie’s barbs are particularly aimed at those who believe demonstrations are strikes are inevitable in a democracy. While the plot progresses through the perspectives of Asif Ali’s character, he isn’t the real hero of the movie.

If heroism is all about punch dialogues, impact and applause from audience, Prem Prakash’s lawyer character wins it all. He articulates the uncomfortable truths about our democracy without a sensational, stereotyped narrative. Scriptwriters Bobby and Sanjay excel again, getting the nuances and subtexts of a common man’s problem right.

The highpoint of the movie are its courtroom sequences, embellished with superior performances. Nedumudi Venu does justice to his role as a person at the receiving end of grave miscarriage of justice. The film is a mouthpiece to all those who have been silently suffering this issue for ages; definitely worth a watch.