Masthishka Maranam review: Rajisha Vijayan, Krishand’s satire on voyeurism is as sharp as it is funny

Masthishka Maranam movie review: Rajisha Vijayan and Niranj Maniyan Pilla power this smart, dystopian satire that has plenty of laughs

Poster of Masthishka Maranam

Masthishka Maranam plot: Set in 2040 Neo Kochi, Bimal, a parent who has lost his child, has been trying to forget the pain by ‘plugging’ into VR games that allow him to encounter near-death experiences of others. But when a friend shares with him a VR memory starring superstar Frida Soman, Bimal uncovers a secret that entangles them both in a messy public scandal.

Masthishka Maranam review: It takes a filmmaker with absolute clarity in his craft to tell a story in an unconventional format and also make it convincing for the Malayalam audience, who are attuned to realism. Director Krishand, with films like Purusha Pretham, Aavasvyuham and Sangarsha Ghadana, seems to have mastered this; and his latest dystopian satire is arguably his most assured yet.

The reason lies in the film itself, which plunges the audience into 2040 Neo Kochi, not far removed from the densely packed high-rises of Hong Kong. Its characters live in a world that feels speculative but also uncomfortably real. Krishand uses sci-fi and tech to paint a world of tomorrow, but one that is still inhabited by deeply human characters anchored with desires, fear and grief.

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Bimal (Niranj Maniyan Pilla), the male protagonist of Masthishka Maranam, is a parent who has lost his daughter. His wife has already erased the memories of the latter from her life, freeing her from the pain of reliving those. Bimal, however, seeks solace in VR memory games that let him experience near-death experiences. In a bid to help him out, a friend shares a VR game starring superstar Frida Soman. What starts out as a voyeuristic escape for Bimal becomes a full-blown public scandal, when he uncovers a secret about Frida.

The intriguing plot could remind you of films like The Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind, Johnny Quest and even The Ring but it stays original. Thanks in large part to its unique storytelling and a host of quirky characters, who are all dealing with their human frailties and end up becoming entangled into this legal mess with Bimal and Frida.

What makes Masthishka Maranam, which is also scripted by Krishand, stand out from the filmmaker’s previous entries is that he has tried to make it more entertaining for a broader section of the audience while trusting their intelligence and refusing to spoonfeed its ideas or emotions. For any film and especially one like this, the approach can be a double-edged sword. But for Masthishka Maranam, it’s exactly this aspect that helps elevate the movie and pulls the audience into what’s happening and there are plenty of laughs to reward you for being ‘plugged in’.

Rajisha Vijayan’s portrayal of superstar Frida Soman is almost pitch-perfect; there are so many layers to her character(s) and she aces them all. The icing on the cake is definitely the final 10 minutes, when she goes on a monologue that also serves as a biting critique of a voyeuristic society that thrives on celebrity intimacy, without pausing to consider consent or consequence.

Niranj Maniyan Pilla serves as the perfect foil, with a grounded performance that is both vulnerable and funny. You could even say it’s his best performance since Finals, which coincidentally also co-starred Rajisha. The movie also benefits from sharply comic performances of Jagadish, Suresh Krishna, Rahul Rajagopal, Vishnu Agastya, Divya Prabha and Zhinz Shan.

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The art department led by Alvin Joseph and Krishand ensures that the sets are believable and add so much to the ambience of the film that it is definitely a theatrical watch. Composer Varkey’s music melds that futuristic and retro tunes, and Prayag Mukundan’s frames and Krishand’s editing keep it pacy.

Masthishka Maranam verdict: Krishand crafts a wickedly smart satire that trusts its audience as much as it entertains them. It once again proves that high-concept sci-fi plots and hearty laughs can co-exist in Malayalam cinema. This one is well worth the ride.

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