Alone: Reasons to watch Mohanlal and Shaji Kailas’ single-actor lockdown thriller

The wait for Aaraam Thampuran duo Mohanlal and Shaji Kailas’ collaboration Alone, which first went on floors in 2020, has been long. While this has dissipated the anticipation to an extent, there’s still enough going for the film.

The movie is now all set to hit theatres on January 26 – which is a special day for its producers as well as the actor and filmmaker as it was on the same day 23 years ago, when Narasimham released and became the biggest hit of the year. The makers of Alone would be hoping that the movie too repeats that feat. Here are five reasons Mohanlal’s Alone is worth checking out when it hits cinema halls this week.

A single-actor film set during the lockdown

The pandemic has seen a spurt in single-actor films and chamber thrillers. After Jayasurya’s Sunny, Mohanlal’s Alone will be the second one-actor movie in Malayalam post pandemic. In an earlier interview with us, Mohanlal said, “When I heard the story of Alone, I found it very interesting. It doesn’t have too many actors. It’s just me and so, we thought we could take the risk ourselves and produce the film.” The film will have the superstar essaying the character of Kalidasan, who gets stranded in a flat in Kerala during his trip to Coimbatore.

Also read: Alone: Mohanlal’s character goes through several emotions in every scene, says the film’s composers | Exclusive 

Mohanlal’s riveting performance

There’s a reason Mohanlal has been regarded as one of the best actors in Malayalam. In Alone, that claim will be put to test as the actor alone, no pun intended, will have the carry through his performance. If there’s one star who has done it time and again, it’s him. The movie will prove if Mohanlal still has what it takes. “The way it’s made and its purpose is intriguing; it’s a great thriller. A lot of other characters come through phone calls. It’s a story that happens during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mohanlal.

A soundtrack heavy with Western influence

After the actor’s performance, the onus is on the movie’s soundtrack to deliver and keep the audience engaged, especially as it’s a theatrical release. The film’s composers 4 Musics in a recent interview with OTTplay said that they have used a lot of Western influences for the film’s soundscape including a theme music based on rock. Also, most of the scenes have Mohanlal’s character displaying an array of emotions and the music has to shift instantly, which was a challenge, said the composers. They also claim that they have tried to experiment in the film and hope that it has paid off.

Shaji Kailas’ comeback

While Shaji Kailas has helmed Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Kaapa and Kaduva since the pandemic, Alone was the first movie that he had worked on post pandemic. The veteran filmmaker’s last two films have won him praise for adapting to new-age cinema and the audience while also retaining his signature elements and ‘mass’ influences. We hear that Alone too veers towards the ‘mass’ territory in its climax.

Stellar supporting actors including Prithviraj and Manju Warrier

Alone also benefits from a list of stellar supporting actors including Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrier, Siddique and Mallika Sukumaran, who have lent their voices for characters that will be heard during phone conversations with the protagonist or as voices in his head during the period of isolation.