Khalid Rahman's Love movie review: A twisted tale of everything but the feeling

4/5

Review:

Khalid Rahman sure fools audiences with his movie's title Love, because the film couldn't be far from the subject. The core of Love is domestic abuse and chaos in marital life.

Love is a twisted and dark tale which breeds on insecurity. It addresses a man's insecurity that stems from something has inconsequential as his wife interacting with another man. The film also delves into the wife's insecurity which has much to do with her cheating husband.

As it happens, these insecurities lead to domestic violence. Director Khalid Rahman has smartly conveyed the concept into a song sequence which people might miss. Through the sensual song, Rahman puts forth an idea about how domestic violence can sometimes casually creep into a relationship. The song shows how earlier on in the couple's life, even smaller forms of violence led to intimate moments. Through the song, he also conveys the idea that violence is commonplace and natural in this (rather toxic) relationship.

The film constantly reminds us how important it is to communicate and sometimes just listen without any judgement.

Love revolves around the male protagonists' psyche, and Shine Tom Chacko gets under the skin of his character- of a compulsive, abusive and cheating husband. In fact, Chacko's temperamental character coupled with determined camera angles keep you at the edge-of-your-seat throughout the film. Every single time the doorbell rings, you get as anxious as Anoop, wondering what else is in store for him.

Gokulan and Sudhi Koppa, who play Chacko's allies in the film, slip into their characters with complete immersion and bring a little more depth to the story. Together, Gokulan, Koppa and Chacko's characters are sure to invoke strong emotions among viewers.

Rajisha Vijayan might have a smaller role compared to either of the male protagonists, but she is easily the star of the film. Her actions, even in the limited time frame, will force you to take notice of her.

Director Khalid Rahman has smartly played interpreted the concept of life. While at the beginning of the film he tells his audiences that a couple is expecting a baby, by the end of it, you are but left to wonder if their relationship would even survive.

Throughout the film, he reminds you about how important it is to end a toxic relationship (you can guess by the scar on Vijayan's face) before it's too late.

Love is not a feel-good film. It addresses a deep and dark psyche, and encourages a discussion on a topic that's often ignored - domestic violence.

Verdict:

Even though the film will change your definition of love altogether, it is definitely a recommended watch.