Kolla review: Rajisha Vijayan, Priya Varrier's taut, smart heist thriller could have been so much more

3/5

Annie and Shilpa move to a village to start their beauty parlour. They establish their routines and win over the villagers, all of which is cover for their actual aim: to rob the bank upstairs. They choose to stick around even after the heist, but things get complicated when a partner-in-crime is apprehended.

Malayalam cinema hasn't had a lot of heist films, much less ones set against a rural backdrop. Director Anil Radhakrishnan Menon's Sapthamashree Thaskaraha still tops the list, even though there have been a few missed attempts at the genre. Debutant Suraj Varma's Kolla is a worthy addition to that list due to two factors: its protagonists and also that it focuses on what happens after the heist.

Set in a village as an easy path to explain the lack of surveillance and security measures, the movie focuses on how two women, along with their accomplices, rob a bank located on the floor above the space they have leased for their beauty parlour. While the heist and the planning itself have been given only limited time (and the movie benefits from it), it's what happens after one of them gets caught by the police that makes the proceedings gripping. 

Based on a story by Bobby and Sanjay, the screenplay by Jasim Jalal and Nelson Joseph is tight—as in, it doesn't linger in places more than it has to. The snappy editing also helps keep the movie progressing at a good pace.

The film also has some great moments. For instance, in a sequence, Rajisha's Annie impersonates a nun to visit her accomplice's house to know where the loot is. To get the information, she has to prod his wife without being too suspicious and also ensure that her wayward brother, who might have seen her earlier, doesn't recognise her. The writers then introduce another element with a sudden raid by the cops. How each party reacts to the situation makes for great fun. Similarly, the cop, essayed by Vinay Forrt, isn't made to feel less intelligent; in fact, he's sharp and also shrewd, keeping the audience guessing in the second half about the steps that he would take.

The makers, however, don't quite etch their characters; except for Shebin Benson's role as driver Basil, none of the characters—not even the protagonists have depth. You are given a back story that feels lazily written, and it doesn't help the audience connect with the characters. This is also why the screenplay, despite its smarts, feels lacking in the punch that could have made the film much more than what it is.

Based on what they get to play with, the acting in Kolla is top-notch, with Rajisha Vijayan, Alencier Ley Lopez, Prashanth Alexander, and Vinay Forrt turning in notable performances. Priya Prakash Varrier and Jeo Baby are decent in their characters as the partner in crime and police officer, respectively. 

Shaan Rahman's music in the wonky first half feels a bit out of place, but in the latter portions, when things get pacy, it complements the movie well. 

After Kolla is over, you feel that the movie could have been more gripping if its script had more depth. That said, at just two hours, it's a good watch.