Narivetta movie review: Tovino Thomas, Anuraj Manohar lead a haunting call to remember the marginalised

Narivetta story: After years of letting go of opportunities, indolent youth Varghese is finally forced to take up the job of a police constable. As part of his first assignment, he and his team are deputed in Wayanad, where Adivasis are protesting the State government’s delay in allotting them land, by occupying a section of the forest. A series of horrific incidents happen in a course of days that alter Varghese’s life forever.

Narivetta review: Director Anuraj Manohar, who had previously helmed the acclaimed Ishq, had clarified that his sophomore venture Narivetta is not just inspired by the 2003 Muthanga incident, where the police had fired on Adivasis who had gathered for protests, but also from several other real-life incidents including the Chengara uprising. All of these protests revolved around the marginalised trying to reclaim land that once belonged to them.

So, it’s a rather layered move when the filmmaker and its scriptwriter Abin Joseph spends a majority of the first half of Narivetta, focused on its protagonist Varghese (Tovino Thomas), who just like his father keeps striving to achieve something big, taking what he has for granted. Make no mistake, Varghese here isn’t the most privileged, but he has a roof over his head - something that the ones he would later confront in his life as a police constable, have been fighting, unsuccessfully, for years. But it’s through this lens of partial privilege that the makers of Narivetta lead the audience into the world of the protesting Adivasis, highlighting both their struggle for basic rights and the apathy they face from the system that has brutally and persistently denied them.

Cinematographer Vijay’s frames are imbued with earthy tones, grounding the film. The storytelling too, doesn’t become loud for the sake of entertaining the audience. Anuraj, with his craft, is aware of the importance of the story that is being told, and does this ensuring that the viewers do not disconnect from it.

Tovino’s masterful performance as Varghese - from a naive, indolent man always seeking something more fulfilling to that of someone who is shaken to his core by the horrific incidents that unfold in front of his eyes - keep you gripped. This becomes even more apparent in the second half, punctuated by sequences of police brutality, where Varghese is metaphorically engulfed in flames he might have involuntarily helped ignite. That’s also why the line in the latter half, where he says he can remain silent but chooses not to, speaks volumes. His performance completes the arc, which starts with a youthful confidence, giving way to inexplicable frustration and anger, followed by helplessness, remorse and finally, resilience.

It’s also a film that sheds light on police brutalities, systemic corruption, breached promises and most importantly, the lack of accountability and State-driven violence - especially when it comes to denying justice to the marginalised. Could the film have been louder at presenting this? Yes. But given that it’s not a docu-fiction and made for people to watch in theatres, that bit can be forgiven because of the sincere intent of the film to serve as a reminder of holding people in power accountable to what was promised to the landless.

Jakes Bejoy’s music balances the emotional weight of the incidents and their aftermath while also providing the necessary momentum at key moments. Tamil filmmaker Cheran, in his Malayalam debut as IPS officer Keshavadas, excels by exuding a veneer of fairness while masking ruthless cunning. Suraj Venjaramoodu once again shines in a role that has limited screen time but is drenched in empathy. Another standout performance in the film is that of Pranav, who plays an Adivasi youth. Arya Salim and Priyamvada Krishnan also effective in their roles, but you wish the former had more screentime, given her character was apparently drawn from social activist CK Janu, who had led the occupation of land at Muthanga.

Narivetta verdict: Director Anuraj Manohar’s Narivetta serves as a haunting reminder to the struggles of the marginalised, compounded by State-sponsored violence and lack of accountability. It’s a necessary and important film, aimed at holding power structures accountable, and is driven by compelling performances led by Tovino Thomas.