Paka review: Nithin Lukose weaves a simple, affecting fable of a never ending cycle of violence and hate

4/5

Story:

Set in Wayanad, Paka tells the tale of two families whose decades long feud has been responsible for quenching the blood lust of the titular river of blood. Scarred by endless violence between his family and another, Johnny (Basil Paulose) and Paachi (Athul John) live with their ailing grandmother, the matriarch who instinctively tries to incite her grandson’s to violence despite being bedridden herself. When the boys’ uncle returns from jail, the spell of calm comes under threat, just as the river grows thirsty once again.

Review:

Paka begins with a scene where a body is fished out of a river, watched on by a crowd that doesn't even try to hold back their callous fascination. Later, when a group people question whether the deceased was murdered, Johnny(Basil Paulose) answers “If its was a murder, it would have been someone either from our family or theirs”. The casual resignation with which he utters these words make it clear just how normalised violence was a part of his life, something he cannot run from no matter how hard he tries. Through Johnny’s tale of woe, Paka showed how sometimes how violence can be so deeply entwined in one’s family that it becomes almost impossible to escape it through individual effort alone.

One of the most distinctive things about Paka is the simplicity of its story, bordering painfully close to reality. There are no red herrings, no overnight changes of heart and definitely no moralistic takeaways. It is simply a tale of two families embroiled in hate for one another, with their spirit of vengeance so deep that not even the generations to come can escape its wrath. And bearing witness to their tale is a river, which seems to patiently wait its turn to be fed the remnants of the violence that the families take place.

Although violence is a recurring theme in the film, Lukose seems to have made a conscious choice to not make it graphic in its depiction. Instead of the actual bloodshed, viewers are treated to more powerful display of the brutality between the two families in the venomous attitudes of the people who incite and engage in them. Ironically, one of the most strongest abettors to the same comes in the form of the frail, bedridden old grandmother in Johnny and Paachi family, and the blind elderly patriarch of the rival family. Their influence goes so deep and strong that even Johnny, who goes out of his way to not engage in violence, is soon dragged into the murky, bloodied waters against his will. He seems to be powerless to stop the families’ unending cycle of brutality, and even his paramour Anna, from the rival family, is left helpless.

Although the film’s storytelling is simple, it does not compromise on intrigue in the least. There are more than enough instances where one is left shocked and in disbelief, more often than not due to how deeply rooted the story seems to be in reality at times. The layered and well fleshed out characters definitely aid in keeping the narrative engaging as the story moves forward. Johnny’s pacifism comes as an interesting contrast to his grandmother’s fire, the matriarch’s vengeful spirit refusing to crumble under the frailness of her physique.

The way Lukose used symbolism also shines through because of its subtlety. The lush greenery of Wayanad is a stark contrast to the bloodshed that rules the film, and cinematographer Srikanth Kabothu does a stellar job at capturing the beauty of the district.

Verdict:

Paka, in all its simplicity, is a stirring tale of family and vengeance, made all the more compelling by well written characters.