Ariyippu
| Ariyippu | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Release poster | |
| Directed by | Mahesh Narayanan |
| Written by | Mahesh Narayanan |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Sanu Varghese |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Sushin Shyam |
Production companies |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Ariyippu (Malayalam: അറിയിപ്പ്; also titled Declaration) is a 2022 Indian drama film written and directed by Mahesh Narayanan. The film is produced by Shebin Backer, under the banner of Shebin Backer Productions, Kunchacko Boban under the banner of Kunchacko Boban Productions and Mahesh Narayanan himself under the Moving Narratives banner. It features Kunchacko Boban, Divya Prabha, Danish Husain, Loveleen Mishra, and Faizal Malik in pivotal roles.[1] The film premiered in the Concorso internazionale (international competition section) of the 75th Locarno Film Festival on 4 August 2022, where it was nominated for Golden Leopard.[2][3] The film had a worldwide release on Netflix on 16 December 2022.[4]
Plot
[edit]Set in the pandemic-stricken times in Noida, a struggling Malayali couple nurture the dream of migrating out of the country for a better life. They both are working in a glove factory and they record a video of Reshmi working which they wanted to share with prospective employers as a skill video. Later, Hareesh receives a video on WhatsApp where he finds his wife's original video joined with a different clip of a lady doing sexual act with someone. Hareesh decides to complain to the police to prove his wife's innocence. But the police discourages them saying the burden of proof will be on Reshmi and its better they withdraw the complaint.
Hareesh decides to investigate who leaked the video. His only proof is a bangle typically worn by men which the guy in the video was wearing and that the background of the video is B Block in their company. He follows a driver in the glove factory and finds out that the driver is part of a gang who is replacing the new gloves with used up ones. Meanwhile, Hareesh sexually assaults Reshmi in the presence of their friend Sujaya and Sujaya's son.
Hareesh watches CCTV footage to collect the proof and he finds Reshmi entering B block where the sex act was committed. Hareesh thinks that it was his wife itself in the video. He confronts Reshmi at home, hits her and pushes her out of his home. Reshmi starts living with her friend.
Hareesh and others inform the owner of the company about the scam that is happening at his company. Together they investigate and tries to collect all evidences. Hareesh meanwhile sees the bangle on the owner's hand and he thinks its the owner who is in the video. Hareesh takes them to a remote place pretending to show them the used glove godown. There, Hareesh assaults the owner physically and is arrested. But the owner and Reshmi comes to the police station and owner gives his statement that Hareesh did not attack him and he does not have any complaints.
Hareesh later understands that the woman in the video is another worker in the company who committed suicide. She was having an affair with the owners brother and when they found out about it, she was killed or she committed suicide. The owner and his wife gives Hareesh and Reshmi an offer that both of them will get a job in the owner's another company in Malaysia if they withdraw the original complaint from police. Hareesh agrees but Reshmi does not. Reshmi says her demands are 1) to put a statement on the company noticeboard that it is not Reshmi in the video and 2) she has to visit the family of the victim who died.
Hareesh and Reshmi goes to the victim's home and Reshmi changes her mind when she sees the plight of the victim's mother. She said she is not ready for the compromise because the owner is giving them the price of the victim's life. Rashmi also says that Hareesh can take the offer if he wants but she will not take up that job. Later we see that Hareesh joins the new factory in Malaysia where he sees an employee there wearing the same bangle. Rashmi however continues to work in the same factory in Noida. We also see a notice on the noticeboard where the company denies that the girl in the video is an employee of the company which was one of Reshmi's demands.
Cast
[edit]- Kunchacko Boban as Hareesh P. V.
- Divya Prabha as Reshmi Hareesh, Hareesh's wife
- Danish Husain as Kailash
- Loveleen Mishra as the female supervisor
- Athulya Ashadam as Sujaya
- Faisal Malik as Dinesh Singh
- Kannan Arunasalam as Suresh
- Kiran Peethambaran as Mohan
- Kartikey Saxena as Gudda
- Sidharth Bhardwaj
- Dimpy Mishra
- Rohit Gupta as Pawan
- Saifuddin as Ismail
- Mannu Rawat as NSEZ Security Guard
- Rahul Panicker as Doctor
Production
[edit]Principal photography began on 20 December 2021.[5] In January 2022, the film was shot in Noida.[6] The film was wrapped up on 11 February 2022.[7]
Release
[edit]The film had its premiere at the 75th Locarno Film Festival on 4 August 2022, where it was nominated for Golden Leopard.[8] The film released on 16 December 2022 via Netflix.[9]
Reception
[edit]On the occasion of the film's premiere at the Locarno Film Festival, Anna M. M. Vetticad reviewed it for Firstpost and praised the authenticity of the acting, cinematography and writing. She rated the film 4.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Ariyippu depicts women’s oppression including physical abuse without ever seeking to titillate (…) Slice-of-life cinema has seldom been more true to life than this." Vetticad specifically highlighted the film's "acute observations of gender relations" and spotlight on female solidarity, commending the lack of judgement and honesty within the film's narrative in comparison to commercial films that deal with similar subject matter.[10] She named it the best Malayalam film of 2022.[11] Sajin Shrijith of The New Indian Express rated 4 out of 5 and appreciated the film stating, "In Ariyippu, we find Mahesh Narayanan at his most liberated, operating in a terrain he hasn’t explored before." Shrijith further wrote, "Ariyippu is his purest film, devoid of adulteration from commercial cinema trappings". Praising the performance of Kunchacko Boban, Shrijith wrote, "This is Kunchacko Boban at his most unglamorous and uninhibited." Shrijith opined, "It’s a film for grown-up, serious-minded filmgoers."[12]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Event | Category and award | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Locarno Film Festival | International competition: Golden Leopard | Ariyippu | Nominated | [13] |
| 2023 | 53rd Kerala State Film Awards | Kerala State Film Award for Best Director | Mahesh Narayanan | Won | [14][15] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Mahesh Narayanan's Ariyippu selected for Locarno Film Festival, Kunchacko Boban is overjoyed". Indian Express. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ Raup, Jordan (6 July 2022). "Locarno Film Festival Unveils 2022 Lineup". The Film Stage. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Kunchacko Boban, Mahesh Narayanan's Festival Hit Film 'Declaration' Snapped Up by Netflix (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 12 October 2022.
- ^ "Mahesh Narayanan's 'Ariyippu' to premiere December 16 on Netflix". The Hindu. 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Kunchacko Boban- Mahesh Narayanan film 'Ariyippu' starts rolling". The Times of India. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Ariyippu: Kunchacko Boban unveils his rugged look as the shoot progress in Noida". The Times of India. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ Prabha, Divya (12 February 2022). "Officially the last day Shoot of #ariyippumovie ! #thebestteamever #comingsoon #declaration 11/02/2022". Instagram. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Concorso internazionale: Ariyippu". Locarno Festival. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Ariyippu- OTT release date, when and where to watch Kunchacko Boban starrer film". 7 December 2022.
- ^ Anna M. M. Vetticad (8 August 2022). "Ariyippu (Declaration) movie review: Misogyny collides with corruption and alienation in a compelling COVID-time saga". Firstpost. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ Anna M. M. Vetticad (26 December 2022). "Best Malayalam Films 2022: A year so good that keeping this list down to 10 was impossible". Firstpost.
- ^ Shrijith, Sajin (11 August 2022). "'Ariyippu' review: Mahesh Narayanan examines a volatile situation in his finest". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ Nagarajan, Saraswathy (6 July 2022). "Mahesh Narayanan's 'Ariyippu' goes to Locarno". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "മമ്മൂട്ടി നടൻ, വിൻസി നടി, മഹേഷ് നാരായണൻ സംവിധായകൻ: അവാർഡുകൾ വാരിക്കൂട്ടി 'ന്നാ താൻ കേസ് കൊട്' - Kerala Film Awards". Manorma Online News. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ "53rd Kerala State Film Awards: Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam named Best Film; Mammootty, Vincy Aloshious, Mahesh Narayanan bag top honours". Indian Express. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.