Maheshinte Prathikaaram: Revenge served sweet

 The last thing one might expect from a movie titled Maheshinte Prathikaaram - which translates to Mahesh's Revenge - is a feel-good experience. But that's exactly what Dileesh Pothan’s exceptional directorial debut delivers.

The basic thread of the story, which involves a skirmish between the hero and the ‘villain’, could've easily been developed into a hyper-masculine blood bath. But thankfully the makers chose to create a world of innocence and light hearted humor instead. And the viewer can’t help but crave to be a part of this world by the end of two hours.

The central character Mahesh, a professional photographer is a representative of a large section of our generation. He sees his job just as a way to earn a living, devoid of any real passion. He is in a romantic relationship that is soon ended abruptly by his girlfriend. Then, following a string of events that mimic the Butterfly Effect, he is humiliated in public by Jimson, a local roughneck.

A directionless, heartbroken hero who's out to avenge his humiliation - the stage is perfectly set for a feel-good movie to take off.

As one might expect, everything gets better in the second half. Mahesh meets a chirpy, opinionated young woman and slowly their acquaintance develops into a relationship. He begins to see photography in a new light and approaches the art with a newfound passion and excitement. At the end he’s also able to exact revenge to satisfy his hurt ego. But it is the subtlety of it all that makes Maheshinte Prathikaaram different from numerous similar stories out there. It doesn't go over the top to make an impact - the emotions are created naturally and realistically. Unlike many formulaic concoctions, never once does this movie make the viewers think - 'that seem impossible in real life!'.

The characters are familiar and endearing. Fahadh Faasil, breaking the typecast of ‘urban youngster’ he used to carry at the time, delivers one of the most memorable performances of his career. Jimsy played by Aparna Balamurali is a playful character who lights up whatever place she's in. Their chemistry and the few minutes that they share on screen, brings a smile on our face. Artist Baby (Alancier), Crispin (Soubin), Soniya (Lijomol), and many others are people that we all have come across at some point in life.

The quaint little town, tucked away amidst the lush hills of Idukki becomes a character in itself. The lush greenery of the countryside provides the perfect backdrop for the story. Shyju Khalid captures the raw beauty of the locations in every scene and turns the song Idukki into a gorgeous visual treat. Music and background score by Bijibal elevates the emotions and moods in Maheshinte Prathikaram. ‘Cherupunchiri’ tugs at the heart and ‘Mounangal’ works like a soothing breeze.

There is intricate detailing throughout the movie, which prompts multiple rewatches. This even generated a phrase 'Pothettan brilliance' often attributed to extraordinary detailing in movies, that often go unnoticed during the first watch.

The ultimate face-off between the villain and the hero turns out to be a convincing brawl-in-the-mud that many of us might have been part of, in school or college. The movie ends on a quirky note with Mahesh visiting Jimson at the hospital to reveal that he's in love with his sister Jimsy.

There is a scene in which Mahesh's father talks to him about photography. He says " The important thing is to realize when a good moment is about to happen and be ready to click". It alludes to life in general. The important thing is to enjoy the little moments in life. Maybe like watching a well-made feel-good movie with loved ones.

Maheshinte Prathikaaram feels like a short trip to your hillside hometown to meet people you have known for a long time. And you are sure to come back many more times.