SUFIYUM SUJATAYUM

Sufiyum Sujatayum, starring Jayasuriya, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Dev Mohan is out on Amazon Prime Video as a direct digital release and is the first Malayalam movie to be released exclusively on an OTT platform.  Produced by Vijay Babu under his banner, Friday Film House, and directed by Naranippuzha Shanavas, the movie has music by M.Jayachandran and cinematography by Anu Moothedath. Has the movie fulfilled the expectations? Read more to find out.

The story, set in a village in Kerala, is about the love story of a mute Sujata (played by Aditi Rao) and a Sufi (a saint, played by Dev Mohan). Although it is evident in the very first scene that they did not end up together, the know-how of their separation forms the crux of the story.

‘Sujata’ played by Aditi Rao Hydari will be one of her memorable characters that will be remembered by her fans for a long time. Carrying out solid expressions without uttering any dialogue is a solid task and Aditi seems to pull it off, shining bright throughout the film. Aditi is back in a Malayalam film after 14 years, and just like wine, she has only bettered with age. Her performance is neat and bound to make one fall in love with her, all over again. 

Aditi's love pair Dev Mohan’s debut performance as Sufi is a standout and deserves some credit. Although his character doesn’t have a lot of dialogues, he scores with the nuances in his expressions. Senior actors Siddiqui and Kalarenjini have played their role well as Aditi's parents.

And finally the main lead, Jayasuriya has delivered a casual and matured performance. Although his screen presence is comparatively limited, he gives a neat performance throughout as Sujata’s husband, Dr. Rajeev Nair. The performer that he is, this role is indeed a cakewalk for him.

The aesthetic shots by Anu Moothedath showcase the native side of Kerala and leave a pleasing effect on you. God’s own country is always a delight to watch on the screen and Anu’s poetic cinematography with some aerial views at times is a standout in itself.

With only a run-time of 2 hours, ‘Sufiyum Sujatayum’ might tend to be a slow watch for many, as the love portions between Sufi and Sujata aren’t entertaining enough. The music too might fail to create a lasting effect as most of it is religious literature. Except for a few glances and a few moments exchanged, there’s no solid storytelling, about the love between Sufi and Sujata. A few more ‘convincing-enough’ sequences between the two would have held the screenplay more firmly.

A ‘Hindu - Muslim’ love story has forever been a pivotal subject, in Indian cinema and is very binary in nature. Either the duo ends up together, or they’re separated. There has to be a rigid story for the audience to believe the former, as the latter is very common. With separation taking the driver’s seat here, the weak storytelling might make you wonder why Sujata has not moved on, even after 10 years. The slow screenplay will also be a test for the general commercial audience.