Certain films pack into themselves a lot more than the visual representation of a story, it motivates, provokes you to think deeply. One such movie is Jallikattu, a film that shows the lines blurring between man and animal, that makes it a must-watch theatrical experience.
The film takes place in a remote village located at the mountain ranges of Kerala, and the movie starts its journey from the escape of a buffalo from a butcher's shop and disappears into the forest, destroying a lot of crops and properties in the path of its frantic run. Men from the village gather in order to hunt down the animal, but during the quest, they form groups and get divided amongst themselves based on their personal enmities and biases.
Lijo Jose Pellisery is a magician indeed. Like how every act of a magician leaves the audience excited for the next, with every movie Lijo is making his audience expect the unexpected. And in signature style, comes a standard movie called Jallikattu.
Jallikattu does not fail to do justice to the hype it created, for it was such a satisfying cinematic experience. The racy storyline could not be more aptly titled. Soulfully adapted from the short story 'Maoist' written by S. Hareesh, the writer, along with R Jayakumar, has scripted this intricately woven screenplay.
Actors Antony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, and Shanthi Balachandran play important roles in the films, and this one and a half hour film will definitely be a thought-provoking watch. With U/A certificate, the film released on the 4th of October, and prior to that, Jallikattu was featured in many International Film festivals, and its premiere happened at the Toronto International Film Fest. We can firmly state that the film proved to be worthy of the honours it gathered.
The story of Jallikattu is complex indeed, but the ease and clear presentation have made a lot of difference and many sensitive issues have been presented with conviction. The film goes about in a rapid pitch, and Gireesh Gangadharan’s camera has captured the pulsating frenzy without a glitch.
Jallikattu raises a pertinent question amongst its viewers- Was it the unhinged buffalo that caused all the trouble or the people who were hunting for it? All answers will be obtained at the climax. Lijo Jose Pellishery has done it again, for Jallikattu is one masterpiece of his, a work to be recognized, cherished and appreciated as a unique experience in itself.
In order to get the full experience of the movie, Jallikattu needs to be watched in the theatres. The sound design is commendable as the background music and the sounds of each and every crucial moment adds to the glory of this movie.