Kurup - A film releasing with huge expectations starring Dulquer Salman in the title role. Has the film lived up to the hype? Let's take a look.
First and foremost a huge thumbs up to the makers for the way they have presented Kurup on-screen. This could have easily been another glorification vehicle. But Kurup steers away from the usual Indian biography troupes to present a con-man as he is. Seeing Dulquer in an anti-hero kind of role is quite refreshing. The man looks stylish and is earnest in his portrayal.
The setting, the costume and the period are authentically re-created and transport you back to the 70's and 80's. The cinematography by Nimish Ravi is stunning. These aspects will keep the audience glued to the screen. Once you successfully recreate the bygone era with an impressive lead half the job is done. The film scores big in this aspect.
Sushin Thomas's music too lifts the film and gives it the much-needed push, especially the rousing BGM. Among the rest of the cast Sunny Wayne does what is required of him and Shine Tom Chacko is a show-stealer. He's so good and often outshines Dulquer which is actually tough. Indrajit Sukumaran fits the part as Kurup's nemesis.
The film aspires to peel off Kurup's character layer by layer and in the process takes its own sweet time before settling in. This can be either a boon or a curse depending on what you want from the film. The idea is to showcase the various shades of Kurup and Srinath Rajendran and his team of writers mostly succeed in doing that.
But, the film could have been crisper. A shorter running time would have benefited the film immensely.
Who doesn't like a spicy real-life story of a wanted fugitive? Despite it's minor shortcomings, Kurup is definitely worth a visit to the theatre for the story-telling, a hero who gives it his all, and the authentic period setting
In times like this where Malayalam film releases in theatres are very rare, this will definitely turn out to be a gratifying experience.