There's something about movies based in real life incidents that stabs at the fabric of reality we live in. The effect is heightened when the topic discussed in the film is still socially relevant. This effect defines Kamal KM's directorial venture, Pada.
Starring Kunjako Boban as Rameshan, Joju George as Aravindan, Vinayakan as Balu, and Dileesh Pothan as Sivankutty, Pada retells the 25-year-old protest at the Palakkad collector's office, orchestrated by pro-Maoist outfit Ayyankali Pada. TG Ravi, Prakash Raj, Indrans, and Arjun Radhakrishnan also star in other pivotal roles in the movie. Samir Thahir helmed the cinematography of Pada while the screenplay was written by Kamal himself after much research involving interviews with people associated with the incident.
Set in 1996, Pada follows four members of pro-Maoist outfit Ayyankali Pada, who barge into the collector's office one day and hold the collector hostage. Their demand is that the Government rescind the recent amendment to the tribal act that further facilitates the Adivasis losing their rightful lands. How they go about the hostage situation and mediation process forms the crux of the story.
The first thing that occurs to a viewer, who is abreast of the current or at least general situation of Kerala's and India's tribal communities, is the bold nature through which Kamal approaches the topic. There are no songs, romantic tracks, or even long, drawn-out monologues. Instead, Pada offers a slice of reality by raising questions through character interactions. And these questions are often open-ended because these are issues that remain unresolved even after 25 years of the original incident.
With a tight screenplay, Pada manages to make the intended effect. Complementing the screenplay is the efficient cinematography that captures the beauty of the tribal lands but also the confined nature of the hostage aptly. The lack of soundtrack in the movie aside from the score works towards cementing the tone of the film.
The lead actors, Boban, Vinayakan, George, and Pothan excellently embody their characters, drawing in characteristics from their characters' real-life counterparts. Arjun Radhakrishnan and Prakash Raj as helpless hostage and negotiator did a convincing job. The rest of the supporting cast add more life to the movie with their performances.
What could have enhanced the viewer experience of the movie are subtitles for parts that aren't spoken in Malayalam. While most can pick up a general idea from the context, it certainly would have been easier if we got subtitles for those dialogues. Furthermore, watching the movie in a theatre with an interval makes one wonder if the movie would have been better on an OTT platform where the makers didn't necessarily need to squeeze in an intermission. Regardless, Pada is a well-made movie that raises much-needed questions to the Government and the society at large.