A still from 7(Seven)
7' (Seven) is what happens when you think you've written a gripping film, and then when it is adapted to the screen, you learn that it can be two different things
Caricature. This word kept popping up in my head as I watched cinematographer Nizar Shafi's debut directorial 7 (Seven) because a lot of what unfolds in the film is caricature...ish. The hero, the cop (Rahman), the women, and even the journalist's character (with a jolna bag, kurta and nerdy glasses) all exist to prove that point.
Where to begin? Well, credit where it is due, Shafi's camera work is bearable for its nearly two hour run time. Nothing exemplary about it, but it isn't jarring to prompt a quick exit from the theatre. The list of "pros" ends there.
The writing is a big letdown. One particular scene, early on in the film, where an old man meets Rahman's ACP Vijay Prakash to share vital info, helped me make my mind up about what was in store. Soon as he drops a bombshell — in other words, plot la twist — he is revealed to be a mental patient, and is dragged out of the cop's room by a doctor and a ward boy all in a matter of five seconds! Shafi, going forward, should consider deputing this responsibility to someone who understands the difference between scripting for a staged drama and a movie.
7(Seven)
- Cast: Havish, Regina Cassandra, Rahman, Nandita Swetha, Anisha Ambrose
- Director: Nizar Shafi
- Storyline: A man who is suspected of cheating many women after marrying them, is actually the victim of a cunning plot hatched by a psychotic woman
Then there's the romance. I can stand mokka comedy, but why present it as acceptable commentary between a couple in a relationship? Sample this. Nandita Swetha (as Ramya — a 'why did I do this role?') tells Havish that her family is urging her to get married soon. To which the hero responds, "Ponnunga na konjam freedom kudukkanum!"... and this revolutionary response is greeted with a "romba matured ah pesureenga!"
But what gripped me from start to end of this film was a feeling of 'What am I watching?' (minus the profanity). David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is name-dropped more than twice. Shafi himself appears in a blink-and-you-miss cameo to put forward the point that perhaps the mystery we're "investigating" in this film is something similar to what we saw in Fincher's. But when has a thriller ever been straightforward?
And so it proves, when Regina Cassandra is revealed to be the key. But wait! She is not. It is actually the older version of Regina. Credit to the elderly artiste who played that role, but when she yells at Havish... "Neeya sethuru, illana naa unna konnuduven!", the audience had a hearty laugh. I think it isn't too difficult to draw a parallel between the situations of the watching public and Havish!
Because 7 (Seven) is what happens when you think you've written a gripping film, and then when you adapt it to screen, you learn that it can be two different things.
No comments:
Post a Comment