AKG Malayalam Movie
The much talked-about and much awaited AKG directed by Shaji N. Karun whose other works include Piravi, Swaham and Vanaprastham is finally here. But the film is rather disappointing, coming as it does from a master filmmaker and ace cinematographer like Shaji N. Karun, who could definitely have delivered something far better.
It would be unfair to review AKG in the manner of reviewing commercial ventures. Being a docu-fiction, it is bound to be different in style and making. But still, as a work of art rather than a mere biographical treatise, AKG deserves to be carefully scrutinized and reviewed. As for the content, AKG zooms in on the life and times of A.K. Gopalan, one of the pioneers of the communist movement in Kerala and a messiah to the poor and the downtrodden.
A.K. Gopalan, who was the leader of the opposition in the parliament, had a vision that encompassed the welfare of the ordinary people and the proletariat class. The narrative that Shaji N. Karun has chosen is good - presenting slices from AKG's life blended with a voice-over narration where AKG tells his won story. But while recreating scenes from AKG's life, Shaji is far from convincing.
In a film that is part documentary and part fiction, the fiction part has to be neatly executed and that is where AKG falters. The scenes are not deftly executed and fail to pack any impact. The director could have reworked the script and could have conceived the scenes far more effectively. As such the film doesn't impress or touch the hearts of those who don't have a leaning towards the communist party or the communist movement. As a matter of fact, the film seems to have been made solely for those with such leanings. To others it may even seem like propaganda stuff, whether or not the makers intended it to be so.
P. Sreekumar, director-turned-actor, who had impressed and entertained us a lot in Achuvinte Amma, where he played a funny policeman, does justice to the role of AKG. But the director seems to have paid little attention to the other characters, except for the appearance and the costume part. Performance-wise some of them even appear like caricatures. The character of Indira Gandhi is an example. While making a film of this kind, it should be seen that the makers don't stoop to propaganda or caricaturing. That could dispel viewers who approach the film with a dispassionate mind. Archana as Susheela Gopalan too is good.
Technical aspects including cinematography and art-work and of course costume-designing by Pattanam Rasheed are good. But the film fails to impress either as a documentary or as a work of a fiction. There have been many documentaries that have been much more impressive. And there have been fictional works on great leaders which had been executed very deftly and impressively (like the recent Gandhi - My Father). Anyway the film is good for those who desire to know about the life and times and the endless crusading of AKG for noble causes. Thanks to Shaji for attempting to portray the life of such a great leader.
