What makes Ullozhukku worth recommending is its ability to surrender to the surprises and yet grow with its characters, observes Divya Nair.
When you think of the rains, one of the most common emotions is that of love, longing or even temporary relief.
But there is also an eerie quality about the rains that some of us may have experienced, when we get stranded due to floods and feel helpless.
Water, one of nature's most relaxing elements, when it stagnates or overflows, can also get discomforting, suffocating, and even fatal.
How does one deal with this conflicting feeling?
In Ullozhukku (meaning undercurrent), Director Christo Tommy (of the series Curry And Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case) attempts to showcase the undercurrents of family relationships against the backdrop of an overcast sky and a partly submerged home somewhere in the backwaters of Kerala.
It is the story of two women dealing with their dysfunctional marriages.
We are introduced to Anju (Parvathy Thiruvothu), a young, hopeful salesgirl who is forced to ditch her unemployed long-term beau and marry an incompatible Thomaskutty (Prashant Murali) only to regret her decision on the first night of their marriage.
As Anju reluctantly embraces her persuasive husband, surrendering to the moment and fulfilling his carnal desires as the newly minted bride, the absence of consent is subtle. Later, when Thomaskutty walks away from her, exiting from the right side of the bed, the emptiness of company in Anju's life is evident.
This emptiness soon turns into suffocation when Thomaskutty suddenly becomes ill and bedridden.
The shift of dominance in the relationship, perhaps unintentional, is conveyed when Parvathy discourages Thomaskutty's advances and turns away to sleep on the right side of the bed.
Thomaskutty's mother Leelamma (Urvashi) and Anju essay an unusual, envious pair of doting saas-bahu who are united by the common aim of nursing Thomaskutty, who is diagnosed with a peculiar illness that no one particularly talks about.
While Anju continues her duties as a selfless wife, regularly sponging her flailing husband and patiently cleaning up the mess he creates, she uses every possible opportunity to sneak away from home and find comfort in her ex-boyfriend Rajeev (Arjun Radhakrishnan) who promises to marry and rescue her from the marriage once he 'settles down'.
When Leelamma talks about being married at a young age, and how she single-handedly brought up her two children after the death of her husband, she would like Anju to believe that God has been jealous of her happiness and yet kind in his own way, for always giving her a reason to hope even in her darkest hour.
Leelamma mentions how Anju has been a blessing to her family, especially her ailing son, a sentiment the latter doesn't acknowledge or is interested in engaging in.
The timing couldn't have been more perfect because when Anju discovers she is pregnant, Thomaskutty meets with an accident. Everyone, including Leelamma, believes it is their good news to celebrate, as the child could be a sign of hope.
While Leelamma continues to boast about her beloved son and family to Anju, expressing her expectations, she is subconsciously also throwing her weight around, implying that Anju is going to be stuck here forever.
There are umpteen moments of silence between Anju and Leelamma, and also between Anju and Thomaskutty where the tension is obvious through body language, but not acknowledged through words.
It is only after Thomaskutty passes away that Anju truly starts expressing herself.
It begins with her gently, but firmly stating that she will not stay back after the funeral.
As the burial is delayed, an emotionally stubborn Leelamma discovers Anju's betrayal.
The confrontation scene is perhaps one of the most sensitive and sincere conversations between a heartbroken mother-in-law who is yet to recover from the grief of losing her only son and a daughter-in-law who is guilty but isn't seeking approval or forgiveness.
Ullozhukku is full of tense, unexpected moments that make you anxious and feel sorry for the protagonists.
From deafening silences of a strained relationship to sprouting signs of revolt, in a desperate attempt to excuse, rather rescue oneself.
From suppressed disappointment to unfiltered outbreaks of emotions, each relationship goes through its fair share of ups and downs, which beautifully coincides with the changing weather outside.
Even though Ullozhukku may seem like a dark, gloomy premise, the story's slow-burn pace is neither stagnant nor mundane. Instead, there is a constant transformation between the characters as new truths surface, unveiling suppressed intentions and expectations that none of them is prepared for.
Urvashi and Parvathy display rare camaraderie of action and reaction, turning familiar, preconceived situations into unpredictable ones with just the right dose of sensitivity.
In fact, once Leelamma is convinced that Anju has made up her mind, you see an unexpected side of Leelamma, which is part stubborn, yet assertive enough to show her strong maternal instincts while also shielding her personal space and social dignity.
Urvashi establishes herself as a fine performer capturing the nuances with ingenuity and Parvathy further complements in what might be the duo's career-best roles.
They deserve a standing ovation.
Ullozhukku's brilliance is conveyed not only in the way it pits one imperfect family member against the other, without discounting the vulnerability or the strength of the situation but also in its intelligent use of mundane props that come to life even without a voiceover. Like the perfect but loveless wedding photographs of the couple that Anju wants to get rid of or Thomaskutty's dusty cradle that embodies Leelamma's hope of a grandson.
What makes Ullozhukku worth recommending is its ability to surrender to the surprises and yet grow with its characters. Much like Curry and Cyanide, Christo doesn't take sides but rather dwells on the intense, important moments just enough to grab you in its tension and then release you to decide for yourself.
Like an unexpected flood that devastates you and robs you of the things you probably loved the most, the film reminds you that discomfort can also be a sign of change, a new beginning.
