Narivetta

What makes Abin Joseph’s script compelling is the strong emotional undercurrent that is part of everyone’s life story, be it Varghese, Bashir or the tribals. Each of the characters has been given a voice of their own, and through Varghese, Narivetta focuses more on the police rather than the oppressed. However, it superbly showcases how the state and the police conspire to suppress the already marginalised and Varghese’s expose shows how not all working for the state may agree with this narrative. The violent clash between the police and tribals is a stark reminder that such atrocities continue to exist today, and people need to be aware of the realities of many communities.

However, once the community is introduced (note here, introduced only as a group), the film swiftly shifts its focus to Kuttanad, where Varghese lives. From this point onward, Narivetta falls into the familiar trap of becoming yet another commercial film, revolving around a non-tribal hero and his life. Even Varghese’s familial conflicts, his wounded ego about taking a small job and his romantic relationship are explored in great depth. In stark contrast to the tribal characters, Varghese, his family, and even his lover Nancy (Priyamvada Krishnan) and her family members are all given names, identities and substantial screentime. The tribal characters, however, are never individualised; they remain nameless, reduced to the backdrop and simply as part of a protesting group.