I genuinely had no idea what the name of the movie meant for a while. Then I saw Vellimoonga & 1983 and have been watching Malayalam movies since.I have since watched some absolute gems like Maheshinthe Prathikaram & Action Hero Biju. Neram was the first Malayalam movie I saw in a very long time. Then around 3-4 years back someone informed me that Malayalam Cinema is slowly undergoing a transformation with meaningful well made movies and good actors like Fahadh, Prithviraj, Nivin and the likes. Most of the 2000's was a really bad phase for Malayalam Cinema. It was either the same old goofball comedy in different contexts, or some guy beating up hundreds of people while mumbling English nonsense or some guy romancing girls 1/3rd his age. I had fallen out of love with Malayalam movies a long time back. He is one of the reasons I started watching Malayalam movies again. Sorry, I mean Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela, and with the family.Let me begin by saying that I am a huge Nivin Pauly fan. Mukesh Muraleedharan’s frames mostly shot indoors are beautiful. Pauly has produced this film and he has ensured that the focus is on the content of the film and not on his star image. But then Sheela Chacko and Shirley Jacob are two different women and their battles were not similar. Some moments from the film reminded me of another movie by Pauly - Jacobinte Swargarajyam - especially in the bonding between the son and mother. It’s a poignant moment when Kurien talks about their mother to his two sisters, how she had displayed fortitude when they had to evacuate from Kuwait many years ago. It’s like eavesdropping on the Chacko family and smiling to yourself - a scene in the hotel where Chacko prepares to break the grave news to his children but goofs it all up another in the elevator where Rachel breaks it to Kurien that she is not serious about him. The film scores with their subtle acting. The spontaneous performances of the entire team brings the characters alive from the story board to the screen and to linger in viewers’ minds. Be it the compassionate Dr Saiju Varkichan (Saiju Kurup), Chacko’s dentist-buddy (Dileesh Pothan) and Rachel (Aishwarya Lakshmi) Kurien’s love interest are marvellous too. The co-writers Salim and George Kora have not neglected the peripheral characters either. Not to forget their grandpa suffering from Alzhiemers. Chacko (Lal Sr) is the man of the house but a real mouse when it concerns his wife Sheela (Shanthi Krishna), his wife and a college professor, reveals her innate strength and pragmatism at the most tough phase of her life Kurien (Nivin Pauly), their son, is easy going but still grappling to find his own place eldest daughter Mary (Srinda Arhaan), who is married to Tony (Siju Wilson) and a mother of a little girl and Sarah (Ahaana Krishna), the baby of the family. The detailing of characters is neat and marks out each individual apart. With a grave issue at the centre, debutant director Althaf Salim weaves in innocent humour and a sensitivity that touches you now and then. What make s Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela (Intermission in the land of crabs) a delightful watch is the honest and beautiful telling of a simple tale.
As the mole of suspicion grows, it turns into a mountain of reality to shatter the peace and joy in the Chacko household.
The first thing she does is call up her son Kurien in London and asks him to return home soon. That’s when a little doubt creeps into her mind trigerring off events in the family.
Returning home, she gets breakfast ready and then goes for a shower. Another day dawns for Sheela Chacko who begins her morning with a walk with friends.
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