JOIN US'Irul': Four Changes that would have made the Fahadh Faasil-starrer a good watch
Actor Fahadh Faasil's latest movie Irul released on an OTT platform on Friday (April 2), receiving mixed to negative reviews from critics. The film is perceived to be a failure and may take a toll on FaFa's standing in the industry. Here is a look at four changes that would have salvaged the Naseef Yusuf Izuddin-helmed movie.
Substance over style
Jomon T John's cinematography was one of the major highlights of Irul and it added a distinctly eerie feel to the film. Fahadh's entry scene in particular hit the right notes courtesy of the intelligent use of shadows. The style, however, counted for nothing as the movie lacked depth. The key characters came across as caricatures as the makers made no attempt to highlight their backstory. The writers could have explored the traumatic past of Soubin Shahir's character in depth. Similarly, Fahadh's 'bond' with the protagonist needed to be fleshed out.
Better work from Soubin Shahir
Soubin is a sincere actor and proved his mettle with Sudani From Nigeria. He failed to make an impact in Irul as his character was extremely complex, a departure from the relatively simple one essayed by him in the Zakariya Mohammed-helmed sports movie. He needed to channel Sanjeev Kumar and emote with his eyes in Irul to bring out the trauma faced by 'Alex'.
Less predictable plot
A film set in the thriller space can work only if the narrative keeps the fans guessing right till the end. Irul does that to some extent courtesy of the twist regarding the ownership of the house. The impact, however, is diluted because the identity of the killer becomes obvious much before the film reaches the climax.
Focus on Fahadh, the performer
Fahadh's s ability to use his eyes to transform into his characters is widely regarded as one of the main reasons behind his success. The makers of Irul failed to give him a platform to do so, as none of the scenes explored the inner workings of Unni's mind. The character also came across as a poor cousin of Siddharth Abhimanyu, the antagonist of the Kollywood hit Thani Oruvan, which diluted the impact of FaFa's performance. The makers needed to bring out the 'performer' in Fahadh rather than the 'star'.