'Kurup' review: Fairly engaging despite flaws

Kurup

Malayalam (Theatres)

Director: Srinath Rajendran

Cast: Dulquer Slamaan, Indrajith, Sobhitha Dulipala, Shine Tom Chacko

Rating: 3/5

The unsolved mystery of Sukumara Kurup is one of the most spectacular failures of the Kerala police. Kurup became a dreaded criminal when he was accused of faking his own death in 1984 in Alappuzha, Kerala. Investigation concluded that his intention was insurance fraud. The high profile case has thrown up mouthwatering and crazy theories about the man absconding for 37 years.

The meaty story notwithstanding, Srinath Rajendran's 'Kurup', starring Dulquer Salmaan, comes across underwhelming in the first-half. It does a plain retelling of a legendary murder. Perhaps the film didn't want to romanticise the murder but the crime and the build up to it lack the much-needed tension. Shine Tom Chako plays Bhaskaran Pillai, plays the main accomplice of Kurup (Dulquer) and his performance is a problem. He struggles to get the alcoholic act right and it doesn't help that he gets a large share of screen space in the first-half.

Rajendran's shortcoming as a director is evident in the poorly staged portions of Kurup's life at the Indian Air Force (in reality, Kurup was with the Indian Army). It does a half-baked job of portraying the first signs of his greedy nature, which fuels his downfall later. The slow pace is bothersome as the film wastes the screenplay on Kurup's friendship with Peter that is eventually irrelevant to the story. Kurup's intense love story with Sharada (Sobhita Dhulipala) and Sushin Shyam's music saves the first-half from becoming a drab fest.

The movie finds its act together in the second-half. It zips along nicely as we see Kurup play the cat and mouse game with the police. He is everywhere yet nowhere and how he manages to thrive in multiple ambitious illegal businesses despite being a fugitive is interesting. Fact or fiction, the movie is pulpy and engaging when Kurup is on the run.

'Kurup' defends the Kerala police albeit with an unconvincing reason. This is a rich film that authentically recreates different eras. Full marks to the director for not glorifying the criminal. Dulquer and Indrajith do well expectedly but they aren't extraordinary. 'Kurup' works well in parts but should have been better as a whole.