Joji: Story of greed in the time of Covid

Three sons. A bodybuilder of a father. A bungalow nestling amid picturesque rubber plantations.

On the surface, the ‘Panachel’ family is the typical wealthy Christian household of Malayalam cinema. Scratch it, and the veneer cracks in Macbethian style.

‘Joji’ is an achingly stunning crime drama that goes beyond the regular thriller canvas. It is darker, deeper and more intense than Dileesh Pothan’s first two delights (Maheshinte Prathikaram and Thondimuthalum Driksashiyum). Here, he reunites with Fahadh Faasil and scriptwriter Syam Pushkaran to explore a more difficult terrain.

Fahadh is no stranger to off-track journeys. His Joji is equal parts edgy and Machiavellian. As the youngest of the brood, he yearns to change his doormat existence. His father (P N Sunny, brute power and patriarchy) lords it over the “subjects of his kingdom”, who also include his daughter-in-law (Unnimaya Prasad, a brilliant foil to a scheming Joji) and grandson (Alister Alex, the smart kid who plays it cool amid the hotheads).

Luck comes in the form of a paralytic stroke. The father loses his iron grip over the empire (and the keys of his bar cabinet). Joji sniffs a chance to shake off his ‘wastrel’ label. One crime leads to another and soon, you have a hero whose villainy doesn’t allow him to “think straight”. The misfit of the mansion is raring to claim his place in the sun.

The elder brothers (a terrific Baburaj in his career-best, and Joji Mundakayam as the obedient son) also have an axe to grind against their authoritarian dad. Obviously, this clan is not blessed with blood thicker than water.

As death and greed tear apart the family, the Shakespearean tragedy is held together by marvellous performances. The haunting background score amplifies the sinister agenda. While Fahadh itches to tear off the mask of servitude, his sister-in-law puts on one to navigate the domestic drudgery of an all-men nest. They become silent conspirators in the pandemic-time tale of self-destruction.

Fahadh doesn’t need lines to bring out his demons. His expressions speak in a movie that thrives on minimalism. And the impact is maximum.