‘Trance’ is a courageous and thought-provoking film

Anwar Rasheed makes films that somehow envelope you in a true cinematic experience. Take ‘Ustad Hotel’ for example. The film was a culinary journey that celebrated the joy of cooking and made you long for the plate of biryani and a cup of Sulaimani to wash it down. His latest offering, ‘Trance’, is an acid trip into the mind of Viju Prasad (Fahadh Faasil), a failed motivational speaker who struggles with mental illness.

Written by Vincent Vadakkan, ‘Trance’, is a daring film that explores the serpentine odyssey of a billionaire Christian televangelist. The cinematography and the sound design of the tale lends a psychedelic feel to the narrative that makes the audience question what they’re seeing. The scenes move fast when Viju shifts his life from Kanyakumari to Mumbai. The down-on-his-luck insomniac losing his grip on reality is suddenly
‘discovered’ by Solomon Davis (Gautham Vasudev Menon) and Issac Thomas (Chemban Vinod Jose). He is asked to step into a new destiny that promises fame and wealth beyond measure.

Avarachan (Dileesh Pothan) teaches and hammers Viju to transform him into the inspirational Pastor Joshua Carlton.

Fahadh’s character has an infectious energy. He is brilliant in his portrayal of Viju’s evolution as the character embraces his inner maniac and indulges in over-the-top theatricality that would not be out of place in a show of a master illusionist. The portrayal of faith healers who create shock and awe with their amazing feats is spot-on in the screenplay.

The narrative makes it a point to show that a struggle with depression, unmonitored ingestion of antidepressants and an illusory lifestyle can combine to tear away the seams between dreams and reality. The audience is led to believing that Viju has bought into his own hype and has come to believe at some level in his incredible miracles. The background score, lighting and colour palette add a dreamlike quality to the proceedings.

The film accelerates at the halfway point, shows parallels with Christianity, plays with our perceptions and takes us to the edge of the supernatural. It is to the screenplay’s credit that we aren’t quite sure what to expect from the next scene. Anwar is able to deftly juggle multiple tones and intertwining storylines.

Nazriya Nazim has a fairly small role but she makes a memorable impact that resonates.

The third act and final resolution might seem a tad predictable but looking back on it, the denouement actually feels fitting while also managing to do justice to the character of Viju.

Some works of cinema transcend the very foundations on which they are constructed while staying authentic and creating a visceral snapshot of the human condition. Dileesh Pothan’s ‘Maheshinte Prathikaaram’ with Fahadh from 2016 comes to mind. ‘Trance’ is another such effort that is courageous, thought-provoking and encourages conversations about issues that matter to us on a personal level and speaks to society as a whole. It runs close to three hours but the story somehow flies by before you realise it.

Director: Anwar Rasheed

Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Nazriya Nazim, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Chemban Vinod Jose, Soubin Shahir, Vinayakan

Score: 4.5/5