Sookshmadarshini Movie Review: A Microscopic Glimpse Of Madness Starring Nazriya Nazim and Basil Joseph

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The year 2024 has clearly been ruled by many Malayalam movies. Adding to that list is the latest release of Sookshmadarshini starring Nazriya Nazim and Basil Joseph in the lead roles. Seeing these two as the movie's leads, I assumed it to be somewhat comic, but to my surprise, the movie made me see Basil in a new light. Even though it has been more than a week since its release, let's dive into my view of why this movie is a must-watch for all thriller fans out there.

Priyadarshini (Nazriya Nazim) is a normal homemaker who lives with her husband Anthony (Deepak Parambol) along with their daughter Kani in a small town in Kottayam. She is like those nosy neighbourhood aunties that you find who are curious about everything around her. Bored of her daily routine she is set out to look for a new job with a fake experience letter. With some updates from a WhatsApp group of all the ladies in the community, she seems to be having some type of engagement. It seems like her degree in microbiology seems to be in use only when she pokes around the business of others. Everything changes with the arrival of her new neighbour who becomes her latest interest of her curiosity.

Manuel (Basil Joseph) moves into the same close-knit neighbourhood with his ailing mother. Even though everyone in the community thinks of Manuel as the epitome of a gentleman something does not add up to Priya who immediately starts snooping around him and his home through her kitchen window. Manuel seems to be a caring and loving son until one day his mother suddenly goes missing. Priya along with some women in the neighbourhood tries to find the answers. In the midst of all these, a sister arrives from New Zealand for a quick visit. It feels that Manuel along with his cousin and uncle is trying to constantly hide something. Does the mother come back alive? Is Manuel really hiding something? Is Priya really up to find something horrifying? Well to know all the answers you surely have to watch the film.

Sookshmadarshini particularly reminds me of The Woman In The Window the movie that I have recently watched but the writers Jithin, Libin TB and Athul Ramachandran may have taken the basic concept but have crafted a story that captures the exquisites of people living in a small town. The community seems to be the perfect setting for such a story to take place as the walls of each home were lower than usual. It seemed to be the absolute environment for nosey people to satisfy their curious minds. The writers clearly keep us guessing till the end and at one point in the film it does lag a bit but suddenly a new twist is infused and there is a turn in the story that is surely going to blow your mind. 

What sets Sookshmadarshini apart is its ability to balance some of the intense psychological drama with some unexpected moments of humour. Some scenes often involve minor characters that provide the comic relief that is much needed in tense moments. Even though these moments are brief they are very well executed and add depth to the narrative. The film's exploration of women in this film is particularly overwhelming. Rather than portraying them as the damsel in distress each one of them has a part of their own to play. They are strong, independent and complex multi-faced women who are ready to dive into each situation.

Nazriya Nazim and Basil Joseph seem to be the perfect choice for this movie as we never knew what to expect. Being typecast as a comic guy Basil surely has chosen the perfect script that surely is going to break the stereotype. He is as excellent as Manuel and clearly portrayed as a gentleman who is caring and loving towards everyone but seems to be kind of shady. There are a few moments where we do get some comic relief from his character but it does not last long. Priya is a bubbly character but does poke her curious mind when she needs to. It does seem like the cheerful character does come out in bits and pieces but after 4 years it surely seems like the best script for Nazriya.

The supporting artists like Merin Phillip, Akhila Bhargawan, Pooja Mohanraj, Deepak Parambol, Manohari Joy and especially Sidharth Bharathan deliver memorable performances. Also not to forget Christo Xavier's music that sets the tone of the film perfectly. The camera work of Sharan Velayudhan Nair captures Priya's peculiar behaviour and the eccentric setting. 

Sookshmadarshini is not just a thriller; it's a psychological character study. It's a film that slowly develops until the climax and then suddenly explodes even after the credits roll. A thought-provoking film that pushes the boundaries of Malayalam cinema.