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| Visudhan |
The film showcases the life of a vicar who gets enmeshed in a series of events due to which he is forced to sacrifice all dear to him.
Working with a narrative that links psalms from the Bible to the deeds of characters, Vysakh dabbles in profound issues of morality, chastity and sin in his new film Vishudhan. A vicar and a nun are defrocked after there are allegations of a blasphemous relationship. A young girl trades her body for money and when questioned, she rebukes the purpose of reading out pastoral letters to the needy. A benign soul is scarred by personal losses and seeks bloody revenge, which then gets washed off in his remorseful tears.
A mist-drenched hamlet receives a new vicar played by Kunchako Boban and he initiates noble endeavours, ably assisted by a nun (Mia). Vavachan (Harish Peradi), the wily, pompous landlord is seldom enthused by the acts of the vicar that hinder his personal motives.
Vysakh makes ample use of biblical subtexts to portray an otherwise direct, simple conflict between the bad and the good. While doing so, his actions are marked by a lack of overemphasis, something that holds good for the whole purpose. Nandu who plays a
drunken gravedigger pulls off painful, disturbing moments even as it may be jeered at for their cliched nature.
Vishudhan does throw up stereotypes and slight subtlety would have immensely helped the cause. Still the film has an unpretentious, lasting effect that comes out of certain sequences crafted with genuine moments so familiar to mankind. Shahnad Jalal lends fluidity to his frames, gently tracking the characters and capturing their close-ups in an unhurried, casual ease.
