Netflix recently added a new film to their roster, and it is a Malayalam language exploring obsessive love and rage. The Rekha review goes into detail about these themes in the film, which was written and directed by Jithin Isaac Thomas. The film also stars Vincy Aloshious, Unni Lalu, Vishnu Govindhan, Renji Kankol, Rajesh Azhikkodan and Premalatha Thayineri, alongside other cast members. The crew was also joined by producers Kaarthekeyen Santhanam and Karthik Subbaraj, and director of photography Abraham Joseph.
-Rekha Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
Small-town stories about love, obsession and violence are often presented through a callous and desensitized lens. The violence often causes anguish and pain, not in a good way. What Rekha does well is that it uses popular visual motifs and visual connotations to allude to the violence happening in the story. Audio is generally a great storyteller, and this film used that tool significantly in telling such an intense story.
Speaking of the film from purely a character standpoint, we get an idea of what both of them are like in the beginning, but as the story progresses there are many layers to peel. The protagonists are both defined quite well, but the fact that they had the element of surprise is what made the film interesting to watch. Additionally, there were inklings sowed from the beginning that came to fruition later as the film progressed.
Narratively, the sequences seem a little undiscovered, and the pacing is a little off. The last few minutes of the film take it to the next level. Obviously not like Power of the Dog, just that there is a lot of rumination throughout the film and the emotional dilemma is extended beyond believability, especially after establishing the various characteristics the female characters embodied in the film. This dilemma did not align with her base ideals.
What gets this film totally running, though, is the fact that female rage is so wonderfully represented in the film. We start off by seeing her not only embody physical strength but also emotional strength. The reactions she has had throughout the film are so aptly believable and definable, even if people don’t agree with them. The best part, it isn’t exaggerated or sexualised for the male gaze. The expectation of a female hero is completely subverted in this film. She walks around most of the time dressed in conventionally androgynous clothing and barely has any makeup on.
Furthermore, any act of violence committed by the female character is very unabashedly portrayed on screen, it is an interesting choice the director and cinematographer made. Showing violent and complex female characters is so important and the character Rekha emulates the kind of complexity it takes to be a woman. There are moments of grudging acceptance and obligation, and there are moments of defiance and strength that make her a well-written archetype of a modern woman.
The cinematography department definitely deserves a raise because those wide-angle and close-up shots are so well framed there is enough information to make sense of the background but also allude to the tone of the moment between the two protagonists. Ending on a red-lit shot was perhaps one of the best cinematic decisions made in the film.
The editing of the film is also incredibly fantastic, especially the rhythmic montages. Cutting on the slap of a cloth on a rock or the churn of a grinder was just brilliant. There were editing moments in the film that tried to push this film into the artistic realm, which it did manage to do, especially after the last scene played. It is a full-on mind-boggling sequence that would truly not make sense unless there was some context from the characters’ lives.
Rekha Review: Final Thoughts
This writer thoroughly enjoyed the film; the film unabashedly believes that people must support women’s rights and women’s wrongs. The storyline is fun, there is this catchy psychological thriller feel in the film, and the music behind some of these shots is downright eerie. Additionally, it does a great job of realistically showing the kind of coercion and breach of consent most women go through when they start being intimate with their partners.
The premise of this film may be to avenge someone, but really it felt like the film was about autonomy and truth. Up until the end, it was always about the autonomy to choose what to do with herself and what others could do to her. The actor as well has toed the line so well in showing a strengthened yet vulnerable woman going through loss.
Rekha is currently streaming on Netflix. What did you think the best part of the film was? Let us know in the comments below.
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