I am Kathalan (Malayalam) Review..!!
After the Blockbuster Premalu, the team of Naslen & AD Girish is back with yet another film in the same year. ‘I am Kathalan’ was made way before Premalu and was delayed for unknown reasons. Yet, this film had all the expectations due to the hit combo and their style of execution. Usually, AD Girish makes light hearted films on a simple plot line with ample comedy elements. This isn’t different either, though the trailer sounded a bit serious, more or less like a thriller genre with dark humor. Naslen also looked a bit younger in the promo materials. And the biggest surprising element was the addition of Lijomol in the cast. And for a change, this film does not have the service of AD Girish in the writing department. Instead, the film is penned by Sajin Cherukayil.
Naslen plays the protagonist Vishnu, who is a BTech Computer Science graduate. Well, like many engineers, he has many back papers but he is a genius. The plot follows his life, the events that turns him into a hacker. Not to worry, this is too short and crisp in the film. In a way, the plot is oversimplified. His heartbreaking love story stimulates a chain of events. These events proceed at breakneck speed and there is not much fuss or tension till the very end. Yes, if we expect a serious film, this is not the one. But that doesn’t mean, it treats everything on a lighter note. It is just that, there is no scope for melodrama in the plot. It gets to the point pretty quickly and doesn’t hang on to one incident forever. For example, Vishnu starts ‘hacking’ triggered by a couple of events. These two events aren’t stretched nor wait for a dramatic entry in the film. These events happen in the spur of the moment and realistically. These incidents establish the intentions of the protagonist and they are reasonable enough to explain the follow-up episodes.

The humor elements in the film heavily relies on one-liners. The film also depends on relatively closer conversations. The comic moments click for the duration and the dialogues are straightforward. This gives the mood of a web series. It is the hacking episodes that changes the mood, delivering a scope of excitement to the subject. But the film doesn’t get to tense moments or added thrills, rather stay humble. This is because the related incidents are not driven by serious motives. The protagonist’s ego is not bruised to turn him to the dark or extreme ways. He doesn’t resort to harming intentionally but his actions are neither justifiable. The protagonist is an underdog who is on the verge of a heartbreak. He is dejected and lost all hope and his situations make him act stupid. He wants to prove himself what he is capable of. He is ready to let it go once he understands the consequences. He is scared of getting caught and also admits his actions as a crime. His actions connect with the youngsters in real life who commits mistake out of anger or ego.

AD Girish switches the screenplay in the midst of some episodes to focus on the relationship of Vishnu and Shilpa, played by Anishma. At times, this is a kind of bummer but these episodes are not stretched to make it boring. These scenes are meant to keep the audience stay connected with the protagonist’s perspective. Another loved part was that the film doesn’t shed bad light on other characters and paint the protagonist as the saint. Even though, Shilpa’s character lacked depth, she is one of the major parts in the story. Similarly, the ‘hacking’ episodes need to be talked about. We have seen many fancy stuffs on films, built on a larger-than-life context but here it is believable and clear for the common man. In a way, this is the kind of the representation, the film demands. So, the entire film doesn’t overdo things nor try to reason with protagonist’s actions. While talking about ‘hacking’, we also see an ethical hacker, played by Lijomol in a cat and mouse game with protagonist for a brief while. This character does not find much relevance as there are not much extended scenes of their ‘hacking’ battle. This would have deviated from the story of the protagonist which is probably why they have restricted her character’s scope.

The performances are good, considering the simple plotline that doesn’t demand much from them. The narration goes at breakneck speed which is why the film engages the viewers. The director has taken each scene without forcing any external elements of drama, adding a touch of humor and the story progresses without boring the audience. The background score also elevates the ‘hacking’ episodes. The film also ends with a nice statement that says ‘Hacking is a criminal offence.’ This has been conveyed in a lighter manner but has certainly made an impact. Finally, I am Kathalan is an honestly executed enjoyable stress booster that moves at breakneck speed.