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Release
date:
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February 7, 2019
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Director:
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Jenuse Mohamed
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Cast:
Language:
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Prithviraj
Sukumaran, Alok, Wamiqa Gabbi, Mamta Mohandas, Prakash Raj, Rahul Madhav
Malayalam with
Hindi
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A little boy stands watching a
solar eclipse with his father in 1990 with a rough-hewn contraption on his
head. The scientist Dad disabuses him of misconceptions about this natural
phenomenon that have been spread by superstitious and ignorant folk. Never stop
asking questions even when adults tell you that not every question has an
answer, the father says.
Fast forward to the present day,
the child Albert has grown up to be a respected astrophysicist, still
asking questions. He is also a widower struggling with the upbringing of his
son Adam who is constantly getting into trouble.
Meanwhile, humankind is awaiting
the passing of a red comet at unprecedented proximity to Earth. Electromagnetic
waves from the comet are expected to cut off all electrically operated
equipment for nine days. With even the smallest of batteries bound to be
affected, and no modern means of transport available, a panicked public stocks
up supplies and riots break out in some places. Albert for his part takes off
for the Himalayas with Adam for a research project. Their lives go haywire
following the arrival of the comet and a woman called Ava in their home.
9, as the news media has already reported, is Sony Pictures Entertainment’s first foray into an Indian film
industry other than Bollywood (for heaven’s sake please let’s stop using that
awful, marginalising term “regional cinema”). It has been produced in
collaboration with Malayalam superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran’s newly minted
production house.
Prithviraj multi-tasks with this
project, also playing Albert on whose shoulders the entire film rests and
Albert’s father in his prologue appearance. The film is based on an intriguing
premise that merges the very human fear of the unknown with mental health
issues, science, the supernatural and a disturbed father-son relationship, the
starting block of which is the fact that the boy Adam’s mother died in
childbirth. Adam (played by the child actor Alok from Clint) is thus a constant reminder of what Albert lost that his son
may be born.
Writer-director Jenuse Mohamed’s
plot takes a while to lift off. At first a needless, obvious effort is made to
up the already satisfactorily restless atmosphere with some manipulative
camerawork especially in the introduction of Albert’s mentor Dr Inayat Khan
(Prakash Raj) and shots focused on
Albert’s face, and a pointless
romantic number involving a flashback to Albert’s late wife Annie (Mamta
Mohandas) ends up being stilted and clichéd.
9 truly gets into the groove
though as soon as the comet and Ava (Wamiqa Gabbi) enter the picture. Once that
happens, Mohamed and his able cast, backed by Shameer Muhammed’s slick editing
and Arun Ramavarma’s sophisticated sound design, roll out a thoroughly
engaging, perfectly paced narrative. Past the problematic initial half hour,
DoP Abinandhan Ramanujam strikes a fine balance between closing in on the
characters and pulling out to give us an eyeful of the pristine Himalayan
setting of most of the film. With a first-rate team on board, Mohamed
delivers a psychological-meets-the-paranormal thriller that remains
captivating till the big reveal in the climax.
Prithviraj’s controlled
performance as Albert, particularly after he figures out the mysterious
goings-on around him, is the fulcrum of 9’s
effectiveness. A big salute to him too for his diction while delivering the
considerable number of Hindi dialogues assigned to Albert.
(As an aside here, it is worth
mentioning that Indian cinemas other than Hindi/Bollywood are far more
representative of pan-India cultures and languages than is Hindi cinema which
almost entirely confines itself to the Hindi belt or at best to other parts and
peoples of north India. Sometimes though, the use of Hindi in Malayalam films
feels strained, as though Hindi is seen by the writer as aspirational and a
mark of coolth, somewhat mirroring the average Hindi filmmaker’s attitude to
English – this can be irritating. The use of Hindi in 9’s dialogues works because the language is relevant to the setting
and context, but sounds forced in that song featuring Albert and Annie although
it is set in Delhi.)
Little Alok is a remarkably
mature actor, his confidence is especially impressive in the scenes he
shares with his seasoned co-star.
Gabbi may seem to be overdoing
her work in places, but be patient – in the end it becomes clear that she
is actually spot on with her take on Ava. The writer’s choice of gender for
this character is interesting.
Mohandas’ charming personality
makes her an apt casting call for a wife that a man might find impossible to
get over.
In addition to its focus on
science and rationality, 9 is
important because it spotlights mental health concerns in a cleverly artistic
way designed to invite audience empathy. However, at a crucial juncture it
comes across as being confused in its understanding of this sensitive subject. (Spoiler alert) Why and how on earth,
for instance, does a cosmologist and not a psychiatrist/psychologist/therapist
diagnose and counsel a seriously unwell individual? And what was the writer
thinking showing this ‘counsellor’ intimidating and threatening the patient
with a deadline to get sorted? (Spoiler
alert ends) This review is not expecting 9 to have been a documentary on mental wellness, but considering
the widespread ignorance in this matter in India and the prevailing attitude of
“this is how such people should be
handled”, the film’s casualness in that brief scene, including incorrect
terminology, is unacceptable.
9 then is not all smooth sailing,
but because its missteps largely occur in passing (the mixed-up portrayal of
mental health, the use of a stereotypical black-is-for-evil-white-is-for-good
colour palette among other things), once it settles into its rhythm, it is
never less than entertaining and largely thought-provoking.
Besides, I would willingly pay
the price of two tickets to watch any film in which Prithviraj Sukumaran is in
good form. He is here.
Rating (out
of five stars): **3/4
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CBFC Rating (India):
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U
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Running time:
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149 minutes
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This review has also been published on Firstpost:
Poster
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