'Annayum Rasoolum' (Malayalam)

Keep your eyes open in the waters; you might stumble upon the lost love. And Rasool does that. Memory is an ocean and this film might help you, if ever loved or lost, bob on its surface. Name says it all. Annayum Rasoolum is a love-laced tale of Anna and Rasool.

The sweetness of love, the innocent adventures that love often demand and the bitterness of seemingly inevitable lose…it is not the same old story where love-struck couple jump out of joy, hum lyrics with enviable dexterity and fly to picturesque foreign countries to shake a leg. Annayum Rasoolum directed by cinematographer (Dev D, Gangs of Wasseypur) Rajeev Ravi is a refreshingly heartwarming simple romantic tale.

Set in the backdrop of Mattanchery, the movie throws light into many lives who struggle to make both ends meet. 'Where the most beautiful woman in the world resides,' asks Rasool (Fahad Faasil). 'In your native place,' the narrator, who returns home empty-hearted after seeing the world, replies. Rasool, a Muslim taxi driver with humble background realises this when he meets Anna (Andrea Jeremiah), a Christian salesgirl. He follows his heart, and love comes to him. The movie begins with the mundane lifestyle of Rasool who lives in a noisy colony. The director is perfectly home in portraying the rustic life of people with limited means. His chase of love with Anna with passion and intensity finally pays off, though most of the time silence speaks emotions. However, the earthy love story ends in a tragic note. With each film Fahad is maturing and his super brilliant performance stands out. Andrea gels flawlessly to her mysterious character. The story narrator Ashley (Sunny Wayne) does a fairly good job.

A perfect casting and synchronised sound recording make the movie more realistic. Three directors act in the movie; Ranjith as Rasool’s hapless father, Ashique Abu as brother Hyder and Joy Mathew who had acted in John Abraham’s classic Ammaye Ariyan, as Anna’s father. Hyder, who works on a ferry that connects Vypeen Island with the main land, is denied visa to his dream land. He symbolizes the frustrated uneducated Muslim youth who is trapped in the system. The movie moves slowly, but catches the subtleties of love, indeed perfectly. The story is not new, but the narration deserves a standing ovation, thanks to Santhosh Echikanam for his brilliant screenplay and Madhu Neelakhandan for his excellent shots.

The remix of yesteryear singer Mehboob’s songs Kandu randu kannu (written by P A Kasim, music by Baburaj for the 1973 film Chuzhi) and Kayalinarike, are interwoven with the film  perfectly. Tight editing could have been made the movie more appealing.

Verdict: Realistic and touching. A must-watch.