A suspense thriller, the film explores the world of cyber crimes, and depicts how vulnerable teens get trapped in it. A bilingual (titled Asha Black in Malayalam), it is directed by debutant John Robinson an ad-film maker. Most of the film is shot in Malaysia, where the crime and the punishment take place. The film conveys a relevant social message to both parents and children. It’s a case of neglected children falling prey to sexual predators.
When five Indians are killed by a serial killer in Malaysia, investigating cop Anwar (Sarath) soon zeros in on the common factor. She was Asha Black with a mysterious Facebook profile and she had chatted with each of the victims before his death. Sarath’s matter-of-fact demeanour, lends sobriety and seriousness to the scenes of the investigation.
The scene shifts to Coimbatore where musician Rohith (Arjun Lal) gets a Facebook message from an Asha Black (Ishitha). Their frequent video chats develop into friendship, Rohith falling for her. But when he goes to Malaysia to meet her, it’s a shock that awaits him. The cops too meet a dead end in the investigation. How they zero in on the killer and the motive forms the rest. Arjun Lal, who had played Mohanlal’s son in the Malayalam film Thanmathra, gets his first lead role and essays it competently. Ishitha (from the Hindi screen) depicts the vulnerability and innocence demanded of Asha. Effortless is Manoj K Jayan as the cab driver who befriends Rohith.
The narration picks up momentum towards the latter part, where Anwar rushes to protect the killer’s next target. The film may not have any edge-of-the-seat scenes, but there are no lagging moments either. The director has maintained a steady narrative flow throughout. It’s a neatly crafted, fairly engaging saga of crime and punishment and of the hazards of cyber-friendship.
