A family is essentially a microcosm of society, where each person has a different outlook towards life. The family in focus in Nithish Sahadev’s directorial debut is no different. It comprises an 82-year-old grandfather, a middle-aged couple, and their two sons. Together, they are so dysfunctional that they are not family, but ‘falimy’. The five are as different as the five fingers, and eventually, it’s a Varanasi trip that helps these Shanthi Nivas residents find some Shanthi.
The grandfather, Janardhanan, played by an excellent Meenaraj, has a longtime wish to visit Kashi. Every time he attempts to leave home, his falimy... err, family members spoil his plans as they feel it’s their responsibility to take care of him. But all the old man seeks is some freedom. The idea of freedom differs for each person in the family. For the youngest of them, Abhi (Sandeep Pradeep), it would mean moving abroad for studies. For Chandran (Jagadish), the father, it would be running away from responsibilities and gulping a drink or two with his friend. For the elder son Anu (Basil) and mother Rema (Manju Pillai), the two breadwinners of the family, it would be freeing themselves from the clutches of pending loans.
Despite Falimy’s subject having the potential for a lot of emotionally charged drama, Nithish opts for a light-hearted approach relying more on fun moments. After setting aside much of the first half for establishing the characters and their interpersonal dynamics, the journey part begins right at the halfway mark. It commences with a hilarious interval block where the makers brilliantly subvert an iconic moment from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
Although the narrative drags around a bit, just like the family’s tedious trip, it’s still peppered with an ample dose of humor. On the way, they face numerous hurdles, one of them being a chance encounter with a smuggler. The man fleeing with elephant tusks and deer horns brings his car to a sudden brake when he sees a herd of cows crossing the road. Remember, the setting is Uttar Pradesh.
In dysfunctional family dramas, an emotional monologue is inevitable. It’s a mandatory emotional beat that leads to character transformations in the final act. In Falimy, this part is handled smartly. We know Anu and his father don’t get along well, and there’s a volcano of emotions waiting to erupt. But when it happens, it’s only the son who bursts out. The father never tries to justify his coldness or irresponsibility. He just says, “Some people are like that, even if they try, they just can’t let go of their habits.” There’s no pathos-inducing background score to amplify the emotions.
Falimy also gets into some interesting spaces about old people. There’s a heartwarming bond between two men, despite them not being together in a single frame. At a point, when they part ways, the camera lingers a little longer capturing the pain of separation. Later, when one of them dies, the other person’s world comes crashing down and breaks down like a baby. These are moments generally reserved for romantic couples. In another memorable scene, we see an old man who left home years back hoping to reunite with his family. Though it begins as a confusion-triggered-comical sequence, the segment ends on a devastating note.
Interestingly, this subversion of expectations is there till the film’s very end. Towards the end, we anticipate Jagadish to turn mad, but the veteran betters it with a subtle expression that conveys both his relief and embarrassment.
He is wonderfully complemented by Manju Pillai, who ensures her performance doesn’t resemble her act in #Home, despite both characters being in the same vein. Basil Joseph, however, can’t completely shrug off his previous performances like that. He is still improving, as we see in the portions where he tries hard to suppress his emotions after the wedding gets called off.
At the end of the day, a film like Falimy might not pump your adrenaline or offer solutions to global issues, but it gets the basics right—engaging the audience and offering them a pleasant experience.
Film: Falimy
Cast: Basil Joseph, Jagadish, Manju Pillai, Sandeep Pradeep, Meenaraj
Director: Nithish Sahadev
Rating: 3.5/5