When two legends of Malayalam cinema come back together on screen after 13 years, it’s not just a celebration for fans but an opportunity to watch some superb acting as well.
Mammootty and Mohanlal join hands in director Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot, a cyber thriller which is about power, politics and the people.
Mammootty essays the role of Daniel James, a former scientific adviser-turned-vlogger who goes by the name Vimathan (dissident).
Vimathan’s aim in life is to expose corrupt politician JP Sundaram (Rajiv Menon) and his son Shakti Sundaram (Fahadh Faasil), the founder of Shakti Group which is involved in cyber security.
But Vimathan ends up being framed and is forced to flee India to London to escape his killers.
Even while a recluse in London, he continues his quest to reveal all that JPS and his son are upto in the name of goodwill and service to the nation.
Suddenly, he decides to attend a YouTubers meet in another country but when he lands up there, he simply vanishes into thin air. Meanwhile, Lt Rahim Malik (Mohanlal), who is Daniel James’s friend, gets roped into this issue and this is when we see the two acting legends really shine on screen together. What happens to Vimathan? Does he expose JPS and Shakti? Does he ensure justice for all affected parties?
There’s a line in the film that Mammootty’s character delivers where he says this is not a dystopian animal farm, it’s an actual human farm while at the YouTubers meet.
That statement is extremely poignant given the world of influencers and bloggers we live in and the voracious need for instant gratification, likes and shares every single minute.
The need for validation from virtual strangers has taken over the conscience of the youth while the real world is in turmoil being manipulated by those in power and the poor becoming scapegoats. This is a very thought-provoking theme that director Mahesh Narayanan has touched upon.
Mahesh Narayanan definitely had the tough task of ensuring that both Malayalam superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty had roles that would befit their stature.
In many ways, he has managed to fulfil the expectations of fans of both stars though one wishes that Mohanlal had more elevation scenes in the film and a more intense role.
However, as far the story is concerned it does lag in parts – the first half is slow and takes time to build up and the tension/ conflict is not strong enough.
The second half suffers as the narrative loses momentum – perhaps it would have benefitted from concise ideas and several mass moments.
Even the antagonists are not powerful and the theme of corrupt politician versus do-gooder is not novel either.
The film stands on the powerful performances of Mohanlal and Mammootty rather than the storyline – and this is slightly disappointing given it is a Mahesh Narayanan film.
Mammootty as Vimathan doesn’t come on screen with his usual swag but is more restrained, raw and the social consciousness he displays really connects with the audience.
Vimathan or Dissident makes use of the social media world to take down those in the real world – this is where Mahesh Narayanan connects the dots.
And Mammukka (Mammootty) effortlessly recalibrates his acting to be the ageing dissident.
As for Mohanlal, he is intense and his eyes speak volumes as always.
He commands the screen and effectively conveys his acting chops in numerous scenes merely by movements rather than dialogues.
The combination scenes of both these actors are a cracker and the intensity with which they have portrayed their respective roles says a lot about their talent.
Fahadh Faasil as Shakti plays his role to perfection given that he has essayed some similar roles in the past.
Kunchacko Bobban has an important but small role in the film.
As for the female characters in the film, none of them make much impact as they appear just for a few scenes each through the film.
Nayanthara appears as Lathika, Daniel James’s wife, and flits in and out of a few scenes as does Zahrin Shahib. As for Revathi, she is just seen in one scene like Indrans.
When it comes to the technical aspects of Patriot, no aspect has been spared as far as production values go. The camera work by Manush Nandan is compelling but the editing by Mahesh Narayanan and Rahul Ramakrishna could have been much tighter given the lags and the length of the film. Sushil Shyam, who has delivered blockbusters earlier, gives a BGM that serves the film but not necessarily elevate it.
Ultimately, Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot, starring Mohanlal and Mammootty, serves as an acting masterclass by the legends with a strong social theme.
