Tiyan

Tiyan, or "The Above-Mentioned", is an engrossing 2017 Malayalam-Indian socio-political drama that presents an enchanting tale of faith, spirituality, and reality. With stellar performances from a brilliant cast of Prithvi Raj Sukumaran and Indrajith Sukumaran, the movie successfully creates a thought-provoking narrative that explores profound human emotions, existential questions, and the nature of belief.

The film steals the limelight with its engaging storyline, meticulously crafted screenplay, and an exemplary portrayal of diverse characters by award-winning actor Prithvi Raj Sukumaran alongside Indrajith Sukumaran. Under the expert direction of K. R. Krishnakumar and penned by the prolific Malayalam writer Murali Gopy, the film converges the essence of spirituality and reality through a riveting tale of two different worlds. This creates an intoxicating blend of uncertainty, mystery, and suspense, engulfing audiences in a series of unexpected twists and turns.

Prithvi Raj Sukumaran plays Aslan Mohammed, a man who is rich in wisdom and perceived by the village inhabitants as holy. Aslan’s aura is mysterious and exudes a commanding presence, intriguing those whom he comes across. Prithvi beautifully exhibits Aslan's charismatic traits, embodying the character with his robust performance. He convincingly communicates his character nuances through his expressive eyes by showing a fine balance of intensity and subtlety.

Indrajith Sukumaran represents the character of Pattabhiraman, an urban-bred, rational, and skeptical individual. The actor does an excellent job manifesting the transformation of his character, displaying a broad range of emotions, from aggression to vulnerability, showcasing his versatile acting skills.

The narrative centers around the stark contrast of ideologies of the two main characters. Aslan’s world is deeply rooted in spirituality, mystic phenomena, and beliefs, while Pattabhiraman’s life orbits around hard facts, science, and skepticism. The rendezvous of these two contrasting worlds sets off an unprecedented chain of events, threading a compelling narrative that moves along the intersections of skepticism and faith, reality and spirituality, known and unknown.

Tiyan’s strength lies in its excellent script and screenplay. The dialogue is profound, laced with philosophical connotations and open-ended interpretations, provoking thought, introspection, and stimulating the audience's curiosity. Additionally, the interesting motifs and symbolisms add a riveting depth to the narrative, creating an atmosphere of mystical realism. Despite its thrilling subject, the film treats its audience’s intellect with respect, crafting an intelligent plot that not only captains their attention but also challenges their perspective.

The cinematography of the film deserves a special mention. The film takes viewers on a visual spectacle, traversing through rural terrains, scenic landscapes, and striking urban locales. The authentic mise-en-scene, aromatic color palettes, and dynamic camera angles heighten the cinematic experience, lending it a visually rich texture. These artistic frames blend with carefully chosen background scores, offering a foreshadow of events, enhancing the aura of suspense, and magnifying emotional scenes.

Tiyan also performs an impressive exploration of various religious and cultural aspects, without favoring any particular belief. It delicately balances portrayal and commentary, painting a vivid picture of the immense diversity yet underlying unity of Indian culture, religion, and tradition. The film sets a spectacular stage for the dialogue of faith, reality, religious pluralism, cultural ethos, and most importantly, individual transformation.

The exceptional performances, intellectually stimulating script, brilliant direction, stunning cinematography, and moving background score collectively make Tiyan not just another film, but a cinematic experience. It delves into those inner terrains, which are often unexplored and provoke viewers to ponder their beliefs and conceptions of divinity and existence.

Despite being deeply philosophical and metaphysical, Tiyan, at its core, is a human story. It is about sorrows and victories, struggles and triumphs, questions and realizations, skepticism and faith. Like a rich tapestry of diverse threads, Tiyan weaves together a highly intellectual narrative with aesthetics, crafting a remarkable cinematic piece that intellectually provokes and visually pleases. Engrossing and exhilarating, Tiyan seamlessly strikes a chord with anyone who enjoys cinema that compels one to think and feel simultaneously.