As we have mentioned many times recently, there has been a new tendency in Asian cinema, of combining a mainstream base, of a sci-fi or a horror for example, with intense art-house and experimental elements. Krishnendu Kalesh, who has a mixed media background, also moves into this direction, with a film that shares many similarities regarding its unusual approach, with Vietnamese “Taste”, one of the most interesting titles of last year's Berlinale.
“Hawk's Muffin” is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The truly messed up narrative starts with a plane dropping an atomic bomb, after which the pilot is ordered by his command center, in coded orders presented through a DOS-like system, into hiding. They have even rented a piece of jungle for him, where he starts a micro-community, including his half-blind, almost completely silent granddaughter Ruby, a rather violent man who seems to be the bodyguard of the family and Ruby's mother, who is perpetually bedridden. Tension mounts however, when a robotic space man holding a gyroscopic instrument that makes a particular noise appears, and catches the eye of Ruby, while a bit later, a policeman who claims he is family and wants part of the estate adds even more oil to the fire.
Finding out what happens in the story of Krishnendu Kalesh is at least as difficult as finding out what the point of the events is. Evidently a vehicle for artistic expression, “Hawk's Muffin” goes truly beyond in its cinematic approach in that fashion, essentially presenting a series of intriguing, quite artful frames, images and sequences, held together by a delirious, surrealistic, but also strangely intriguing narrative. In that regard, all the characters are unique, and the fact that Kalesh has them talking very little, essentially implementing an approach that loans much of silent films, particularly in the way different kinds of intertitles are included, actually works well for both their individuality and the narrative as a whole. At the same time, the overall atmosphere could be described as eerie, additionally because the ritualistic elements are also intense. The movements of the newcomer, that frequently resemble modern dancing, Ruby's feet, as she operates the sewing machine, the bags on the trees, and the radio wave sounds conclude the audiovisual and narrative scape here, resulting in a truly perplexing, but also quite captivating approach. Also of note are the SFX, which occasionally are rather well done, implying a production that is not as cheap as its main premises imply.
In general, both Manesh Madhavan's cinematography and Kiran Das's editing are rather arful, both in harmony with, and essentially dictating the overall aesthetics of the narrative, in a result that can easily be described as cinematically elaborate. At the same time, however, at almost 2 hours, the movie overextends its welcome somewhat, since even such artfulness can become tiring in such large doses.
Regarding the comments Kalesh wanted to make here, racism particularly regarding refugees, the concept of owning land and the issues it can create, war, ecology, violence, and human nature are all touched upon, but in a way that is actually quite difficult to understand what the meaning actually is.
Ketaki Narayan as Ruby is impressive to watch, both in her movements and facial expressions, while Rajesh Madhavan's alien is a rather captivating presence to watch, particularly in the way he moves.
“Hawk's Muffin” is definitely an artful film, but at the same time, quite difficult to follow. As thus, the whether someone will enjoy it will depend on how long they can indulge in the artfulness and originality of it, and how they can immerse themselves in its deliriousness.
