Formerly a sound designer whose credits include “Thithi”, winner of the Golden Leopard award at the Locarno International Film Festival, Nithin Lukose has now turned director with an impressive debut largely based on Keralite folklore passed down to him by his grandmother, which was produced by Anurag Kashyap.
Paka (River of Blood) is screening at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles
“Paka” takes place in Kerala’s Wayanad hill country, a region which saw an influx of migrants from other parts of Kerala between the 1940s and 1970s — migrants who brought with them long-simmering grudges and tensions. In this region, Johnny and Anna, two youths from warring families, are about to get married. Expectedly, their marriage is kept under wraps, since Anna’s uncles are in no mood to bury the hatchet, while both of the patriarchs of the families, Johnny’s grandmother and Anna’s grandfather, are still intently set on revenge, poisoning the younger members with their hatred. Nevertheless, the preparations proceed relatively smoothly, at least until Johnny’s uncle Kocheppu returns after fifteen years behind bars. The man is repentant for his crime and is willing to promote peace even going as far as apologizing to the members of the opposing family. Kocheppy begins enjoying life once again, and things are beginning to calm, the patriarchs are not willing to let the youths live their lives.
Although its premises point towards a Romeo and Juliet story, Nithin Lukose’s purpose lies elsewhere, with the fact that the female protagonists are essentially placed in the background being one of the elements that prove the point. Instead, he wants to show how difficult it is for the cycle of violence to close when it is opened, even by people who are unwilling to continue a vendetta they barely even remember when and why it was started. The way they are sucked into it is probably the most impressive aspect of the movie, also benefiting the most by the secondary characters. Kocheppu’s persona is definitely one, with the way he enjoys life out of prison (the scene in the cinema is rather memorable), hanging out with his friends and relatives, and trying to restart his life including his relationship with his son, but continuously stumbles upon the vendetta, being one of the main mediums of the central comment here. Jose Kizhakkan gives a great performance in the role. The same applies to the two patriarchs, whose bitterness fills the screen every time they speak, even though they barely move. That they are of different sex also adds to the comment here, showing that the hate knows no gender, while also making a distinct accusation towards the previous generation that still retains “traditions” like that, as much as towards the whole concept of patriarchy.
That the two families have nothing to really separate them, at least nowadays, is excellently mirrored in the concept of the river, where members of both families are dumped into, almost always discovered by an elderly diver whose role as a kind of Charon is quite iconic.
Apart from context, the movie also thrives on its atmosphere, with Lukose creating one of constant tension, where it is always evident that something bad will eventually happen. Srikath Kabothy’s cinematography is the main medium, with the impressive coloring and the outstanding night shots being among the best traits of the movie, along with the job done in the sound and music. The various action scenes, most of which are induced with a thriller/drama essence that is violent on occasion but not in exuberant ways, also benefit by the aforementioned aspects as much as the economic editing of Arunima Shankar and Anzar Chennattu, who change the pace in order to fit the aesthetics of each in ideal fashion. Lastly, at 101 minutes, the movie does not overextend its welcome in any way, particularly because it is stripped by any kind of unnecessary scenes.
Basil Paulose as Johnny gives a wonderful performance, highlighting his angst and inner turmoil in the best way, with his waking up from his recurring dreams scenes being among the most memorable in the movie. The same applies to Nithin George as his main opponent, although in a smaller role, while all the elderly actors are excellent, frequently stealing the show.
“Paka” is a great debut that manages to make its comments in a way that is contextually rich, visually captivating and entertaining at the same time.
