| Directed by | Maju |
|---|---|
| Written by | Maju R Jayakumar |
| Produced by | Josekutty Madathil Ranjith Manambarakkat |
| Starring | Sunny Wayne Ananya Alencier Ley Lopez Grace Antony Pauly Valsan |
| Cinematography | Pappu |
| Edited by | Kiran Das |
| Music by | Dawn Vincent |
| Production company | Tiny Hands Productions |
Gist of the Story
Itty, who has been confined to a bed for a very long time, stands in the desert of a wicked civilization and clings to this mindset. His family, society, and Itty’s son Njoonj all want him to pass away.
Plot
Appan follows a relocating Christian family in the rugged terrains of Thoduppuzha. Itty and his family, including his wife Kuttiyamma, their son Njoonj, Rosy, and their son Abel. Njoonj, a child who has experienced long-term parental abuse, earns a living by tapping rubber. He desires two things in life: his mother to live in peace and his son to grow up in a better home. Kuttiyamma has put up with Itty’s abuse and torment in order to make sure her son receives compensation. The villagers also intend to kill Itty in retaliation for all the problems he has brought them, while the family waits for Itty’s passing to claim their portion of the property.
Performance
The character Sunny Wayne is given has a very different appearance from the group of people with whom he is most familiar. He gives his strongest performance as Noonj in the movie, exhibiting restraint and a controlled aggression. His father has always been his opponent, though he admits in the movie that he doesn’t harbor any animosity toward him. Alencier is undoubtedly the main attraction. The performer plays Itty expertly while having limited movement. We are outraged by his vulgar language and horrified by his immoral actions. As Noonju’s wife Rosy, Ananya in particular excels. Kuttyamma, Ittychan’s wife, is flawlessly portrayed by Pauly Valsan. Sheela, a sex prostitute, is portrayed by Radhika Radhakrishnan, who excels at portraying such a complex character.
Direction / Technical Side
The dialogue oriented script quickly establishes the core problem before dragging things out longer than necessary to prolong the suffering. Due to the several dramatic situations in which the dysfunctional family works together against the patriarch, Appan is surprisingly interesting for a movie that takes place entirely inside and around a house. Appan depicts a truth that is frequently disregarded by both Indian culture and cinema: the reality of a tense parent-child relationship and the sorrow of elder care when it is forced upon youngsters as a result of social conditioning. Numerous examples of unhappy families have been presented to us in the past. However, not many movies have the guts to point out the source of the issue.
On the negative side, Appan’s staging occasionally has a television play-like air to it. When a new character from Itty’s past is introduced in the final act, the pace of the film slows down and the humor that had been working up to that point is lost. The scenes were slightly made more impactful by the music, which was intense and supported the somber lines.
Verdict; The reality of a difficult parent-child connection and the grief of elder care when it is imposed onto children as a result of social conditioning are two realities that are commonly ignored by both Indian culture and cinema, and these are realities that Appan portrays. Overall, it is a compelling and excellently performed dark comedy-drama that is worth watching for its performances.