Two siblings – Ziah and Pyali – are left to look after themselves in the slums of Kochi after their parents’ passing. Ziah, however, doesn’t make Pyali feel like an orphan, ensuring that she lives like a princess in the little world that he builds for the duo through his daily-wage work that hardly fetches enough to eke out a living. Even as the ugly world rears its head through contractors looking to exploit them or even child protection personnel set out to separate them, the two stick together to fend off the challenges and give each other wings.
Barbie Sharma, as the cute-looking Pyali, is a treat for the eyes, and I must say that her dialogue delivery was so good, considering how dramatic the writing was in most places. This cute, innocent girl steals your heart.
Ziya, played by George Jacob, is perfect in his role as a non-Malayali but who speaks Malayalam fluently; he makes you cry and think. His friend, played by Ambarish, excels with his acting and provides comic relief.
The surprise cameo with a top star is excellent and he has carried it off well. Sreenivasan as Sayed and Mamukoya as Nikola do their roles well, lifting the movie with their presence. Unni Mukundan also shines in a guest appearance.
‘Pyali’ cannot be said to be a children’s film. This is a film for parents, teachers and everyone. Pyali is also one of those feel-good films where the production design and art lends to the overall experience. The film’s visuals and the production design are key areas, and those departments have done an impressive job.
Babita and Rin present ‘Pyali’ to the audience in a plot that combines children’s world, art, sisterly love, friendship and street life. The solid screenplay keeps the audience engaged from the beginning to the end without getting bored. On the downside, film is a little slow paced overall.