2018 is India’s official entry for 2024 Oscars: An overview of what makes the Tovino Thomas-starrer stand out

One of the very few survival films that approached the trauma the people went through in an empathetic manner, 2018 distinguishes itself through its technical excellence and its narrative approach that prioritises the people affected by the calamity rather than solely focusing on the floods itself.

The movie commences with a poignant message, “Every calamity is just news until it hits us,” effectively capturing the atmosphere leading up to August 16, 2018, when a significant part of the state became submerged in floodwaters.

Right from the beginning, the movie skillfully sets its atmosphere amidst light rain, capturing people savouring the ever-romantic monsoon and the serenity it brings. However, as the story unfolds, tension begins to mount because the state has rarely experienced such incessant rainfall, and uncertainty looms over how to respond to this unusual situation. Rain becomes an omnipresent character, continually reinforcing its presence.

Watch 2018 trailer here:

The film foreshadows the worsening conditions, offering early glimpses as the economically disadvantaged start facing the initial impact. However, those who are more privileged tend to overlook the situation, assuming it won’t affect them. Eventually, nature’s fury strikes indiscriminately, leaving everyone stranded and in desperate need of help, regardless of their social or economic status.

As it progresses, 2018 skillfully portrays how people stepped up to meet the challenge, coming together to aid those in dire straits, paying no regard for their differences, and even displaying acts of self-sacrifice to help others.

Director Jude Anthany Joseph on 2018

In an interview with The Indian Express earlier, director Jude Anthany Joseph had noted that the response 2018 received surpassed his wildest expectations. “Incorporating impressive visuals on a grand scale alone would not suffice to make a lasting impact on the audience. Without a strong emotional core, the film will fail to resonate. This thought process guided me as I delved into the concept,” he said.

“It was by examining the entire story through an emotional lens that this film came into being. Had we chosen to focus solely on showcasing high-quality flood sequences and landslides, the film might have been praised for its technical brilliance but would have failed to deeply connect with people. The true essence of the film lies in its ability to evoke genuine emotions and resonate with the audience on a profound level,” the director added.

Tovino Thomas comments on 2018’s achievement

2018’s official selection as India’s entry for the Oscars brings double delight to actor Tovino Thomas, who was recently honoured as Best Asian Actor at the Septimius Awards 2023 for his performance in the same movie. Tovino expressed his happiness during an Instagram live session, stating, “This feels like a double dhamaka for me. The making of 2018 involved tremendous effort. We were already elated by the film’s substantial box office success and the responses it received. However, the recognition it continues to receive is truly gratifying. I spoke with everyone, including Jude Anthany and Lal sir, after the news broke, and we shared our joy.”

Describing the film as a personal story for Malayalis, reflecting the challenges they faced and how they triumphed over an adversity, Tovino expressed immense pride that such a film is gaining increasing recognition.

Adaminte Makan Abu director Salim Ahamed about 2018’s selection for Oscar race

Praising the film’s accomplishment, director Salim Ahamed, whose National Award-winning film Adaminte Makan Abu was selected as India’s official entry for the 2011 Oscars, told The Indian Express: “With the proper push, 2018 has the potential to be shortlisted. I am confident that Malayalam cinema will soon secure an Oscar, even if not for 2018. There, it’s all about the content, and we have that. I hope it happens with 2018 itself.”

One of its key strengths lies in its exceptional art direction, overseen by a team led by Mohandas Pallakkottil. With minimal use of visual effects (VFX) and relying more on creating sets and props, including for the flood scenes, from scratch, 2018, in its making as well, underscored that dedicated teamwork can bring any vision to life.

In an earlier interview with The Hindu, Mohandas had noted that most of the frames of the flood were shot on sets put up on a 22-acre site at Maravanthuruthu in Vaikom, 30 km from Kottayam. He also explained that a two-acre tank was created on-site, which was used for shooting the underwater sequences.

All that worked in favour of 2018

Another significant asset of 2018 was its talented ensemble cast, which included Tovino Thomas, Indrans, Kunchacko Boban, Aparna Balamurali, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Asif Ali, Lal, Narain, Tanvi Ram, Sshivada, Kalaiyarasan, Aju Varghese, Siddique, Joy Mathew and Sudheesh, among others. The actors skillfully portrayed the emotions of crores of Malayalis and ensured that the film’s message remained clear in their performances, to ensure which they never attempted to overshadow the narrative, contributing to the overall quality of the film.

In its review, The Indian Express had praised Akhil George’s cinematography, Chaman Chacko’s editing, Nobin Paul’s music and Vishnu Govind’s audiography as well.

Though 2018 cannot be celebrated as the finest work to emerge from the Malayalam film industry, primarily due to narrative limitations and certain misrepresentations, it undeniably stands as a significant milestone, serving as a noteworthy documentation of a story of struggle and resilience.

Jude Anthany Joseph’s 2018 is India’s official entry for 2024 Oscars. (Image: Jude Anthany Joseph/Facebook)

Although the film deserves praise for its portrayal of the fisherfolk, who played a crucial role, like Kerala’s own army, during the floods, leading selfless rescue missions and aiding countless stranded Malayalis, it is worth mentioning that the noticeable absence or underrepresentation of Muslim characters in prominent roles within the rescue and rehabilitation endeavours. Simultaneously, the absence of well-developed female characters and the film’s oversight in recognising the contributions of politicians are glaring shortcomings.

Nevertheless, the film won hearts by cashing in on the emotions of the people and that too since it came at a time when numerous misleading narratives were circulating about Kerala.

2018 made its debut on May 5, 2023, coincidentally sharing its release date with Sudipto Sen’s controversial film The Kerala Story. The film’s problematic narrative and unsubstantiated claims sparked significant outrage, with many viewing Kerala Story as an attempt to tarnish Kerala’s reputation.

In contrast, as 2018 celebrated all that was positive about Kerala, the people, particularly those from Kerala, in a way, felt a responsibility to ensure the success and promotion of 2018 as a counterargument to The Kerala Story’s narrative. This factor played a significant role in propelling 2018 to unprecedented heights.