Garudan movie review: Suresh Gopi, Biju Menon film is gripping and solid, unlike many recent Malayalam thrillers

The movie centres on the investigation of a brutal rape that left a young college student in a coma. Despite identifying a witness who saw the perpetrator, the investigation team, led by Harish Madhav (Suresh Gopi), struggles to apprehend the culprit as the witness has never seen the person before that fateful day. Meanwhile, Harish’s acumen leads to the discovery that Nishanth Kumar (Biju Menon), a lecturer at the survivor’s college, committed the crime, although Nishanth desperately maintains his innocence.

The police, however, build an airtight case against Nishanth, resulting in a life sentence. Following a remission in his sentence, Nishanth is released from prison seven years later and he appeals to the High Court for a rehearing in the case. Though this surprises soon-to-retire Harish, he initially dismisses it as a publicity stunt. However, Nishanth, who enrolled himself as a lawyer during his jail term, proves in court that he was framed, leading the court to declare his innocence and order compensation to be paid by Harish. Despite the pressure, Harish remains convinced of Nishanth’s guilt, refusing to accept any mistake during the investigation, while those around him try to persuade him to let it go and that mistakes are human. The rest of the film follows Harish’s post-retirement reexamination of the case.

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In contrast to typical investigation thrillers that depict the protagonist as exceptionally intelligent and flawless during investigations, Garudan presents a cop (and that too Suresh Gopi) who may have committed a grave error leading to the ruin of an innocent person’s life and reputation. Without taking sides, the film thoughtfully delves into the perspectives of both Harish Madhav and Nishanth Kumar, allowing viewers to form their own assumptions about who is at fault. Garudan also suggests, to an extent, that even the most skilled officers can make errors, emphasising the potential impact of such mistakes on numerous lives.

One of the major strengths of the film is its divergence from other movies focusing on rape cases, such as B Unnikrishnan’s Mammootty-starrer Christopher, which depicts assaults in an extremely graphic manner. In contrast, Garudan refrains from such explicit portrayal while effectively conveying the severity of the survivor’s suffering.

Although Garudan has a novel plot, its overall storyline is somewhat weak, lacking impactful moments. Nonetheless, Midhun Manuel’s adept screenwriting engages the audiences throughout, except for some less gripping dramatic moments after the intermission. Apart from the scenes depicting Harish’s personal life (both before and after being pulled up for the lapse), which resemble typical soap opera elements, the script is densely packed with a series of incidents leading to a powerful ending. However, the climax feels rushed and superficial, leaving the audiences craving for more depth and development.

Despite Garudan being his directorial debut, Arun Varma succeeds in creating a captivating world, ensuring that viewers remain on the edge of their seats throughout.

While Suresh Gopi is just as solid as he is in any cop role, his dialogue delivery appears somewhat outdated, reminiscent of the 90s and 2000s, an aspect he should consider refining. Nevertheless, his nuanced portrayal and attention to the subtleties of the character’s emotional journey help mitigate this flaw to some extent. Biju Menon, as always, delivers a solid performance, effectively portraying his character’s internal struggles without exaggeration. Thalaivasal Vijay, in the role of the survivor’s father, also gives a compelling performance. While other actors, including Siddique, Jagadish, Abhirami and Divya Pillai, have limited opportunities to showcase their acting skills despite ample screen time, they still ensure the perfection of their respective characters.

Though the film adheres to the usual lighting pattern and colour palette of Malayalam thrillers, director Arun Varma skillfully prevents these elements from overpowering or conflicting with the overall setting. Jakes Bejoy’s music, along with Ronex Xavier’s makeup and Stephy Zaviour’s costume design, collectively contribute to making Garudan a captivating and immersive experience for the viewers.

And yes, we are definitely up for watching a Malayalam version of John Wick with Suresh Gopi leading the pack (make sure to keep an eye out for the post-credit scene in Garudan to get why we’re saying this).

In short, Garudan is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air for viewers inundated with mindless thrillers that have dominated our industries in recent times.

Garudan cast: Suresh Gopi, Biju Menon, Thalaivasal Vijay, Abhirami, Dileesh Pothan, Siddique, Jagadish, Divya Pillai
Garudan director: Arun Varma
Garudan rating: 3 stars