Making a film about broken relationships and a dysfunctional family of four brothers seemed an excellent idea to Madhu C. Narayanan I’m glad that this happened because we got to witness one of the most beautiful films of recent times which came out of Malayalam Cinema. What I liked the most about the film is that besides being a slice of life blended with beautiful music and shots of Kumbalangi, the film talks about themes that people shy away from talking about, themes of loneliness, abandonment, mental health, patriarchy, and hyper-masculinity.

Music

The movie uses a lullaby many times. Be it as a background music piece or as Vijay’s wife singing it to her day. All these little aspects make this film a beautiful watch for me. There are various instances when music has been used as an element to reflect upon the personality of the characters. Bobby has a habit of listening to beat music whereas on the other hand Bonny is seen jamming to soothing and soft music. Sushin Shyam’s background score has been used intelligently to mold the vibe and mood of the scenes. For instance, the first fight scene between Bobby and Saji has a comic background score attached to it.

Cinematography

Shyju Khalid’s cinematography gives Kumbalangi nights the poetic vibe which makes the film what it is. He captures the beauty of the lifestyle of people living in Kumbalangi in a very lyrical manner. Rule of thirds, the frame-in-frame technique can be observed in various scenes in the movie. The colors used in the frames give them very Wong Kar-Wai-ish feels.

 Characters

The characters of the film feel very next door to me. We do see people like Shammi, Saji, Baby, and Bonny in our locality but the thing is do we consider talking to them? There lies a constant feeling of alienation among Bonny, Saji, Bobby, and Franky which they try to overcome by attending a dance class or by visiting a bar with friends. After all, everyone needs an escape from reality.

Shammi (Fahadh Faasil) might be the man with the heaviest mustache in the village but what intimidates me the most his is personality. Every time he appears on the screen there is a sense of suspicion associated with him because such a control freak, he is. His shifting his chair on the other edge of the table shows enough of this character trait of him.

Saji (Soubin Shahid) being the eldest among the four tries his best to provide a shade like a father figure to his brothers but in the time of need he reaches out to the youngest one in the house for help. He accepts his mistakes and tries to fix things in the best possible way.

The contrast and similarities between Saji and Shammi make them outshine other characters in the movie.

Metaphors

The film establishes itself with a shot of a group of boys playing football. It feels like an okay start. Right? But only till the point, a discussion about home and family comes and we see Franky trying to avoid the conversation in the smartest way he can. This is where we realize that Kumbalangi nights are going to be a very different watch together. The whole conversation among the boys is followed by a montage of Franky doing household chores in his house. The place where he lives is a structure of bricks and mud with no door to give it closure.

The way this house is juxtaposed with Franky’s family is very beautiful. His family is of four male members and their lifestyle is very much chaotic and unorganized just like the dilapidated condition of the house because of the absence of a female member’s warmth and care.

It has been a long time since we got to see a movie where we see men cry, women going out of the home for work, and people getting affected by the absence of women in their homes. Despite the movie having a few loopholes it still manages to win your heart and leave you with a smiling face.