Name: Tiyaan
Language: Malayalam
Genre: Socio-political Drama
Duration: 168 minutes
Cast : Prithviraj, Indrajith, Murali Gopi, Shine Tom Chacko, Rahul Madhav, Suraaj Venjarammoodu, Padmapriya, Paris Laxmi, Ananya
Plot:
A noble Malayali Brahman man, who is the custodian and successor of his ancestral saintly property and legacy in a distant land, is threatened to sell his house and land to a mighty local religious conman.
Maintaining 100% commitment to its genre “Socio-political Drama”, Tiyan is an intense and deep-rooted film.
Executed in a contemporary mass-movie style, the movie exposes the peril of religious exploitation and oppression that’s prevalent in the present-day India. The criminal nexus between real estate mafia and phoney god-men forms an important part of the narrative in this powerful movie.
“Aham Brahmasmi” (“I am the infinite Reality!”), which is the core definition of “I” and “God” in Hindu Philosophy, is the foundation stone of Tiyaan. The whole movie is packaged by keeping this insightful mantra as the pivot.
While the acclaimed Tamil movie maker Bala’s “Naan Kadavul” has been a realistic implementation of the “all-powerful I” idea, Tiyaan chooses the path that would appeal to the masses.
The “Murali Gopi touch” (as a script writer), which the Malayalam movie-lovers have seen in his former movies like “Left Right Left”, is very clearly visible in Tiyaan. Socio-political satire/drama is his strength. The misuse or misinterpretations of religious beliefs and customs, the persecution of certain communities by the wily and the mighty in the name of nationalism, the mayhem around cow-protection and beef, the right to live in India etc have all been sensibly touched in Tiyaan.
With elements of a faraway land of dacoits and thugs, a cruel religious conman, a Malayali victim, and an omnipotent saviour, it is the picture of a massively-budgeted action-packed drama that the Trailer of Tiyaan has presented to its viewers. But the full-length movie turns out to be a much more solid, self-invigorating, inward-looking and creative package.
The common folk in Tiyaan is a true representation of India’s public. Most of them show no self-respect when they run behind god-men and conmen and fake tantric/evangelist healers. They don’t want to identify the God that’s present in their inner selves; they don’t know the omnipotent “I”, and they are searching peace and happiness elsewhere.
The couple of “twists” in Tiyaan’s narrative is praiseworthy. As the story progresses, characters evolve beautifully and convincingly. Some of their changes are guaranteed to “twist” us. The victim, the saviour, the oppressor, the helpless – they don’t follow the beaten path.
Even though the plot and premise of the movie aren’t anything extraordinary, the parallel spiritual path that the discerning viewer would not fail to identify, and the inner beauty of the “Aham Brahmasmi” thread that the whole proceedings of the movie is attached to, make Tiyaan a wonderfully-crafted cinema.
Action sequences, especially the untra slow-motion ones, though are entertaining with their mass-appeal, could have been a bit shorter or fewer.
There is an appropriate mix of class and mass dialogues, emotional and touching scenes in the movie.
Prithviraj has been excellent in every frame of his presence. He has the character of a lifetime. Every artist of the movie shines.
The technical crew of Tiyaan can be so very proud of this accomplishment.
The aptness of the title “Tiyaan” deserves a special mention. The legal jargon denotes ownership, responsibility and authority. You got to watch the movie to understand the beauty of the title. The interval punch that presents the title and its relevance, is an incredible watch!
Tiyaan deserves your time and attention, dear friends from Kottayam! Please be aware of the “Hindi” part.
