One of the last Malayalam films to release in 2015, this drama is far better than those mainstream ones.
Kukkiliyar is the name given to a nomadic, nameless lounger (Manoj K Jayan) by people of the village where he has been living for some years now. He may seem sluggish to anyone who interacts with him, but he toils; he sells stationery, condiments, toys, and other petty paraphernalia in his makeshift store which is also the place where he grabs some shuteye. He makes enough to get by, and often goes out of his way to help the needy. However, people still consider him to be an incompetent fool and regularly mock him for his unsightly appearance. One day, a group of loafers from the village play a prank on him, which eventually leads to Kukkiliyar's hospitalisation. And then, skeletons start tumbling out of the closet...
The non-linear screenplay narrates the life story of a man who is still grieving his eventful past. Unable to fully let go of what he arbitrarily left behind, the man hopes to cleanse himself by leading a desolated life, serving others. But, the wicked and long route that the story takes to come to this point is what reduces the film's entertainment quotient. The novel characters are seen dilly-dallying in the first 30 minutes, and so are the dull sequences which take a lot of time to take off. Second half clarifies the doubts a viewer may have regarding the characters and their actions.
Jayan is fabulous as usual in his portrayal, and so are most known supporting actors. Casting newbies must have been a budget issue and that definitely affects the final product. Maniyanpilla Raju, Archana Kavi, and Prakash Bare do justice to their important characters. They are directed well, but the average production fails to appeal.
Overall, Kukkiliyar is not fantastic, but an average family drama about a man and his inability to forgive because he's already put the related episode in a basket which is irretrievably lost.
BOTTOM LINE: Debutante Nemom Pushparaj's "Kukkiliyar" can be a decent afternoon watch with your family, which may cause you to debate the topic for fifteen minutes after the credit rolls on. That's it. Wait for TV premiere.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
