Two cardinal precepts that weigh the worth of a film are its captivating power and convincing prowess as a story. Kukku Surendran's 'E' very well fits the bill when it comes to the captivating pull.
It's awe, suspense, and shock right from the word go. The narrative is set in the backdrop of a rural household steeped in mythical beliefs. A bunch of youngsters led by Gautami, takes the audience for a roller coaster ride, involving hair-raising moments, emotional interludes and even light comical elements.
The story begins with a group of Malayali youngsters in Chennai prepping for a tour to Kerala on a particular mission. Karthik, the chief de mission, is accompanied by four of his friends and they land in an ancestral house in Kerala. The house is owned by Karthik's school teacher.
Soon, they find out that the teacher and her daughter, who happens to be Karthik's old classmate, are in a dilemma and start experiencing some strange occurrences at the house. They recognize the events have some connection with a past mired in mystery. The flashback unveils the strong bonding between a mother and her daughter.
In the acting department, Gautami Tadimalla as Malathy Menon has displayed an exemplary performance. She oozes her quintessence charm throughout the narrative. The youngsters too, don't fall short. Nithya Naresh, as Malathi Menon's caring and concerned daughter, is stunning. Ashiq Ameer as Karthik evokes the youthful vigor and bears the intensity of the grave situations. Daine Davis as Alex keeps providing comic reliefs with his quirky remarks and zestful pranks. Meera Nair as Arundhathi, Kalyani as Jenny, Satyajit as Kunjumon and Anjali Nair as Elsamma, all essay their roles with equal elan.
The gravity of the situations is made lighter by funny interactions and the beautiful emotional bonding. The melodious and beautiful songs add to the vibrancy of the story.
Although the plot is pretty impressive, it’s for the audience to judge how convincing it is. It would have been a better story if the horror element was never there.
The awesome camera work, maneuvered by Manoj Pillai, captures the ravishing aesthetics of the idyllic environs and at the same time, amplifies the beauty of horrific scenes. Rahul Raj strikes perfect notes for the charming songs and the background score. The script is deftly crafted by Rohan Bajaj, Hari Kumar K., Anwar Husain, Deepu Mathew (dialogues) on the basis of a story by Rohan Bajaj and Amin Surani. The film is produced by Sangeeth Sivan and Amin Surani under the banner Sangeeth Sivan Productions and Surani Pictures. The film is distributed by Carnival Pictures.
Rating: 2.5/5