After his rom-com 100 days of Love, writer-director Jenuse Mohammed comes up with a psychological science-fiction thriller '9' starring Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead role.
'9' marks the debut production venture of Prithviraj Productions. It also paves the way for the grand entry of Sony Pictures to the Malayalam industry.
'9', as the title suggests, revolves around a global scientific event spanning nine days, which would leave the Earth deprived of using electricity, and all power and communication facilities.
Albert Lewis (Prithviraj), a renowned astrophysicist is assigned a task, which requires him to travel to the foothills of the Himalayas. The bonding been Albert and his son Adam (Master Alok) is narrated against the backdrop of the catastrophe.
Director Januse deserves a big round applause for taking up a concept unfamiliar to Mollywood that mainly involves psychological, sci-fi and horror elements.
Normally, such themes are too risky to handle since they might be exposed to the unwritten laws of logic.
Actor Prithviraj, too, had never shied away from trying unusual genres in the past in films like Ezra, Tiyaan etc.
'9,' which also has a whole lot of supernatural elements, looks convincing and will keep you on the edge of your seats.
Prithviraj comes up with a solid performance as Albert. He anchors the film with his intense portrayal of the character and manages to maintain the tempo throughout the film.
Actress Wamiqa Gabbi proves her talent yet again as she portrays a completely different role from her debut movie Godha.
Master Alok of 'Clint' fame too has done a fine job. Prakash Raj, who appears as Prithvi's mentor Dr. Inayat Khan, is a perfect fit for the role.
Cinematographer Abhinandan Ramanujam's frames are visually stunning. Eye-soothing colour tones add to the mood of the film.
He has beautifully captured the scenic beauty of Manali and Spiti Valley. Though not devoid of minor flaws, the visual effects are quite convincing.
The music by Shaan Rahman is excellent and the background score by 'Da Thadiya' fame Shekar Menon is superb. It also plays a key part to enhance the horror element of the movie.
The 148-minute movie is a must watch in big screens. It is indeed a feather in the cap for Malayalam film industry.
