'Azadi' review: Sreenath Bhasi stars in an engaging prison break film with strong performances

‘Azadi’, Sreenath Bhasi’s latest film, is not a political thriller as the title might suggest. Instead, the movie — directed by newcomer Jo George — belongs to the prison film genre. It centres on a pregnant prisoner who is admitted to Kottayam Medical College.

In recent years, apart from Tinu Pappachan’s intense 'Swathanthrayam Ardharathriyil', very few Malayalam films have explored the prison break sub-genre. In contrast, Bollywood has been churning out titles like 'Jigra' and 'Savi'.

'Azadi' takes a different approach to the prison escape narrative. Unlike 'Swathanthrayam Ardharathriyil', which focused on a group of inmates planning an escape, this film is mostly set inside Kottayam Medical College and revolves around the people behind a carefully crafted breakout plan, just like the thriller 'Money Heist.' The makers cleverly use characters to confuse and convince the audience. The cat-and-mouse chase between the police and the inmates keeps viewers engaged, though some plot points by writer Sagar feel a bit too convenient. Sagar who had directed and scripted the Dhyan Sreenivasan medical thriller 'Veekam' has bettered his craft as a screenplay writer in 'Azadi' as he weaves in some cleverly written situations in the movie.

The film does not delve too deeply into the emotional backstory of Prisoner 116, played by Raveena Ravi. However, the makers have their reasons, revealed only towards the end, where the real suspense lies.

Sreenath Bhasi, who impressed in 'Home' and 'Manjummel Boys', delivers another solid performance as Raghu, the prisoner’s husband. Lal as Shivan, Raveena Ravi, and Abin Bino also turn in commendable performances.

Vani Viswanath, who returned recently with 'Rifle Club', convincingly reprises her role as a police officer. Interestingly, 'Azadi' was originally intended to mark her comeback.
The music and background score by Varun Unni effectively build tension in key scenes. Despite being his directorial debut, Jo George manages to deliver a well-balanced and engaging film.