'Meesha' movie review: Kathir, Hakkim Shah enliven characters in intriguing drama

The moustache has often been seen as a symbol of male pride and ego in many regions around the world. Emcy Joseph's latest Malayalam film 'Meesha' translated as moustache, deals with the complexities of this male ego, a fragile and dangerous space that has been explored in several films before.

Emcy, known for his critically-acclaimed film 'Vikrathi', however, does not make Meesha a celebration of the male ego or pack it as a film, where the characters get an excuse to vent out their frustrations by indulging largely in violent clashes or over-the-top action. Instead, the director takes a more layered route, trying to explore the delicate and complicated male ego, prodding on friendships with subtle strokes.

Ananthu (Hakim Shahjahan) and Mithun (Kathir) are thick friends, despite being divided by caste and circumstances. Sudhi Koppa's character too is an integral part of their friendship. Ananthu has ties with the party and its regional branch secretary Raghu (Jeo Baby). Their life takes a turn when a company plans to take over a colony settlement in exchange for good jobs and houses. This conflict forms the rest of the story, with the narrative is mostly centred on whether the friendship between the three men will survive or not.

Despite the compelling characters written for the screen and the interesting premise, Emcy's 'Meesha' flounders in places due to the lack of clarity in the narrative towards the second half. Most of the second half unfolds within the forest ranges as the friends reunite at a guest house after many years.

The director packs in some gripping scenes involving a forest hunt and the introduction of Shine Tom Chacko's character, but despite the intensity, the audience is left to wonder how to connect the dots. The visual effects in 'Meesha' during the scenes in the forest also need more fine-tuning, but this is understandable, given the limitations involved.

The performances of 'Pariyerum Perumal' actor Kathir is raw and passionate and his dialogue delivery in Malayalam is exceptional. He brings life to the character Mithun, who cries out for better writing. Sudhi Koppa too shines in his role, playing a person lost between his true self and who he aspires to be.

But it is truly Hakkim, who proves himself to be as good an actor as in films like Pranaya Vilasam. He navigates deftly through the complexities of Anandhu. Music by Sooraj S Kurup lends a soothing experience. The film's absorbing premises and compelling characters, along with a gripping style of storytelling, keep you engrossed, though the narrative falls flat at times.