Be it North 24 Katham or Sapthamashree Thaskara, Anil Radhakrishnan Menon's earlier directorial outings were noted for their strange titles and intriguing plot. And the case is the same about his third flick too, though partially. While the title, Lord Livingstone 7000 Kandi does its part well by evoking a curiosity which draws crowds to theatres, the plot doesn't offer much despite its freshness.
Ecological narratives or green narratives have been a global trend in art and literature for quiet sometime now. A plethora of narratives that foreground environmental and or ecological concerns were written across languages as it was necessitated by the exploiting nature of the capitalist order. While the trend was largely reflected in Malayalam literature in various forms, it remained a less explored area for the popular cinema in the language. Lord Livingstone 7000 Kandi, in that sense is an appreciable attempt. Though from a peripheral point of view, the film tries to address issues such as destruction of nature and elimination of indigenous cultures by profit craving corporate forces.
The film has most of that a popular flick demands — an interesting theme, characters and spectacular visuals. Yet the plot, which lacks conflicts and compelling sequences that should have been a must for the film provided the sort of the storyline, backlashes.
The thread of Lord Livingstone 7000 Kandi is as simple as the 1.48-minute trailer tells you. Philipose Varghese, a survivalist (Kunchacko Boban) wants to save a 500-year old tribal village and its people from being erased from the earth. Failing with all the known and formal ways, he seeks help from a group of people who don't know each other. Thus they set off on a journey through the lush green and thick forest, in the depth of which awaits them the village which has been beautifully, and in detail, set.
Now they have to chalk out a plan to save the precious piece of land and a people who were forced to inhabit it centuries ago following the tyrannies of a war. The diverse professional background of the crew makes it a team — there is a wise-oldman-like retired bureaucrat, a zoology professor, an annoying yet likeable young scientist, a woman gun tester, a street magician and an adventure junkie. And all of them have their part to perform (Remember the 7 wise thieves of Sapthamashree Thaskara). The what and how of the plan and its results be on the screen.
The script doesn't offer much for the characters to outdo one another. Still, Nedumudi Venu's energetic Menon, Chemban Vinod's professor who has an obsession for animal excreta, and Gregory's chemical analyser at times offer moments to chuckle. Sudheer Karamana plays the tribesman Malavedan in a convincing manner.
The film is spectacular in many ways. Jayesh Nair's camera coupled with VFX offers the lushness, greenery, depth, darkness and wilderness of forests in abundance. Jyothish Shankar, the art director deserves applause for visualising the fictitious three-storey village.
Rex Vijayan's compositions remain shadows of the alternative-native rock pieces for which he is noted. However, the song Kunnimani and a lullaby are a treat.
Lord Livingstone 7000 Kandi in by and large is a one-time watch for those who have a mind to appreciate attempts for a big game on screen despite being in a small industry.
Rating: 2.25/5