‘Oru Kuprasidha Payyan’ is undermined by quite a few problems and critically lacks the intrigue that could have made a difference. Its overwhelming generic obviousness makes it a slow sinking ship that tugs down along with it a few genuine, terrific performances as well.
Madhupal’s ‘Oru Kuprasidha Payyan’ is a far cry from his former directorial ventures, and is one of his lesser attempts that seriously lacks the compactness and gravity that had made ‘Thalappavu’ and ‘Ozhimuri’ the kind of winners that they were. It’s a flat, unconvincing court room drama that hardly catches fire, and there are more than a few reasons as to why ‘Oru Kuprasidha Payyan’ strikes you as a perfunctory attempt.
Ajayan (Tovino Thomas) has remained pretty much alone all his life, and makes do with helping around at a modest restaurant. When Chembakammal (Saranya), the idli supplier to the restaurant is hacked to death, Ajayan is arrested by the Crime Branch officers despite his insistence that he is guiltless. His loud pleas for mercy are lost on the officers, and Ajayan finds himself in the jail, with very little hope of walking out of the prison ever again.
‘Oru Kuprasidha Payyan’ that runs for one hundred and forty four minutes has an excruciatingly long former half that rambles on forever. It builds on a lack of identity and belongingness that Ajayan harbours within, and wedges in characters as Jalaja (Anu Sithara), his co-worker, who does not hide her adoration for him.
The investigation that follows the murder does not head anywhere, and it takes a while for the Crime Branch officer (Sujith Shankar) to take charge. There is hardly anything that challenges the viewer’s imagination here, and you uncomplainingly wait for the investigating team to turn towards Ajayan, which they finally do after an extended wait.
The latter half does have its occasional moments of exhilaration, especially after a timid, unsure junior lawyer Hannah Elizabeth (Nimisha Sajayan) is asked by the court to appear on behalf of the accused. The prosecutor is none less than a veteran, and as advocate Santhosh Narayanan (Nedumudi Venu) strides in, the scene is set for an electric battle of wits.
What makes it special is the hesitance and fear of failure that Hannah nurtures within, and ‘Oru Kuprasidha Payyan’ surprisingly evolves into a story that is more about her and less about the convict that she fights for in the court. She does have her share of glory in at least a couple of scenes that stand out from the load of predictabilities that have piled all around.
Ajayan totally retraces to the background, and as if in recognition of this, is offered a couple of chances to leave a mark, which serve more as a backfire. The customary skirmish with inmates in the jail is one such, where Ajayan gives it all that he can, almost as if knowing fully well, that for the rest of the hour, he would have to languish in the courtroom box for the accused as Hannah fiercely takes over.
‘Oru Kuprasidha Payyan’ would probably be noted for the exceptional performance that Nimisha Sajayan comes up with, easily sidelining everyone else in the film. Tovino brings about the insecurity and diffidence that characterises Ajayan with aplomb, while there are also sturdy performances from Saranya and Nedumudi Venu.
‘Oru Kuprasidha Payyan’ is undermined by quite a few problems and critically lacks the intrigue that could have made a difference. Its overwhelming generic obviousness makes it a slow sinking ship that tugs down along with it a few genuine, terrific performances as well.
Verdict: Average