Crime doesn’t come alongside a blaring background score, at least outside of reel life. Quite ironically there could even be a little of latent humour in treachery. In Swarna Kaduva, directed by Jose Thomas, there is no proverbial hero, but a game-player, who tilts the balance of good and evil to his benefit.
An involuntary act of crime catches on and draws its own bloodline, but not without adding elements of hilarity. The film starts with an understated crime scenario where the fuss around the act isn’t as amusing as the hype created by the double crosser in the game. The affluent jewellery owner Lolappan (Innocent) is the one trying to push the crime underneath the muddy carpet aided by his confidant Riny Mattummel (Biju Menon, the said double crosser). It’s a game of sheer wit pitched into the arena by a small-time swindler.
What begins as an exercise in swindling, quickly gains proportion; the cruder the scenarios get, the closer it gets to reality. There are countless digs at social and political instances, starting with the shutting down of bars to publicity-craving business magnates. A particular instance where jewellery owner Riny presents a cash award of Rs 3 lakh to a woman who’d hollered at certain political party enthusiasts drops more than a hint at the ravenous appetite of media-mongers.
An interesting characterisation has been maturely taken to stride by Biju Menon who asserts, once again, that he doesn’t intend to stick to the framed ideals of a hero. Back after a hiatus, Innocent plays his part well. Iniya, Poojitha Menon, and others look credible and give ample support to the story. However, the narrative bows out in front of mainstream cinema when it paints the picture a few shades darker in the second half only to quietly pull a cliched curtain over the drama.
Nevertheless, the tiger’s game of stealth makes for an intriguing show.
Film: Swarna Kaduva Director: Jose Thomas
Cast: Biju Menon, Innocent, Iniya, Poojitha Menon