Malayalam movie review: ‘Celluloid’ is Prithviraj’s finest yet

Blatantly ignored by history, an artist finds the most befitting acknowledgement in director Kamal’s poignant biopic ‘Celluloid’, as he painstakingly pieces together JC Daniel’s imposing contributions to Malayalam cinema.

Based on a novel by Vinu Abraham’s ‘Nashta Naayika’ and Chelengatt Gopalakrishanan’s biography, ‘Celluloid’ is an honest attempt to give an artist, who led his life in obscurity, his rightful due.

‘Celluloid’ journeys back in time to learn how JC Daniel, despite investing his life and savings in creating Malayalam cinema’s first-ever motion picture, was overlooked purely because of his inability to colour his lenses with social prejudices that were prevalent in the 1920s.

Titled ‘Vigathakumaran’ (The Lost Child), we find Daniel setting out to make a silent movie that was unlike the mythological movies popular in those times.

Inspired by the legendary Charlie Chaplin, whose movie played out in the lone, rickety movie shack Capitol Theatre in his town, he decides to make a social drama.

Equipped with a brand new camera, his motley bunch of loyal supporters and actors, a production house titled ‘Travancore National Pictures’ and an encouraging wife, Daniel works hard at creating history.

Kamal’s tribute is as much about Daniel’s contributions as it is about Rosy, who is, in fact, Malayalam cinema’s first-ever heroine.

He emphatically captures her struggles and insecurities as she sheds her lower-caste roots to play an upper-caste for Daniel’s movie.

Suresh Kollam's art direction and cinematographer Venu textures the movie in striking frames that vividly captures the essence of Travancore in the 1920s.

M Jayachandran’s tunes portray an era when music wasn’t about the beats but about its intention.

Kamal’s genius lies in his ability to interweave Daniel’s gloomy struggles with humour. His efforts at finding an actress, at a time when acting wasn’t regarded a noble profession for elitist women, is captured as both hilarious and hard-hitting.

Prithviraj lends Daniel incredible passion, playing out his vigour, child-like fantasy and pained rejection with aplomb.

The most notable is how he travels to Mumbai to meet the pioneer in Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke with the hopes of learning a lesson or two in movie-making. Hard-pressed for time, Phalke allows him a sneak peek into his film-shoot instead, leaving him with a lasting impression.

“It’s only when you see a thousand dreams, that a few are realised,” beams a sprightly Daniel on his return home.

Prithviraj makes an exceptional transformation from the young ambitious Daniel to an exhausted aged man. And, he’s got Pattanam Rasheed's make-up to credit for part of the job.

Mamta Mohandas matches up with an equally impressive act as Daniel’s loyal partner. She pitches it perfectly.

Veteran actor Sreenivasan as the inquisitive reporter who discovers Daniel and works towards winning him his rightful position in history is top-notch.

But, it’s Chandini who depicts the upheavals of the down-trodden actress PK Rosy that’s the most heartbreaking. It’s delightful to watch her innocently dream big and wish the society wouldn’t play spoilsport in her life.

Kamal’s created a riveting masterpiece that we must unquestionably endorse.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.