'Kismath' movie review: A tale of 'love jihad'

Director Shanavas K Bavakutty's "Kismath" revolves around the life of 23-year-old Muslim boy Irfan and 28-year-old Dalit woman Anitha, who fell in love despite the opposition from their families. The couple arrives at a police station in Ponnani, Malappuram, seeking protection for them to live together. What happens that day at the police station forms the storyline of the realistic entertainer.

Actor Shane Nigam gets the audience applause for his natural performance as a stubborn youth, who has decided to marry his lady love even though she is older and belongs to a lower caste. After appearing in minor roles, Shane plays the lead character for the first time in "Kismath." It is commendable that he nailed the character of Irfan despite being a new comer with flawless dialogue delivery. Depiction of intense emotions has been handled with prowess, proving that comedian Abi's son has potential to reach heights in acting. Shruthy Menon at times immersed into her character Anitha, but few emotional sequences felt slightly dramatic. 

All the supporting cast, including Sunil Sukhada, Alencier Ley, Binoy Nambala, P Balachandran and Anil Nedumangad, essayed their respective roles with a realistic touch. However, it is Vinay Forrt who steals the show as a serious police officer taking a detour from his usual humour roles. 

"Kismath" not only narrates the struggles faced by a scheduled caste woman for being in a relationship with a rich Muslim boy, but also portrays the society's treatment towards the poor and migrant labourers. Though it is the love story, there are only few romantic scenes, yet it has given utmost care for honestly narrating the real-life incident. The climax of the movie makes us realise the realities many face due to the orthodox mentality of people in the society.

The background music and the songs, especially "Kisa Pathiyil" rendered by Sachin Balu, stand apart from other melodies composed by Sumesh Parameshwar, Shamej Sreedhar and Sushin Shyam. Cinematographer Suresh Rajan has well captured the beauty of Ponnani and the emotions of each actor complimented by B Ajithumar and Jithin Mandhar's crisp editing.

Verdict: "Kismath" is definitely a must-watch movie for its intense realistic approach. The bold step taken by the director to show the hypocritical attitude of many people who draw a line between love and religion deserves a thumbs up. Natural performances of the actors make "Kismath" engaging without any lag. The duration of movie itself is just 1 hour and 43 minutes, hence it has no unwanted scenes. This helps the movie to focus on its main theme without much side stories.

IBTimes Review: 3.5