A poster of the film ‘Bougainvillea’. (X)
Bougainvillea (Malayalam)
16-10-2024,
Drama, Thriller,
2 hours 18 minutes
U/A
Theatre
- Main Cast: Kunchako Boban, Jyothirmayi, Fahadh Faasil, Sharafudheen, Srinda, and Veena Nandakumar
- Director:Amal Neerad
- Producer:Amal Neerad Productions, Udaya Pictures
- Music Director:Sushin Syam
- Cinematography:Anand C Chandran
Amal Neerad known for making stylish action films, with Bougainvillea, has delivered a psychological thriller featuring Kunchacko Boban, Jyothirmayi, Veena Nandakumar and Fahadh Faasil in the lead roles.
The title of the film and the look of Jyotirmayi in the promotional materials of the movie created a buzz among movie buffs.
Amid high expectations, it is safe to say that, Bouganvillea has made its mark with a solid plot and engaging twists and turns.
Synopsis
Reethu (Jyotirmayi) and Royce Thomas (Kunchako Boban) are a married couple living in a rented house in Idukki. Royce is a doctor while Reethu is diagnosed with amnesia after she and her husband met with an accident about eight years ago.
Royce works at a nearby hospital while Reethu spends her time in her house along with the house help Rema played by Srinda.
A still from the film ‘Bougainvillea’. (X)
The movie takes its time to establish the characteristics of Reethu and Royce. The first half an hour deals with Reethu’s hallucinations about her children, her mental condition and how her husband is taking care of her. In the first half itself, the director also introduces Biju (Sharafudheen) and Rema (Srinda), who work for the couple.
The plot thickens as a young girl from the town goes missing and the probe reaches Reethu and Royce’s house.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Koshy Mathew (Fahadh Faasil) is the investigator and the police suspect Reethu’s involvement in the missing case.
Can the police crack the case? What is the mystery behind the missing case? All these elements get answered in the second half which gives a thorough knowledge about the characteristics of the antagonist.
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Psychological thriller
Amal Neerad directorial ‘Bouganvillea’. (X)
Bougainvillea intensifies as the police investigation picks pace. The investigation also delves into the mental health condition of Reethu.
Meera (Veena Nandakumar) enters the scene as the criminologist who helps the police. Interestingly, female characters in the movie including Reethu, Rema and Meera have strong roles and aren’t those who are silent. Their parallel probe to understand the mystery behind the missing dots in the investigation forms a crucial part of this thriller.
The script by Lajo Jose based on his novel forms a solid base. The writer also gives a backdrop for the antagonist in the movie, linking his deeds in the present to his past. The psycho-thriller part has been executed well by Amal Neerad with convincing incidents.
However, while watching the movie one would wonder why Bougainvillea doesn’t dig deep into the past of Reethu. However, her thoughts, hallucinations and mental condition have been reasoned.
Highlights
‘Bougainvillea’ is a thriller. (X)
As mentioned previously, the story is the backbone of Bougainvillea, and the lead actors’ performances form the flesh and blood of the film.
Music and background score by sensational composer Sushin Syam has been a boon to the scenes that add mystery. After working with Amal Neerad in his previous films, Sushin is in sync with the director, elevating the mood of various incidents in the movie.
Anend C Chandran’s cinematography is another major highlight of the movie. The portrayal of Bougainvillea flowers, the visuals of the hilly district of Idukki, and the night scenes in the movie have come out well.
The movie also has good fight scenes, especially in the climax which also involves the woman actors is another major takeaway. Surely, this is not a usual Amal Neerad film with slow motion and action.
Performances
Srinda plays the role of Rema in ‘Bougainville’. (X)
Jyothirmayi as Reethu shoulders the movie. Her confusion, doubts, hallucinations and love towards her children and husband have been portrayed well by Jyothirmayi. The actress who is back in films after 11 years has given a power-packed performance in the movie.
Kunchacko Boban as Royce is definitely a remarkable character in the career of the actor. His transformation at a crucial time has been portrayed well by the seasoned actor who is now taking on challenging roles.
Fahadh Faasil as the police officer has an extended cameo role in the movie. His screen presence and star power have helped the movie.
Veena Nandakumar as Meera also plays an important role. The choice of the actress in such a role with some action scenes was a good decision by the makers of Bougainvillea.
Srinda and Sharafudheen as Rema and Biju had good roles. It’s good to see the actors accepting roles without looking at the screen space.
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Final take
Bougainvillea is a slow-paced psychological thriller which has been well-executed by Amal Neerad. Power-packed performances by the lead actors make the movie a watchable entertainer.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
