Another testament to the rarified air that Malayalam cinema finds itself in these days is the way that some unassuming looking movies have the tendency to stake a deep claim on your heart. Saudi Vellakka firmly falls into that category, a remarkable slice-of-life film that starts out reasonably well enough but which, as the narrative progresses, has us firmly hooked in its claws by the simple story it tells.

The story opens in recent times, where the family of a certain Abhilash Sasidharan (Lukman Avaran) receive a summons asking him to show up in court for a hearing. Abhilash, stuck in Bangalore and hoping to make it out to foreign shores soon, is in no way amenable to trooping the corridors of the court for a case which he hardly even remembers. The narrative flits back in time to 2005, when Abhilash was a kid, and introduces us to the family of the grumpy old woman Ayisha Rawther (Devi Varma). Perpetually crabby and quick to anger on the surface, she lives with her son Sathar (Sujith Shankar) and daughter-in-law Naseema (Dhanya Ananya). One day, in a fit of pique at being hit by a ball from the play of the neighbours’ kids, she heads up to the terrace and strikes one of the kids, the young Abhilash, causing him bodily harm. Egged on by her fractious brother against her, the kid’s family file a police complaint against her, and the ordeal begins for the repentant woman, as well as for Abhilash. What follows is a trek through the years in the dusty corridors of the snail-paced Indian judiciary system, as lives and people change around them. Soon, the complainant doesn’t really want to punish an old lady nor undergo the trial, but once the wheels are set in motion, they must, however slowly, move ahead. As the years go by and witnesses die or move away, Ayisha continues her traipse to and fro the courts, holding on as only she can. Everything plays out amidst a colourful locality in Kochi called Saudi, with ample space given for various characters and their idiosyncrasies to blossom on screen.

The story is simple and perhaps, on paper, sounds dreary. But this is a brilliant evocation of community, family and the justice system that doesn’t shy away from emotional histrionics either. The portraits it paints of the various players in the drama are remarkably believable. The angry Ayisha, who is forced to mellow down as life’s curveballs keep coming at her out of a simple moment of misdirected aggression. The ‘victim’, whether of Ayisha or of the courts, Abhilash is just another young man from the lower middle-class stratum of society he represents who wants to be free of the complications of a case which he is himself not sure of anymore. Naseema is another woman whose outward behaviour to her husband and his mother may appear to be unsympathetic, but who is obviously reacting to the litany of bad luck life has thrown her way from the off. Sathar’s friend, Britto (Binu Pappu), who reminds us of one of those people found in many villages; always ready to take up the cause come day or night for his people, beautifully played by the actor. Perhaps Sathar himself is the most heartbreaking character of all, a man who wants to be a good son and husband but who just hasn’t figured out life or adulting in full. His ultimate fate is left ambiguous, not as a gimmick, but as a reflection of life. Sometimes, there are no answers. Eventually, what stays with us is the world-wearily determined face of Ayisha as she awaits her prolonged fate. Devi Varma commands the screen with her presence, initially loudly and then with quiet fortitude, in a refreshingly original performance. The casting process for the leading lady appears to be a worthwhile story on its own, with the director initially zooming in on theatre artist Gracy John, who hails from the Saudi area, and who was expected to make her movie debut with the film. Unfortunately, the onset of COVID meant she passed away before fulfilling her dream, and a chance encounter with the photo of Devi Varma, resulted in the director casting this first-time actor and Tripunithura native in the film. The dubbing has been beautifully done by veteran Pauly Valsan. It is a testament to Tharun Moorthy’s indelible vision for his film that he stuck to his guns on his instincts for casting the important roles.

The director’s earlier film, Operation Java, also starring Lukman and Binu Pappu among others, was another film which I approached with no expectations and was left pleasantly surprised by how good it was. This work is even more accomplished, and it is one I would suggest all the numerous new lovers of Malayalam cinema to move to the top of their watchlists.