Geetha teacher (Beena R Chandran) in Thadavu (The sentence) was a revelation. You cannot love or hate her. Ironically, she is so rich with good-hearted friends around her. Dealing with every embarrassment she creates for herself and some accidental is their job. It’s not a big city, a small village where you see Hamza (PP Subramanian) dropping Geetha home on his bike and occasionally he joins her unwinding nights over booze. The women in Geetha’s close life premises also seem non-judgemental. This is something I felt very uncommon in a place like that in Kerala. Very endearing to watch. Thadavu actors are new to the medium but they never let you believe it.

Perhaps Geetha loves herself a lot or she never feels the need for humans around. Her closed face brightens only when she is in the company of kids. Even then court finds her younger daughter’s life is risky with her. Director Fazil Razak liberates Geetha from all conventional knots and watches her closely. Trapped in herself, her head is like a dense forest. Painkillers give temporary relief. The most impressive feature of Thadavu is Beena R Chandran’s acting. She is so naïve and flawed. Geetha is well crafted in the script with fewer words, meanwhile, a debutant Beena locks this character completely to herself. Not even once, did she break the bond with Geetha. Outstanding portrayal.

After knowing her declining physical condition, the audience might expect a change in Geetha. But she finds bizarrely practical ways to deal with the new devil. Geetha is unapologetic about her ways. Don’t dare to influence her with love and care even in distress. I cannot see many such references in Malayalam cinema. She is an original who barely accommodates others to her insides. She is well aware she lacks some faculties to survive in the world of adjustments and compromises. From self-confinement to another cell, her willful sentences continue.

I really liked Fazil’s debut directorial Thadavu for its minimalism and intriguing portrayal of an elusive woman. Very refreshing. Fazil Razak could be a promising filmmaker if he retains the momentum..