Nna, Thaan Case Kodu movie review: Sparkling political satire, one of contemporary Indian cinema’s best

Language: Malayalam with some Tamil  

When Rajivan, a reformed thief in Nna, Thaan Case Kodu, wants to sue a minister in Kerala, a judge tells him Cabinet approval is needed to admit a case against a Minister in court. “Was the approval of thieves taken to file a case against me?” Rajivan shoots back.

The sharpness and underplayed hilarity of that exchange defines Nna, Thaan Case Kodu (Then Sue Me), a biting political satire about a former petty criminal taking on a mighty netav. It is written and directed by Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval whose _Android Kunjappan Version 5.25_ risked scrutinising a difficult father-son relationship in a society that pedestalises parents. In Nna, Thaan Case Kodu, Poduval sticks his neck out again, this time to spotlight systemic support for government corruption.

When Rajivan ( Kunchacko Boban) is accused of breaking into a private home, his explanation for why he entered the compound sounds so innocent and far-fetched that no one believes him. Rajivan conducts a probe and traces his problem to a pothole on the road in front of that house. He is convinced Minister K.P. Preman is responsible for the terrible condition of that road, but soon learns that while his reputation is held against him, the Minister’s pathetic track record does the man no harm. Frustrated and driven into a corner, he legally challenges the Minister.

More from Entertainment

'Send Help' Movie Review: Sam Raimi is back with a genre-bending survival thriller that presents a brand new Rachel McAdams Sameen Wankhede vs Netflix's 'Ba**ds of Bollywood': Delhi High Courst dismisses defamation suit against Aryan Khan show

The public, government and media response to this David vs Goliath clash, the functioning of the courtroom in which Rajivan’s matter is heard and the effect on his personal life are all portrayed in a film that never lets up on its comedic tone even while dealing with grave issues, yet never trivialises those issues in the interests of comedy. It takes a supremely intelligent mind to achieve that perfect balance, and Poduval is the person for the job.

The brilliance of his film lies in its assiduously crafted blend of a macro political view and intricate socio-cultural detailing. Nna, Thaan Case Kodu is as much about Rajivan’s crusade as it is a portrait of Cheemeni, a town in Kasaragod district with its own distinctive peculiarities accompanying characteristics that mirror India at large. Visuals of Che Guevara, protest marches and the ubiquitous red flag tell us we are in Communist Kerala. The lingo employed by the characters and their accents are specific to the part of the state in which the story is situated. But that white towel permanently covering the magistrate’s chair, images of Gandhi and those pigeons that care little for the sanctity of the courtroom could belong anywhere in India.

In this vibrant setting, Poduval rolls out a parade of memorable supporting characters, each more entertaining than the other. An MLA’s wife comes across as a borderline caricature, but even she, like the rest, is stomach-ache-inducingly funny.

Nna, Thaan Case Kodu is a fit candidate for a Best Ensemble Cast Award. Gayathrie Shankar who plays Rajivan’s lover embodies formidable strength. P.P. Kunhikrishnan delicately fuses the magistrate’s apparent bemused detachment with an underlying, understated resolve that makes way for an explosion of sternness in rare moments.

Rajesh Madhavan as an autorickshaw driver, Chitra Nair as a teacher romantically involved with him and Sibi Thomas as another witness in Rajivan’s case could make even an iceberg melt into giggles. Their impeccably calibrated expressions ensure that some of the film’s most side-splitting scenes never cross the line from fun to farce.

The actors playing lawyers look very much at home in court because they are – Shukkur and Gangadharan are lawyers in real life. Even those appearing for just seconds in Nna, Thaan Case Kodu have been scrupulously selected, such as the old ladies preparing for a pilgrimage.

Kunchacko Boban glides with chameleon-esque comfort through a spectrum of emotions and moods as Rajivan. One grouse: the browning of an actor in a colour-prejudiced society like ours is never okay because it serves as an unwitting reminder of the sad truth that, exceptions notwithstanding, an artiste of the character’s actual skin colour has a lower chance of becoming a star in India than one who is fair-complexioned.

That apart, Kunchacko’s decisive choices in the past decade merit the same attention that the media has been devoting to his colleague Fahadh Faasil. In 2022 itself, Kunchacko has been seen in a formidable range of roles in films as different as _Pada_, _Ariyippu_ (premiered at the Locarno Film Festival this month, yet to be released in theatres) and now this laughathon. Within the span of Nna, Thaan Case Kodu, he swings from being serious and earnest to being a regular guy in the throes of a catchy musical number to an innocent country bumpkin to a determined citizen, without seeming to strain a muscle. To see his bewildered reflex reaction to a lawyer’s loud English admonition is to witness a master of his game.

These performances would not have been possible without the editing by Manoj Kannoth whose understanding of comic timing is crucial to this enterprise.

The storytelling is vastly enhanced by the film’s technical finesse. Poduval is also Nna, Thaan Case Kodu’s production designer, and clearly knows his way around an Indian courtroom. Rakesh Haridas’ thoughtful camera sometimes switches perspectives in that court. While it primarily watches the goings-on from our point of view, on some occasions it appears to gaze at the room through … is it the magistrate’s eyes or – call me fanciful – the Mahatma’s?

In terms of the representation of the judiciary, Nna, Thaan Case Kodu’s observational skills are reminiscent of Chaitanya Tamhane’s work in the globally acclaimed Court (2015 / Marathi). I don’t know if my favourite part of this film is the acting or the amusing albeit low-key music (Dawn Vincent) and sound design (Sreejith Sreenivasan), the manner in which Jerry Amaldev’s classic song Aayiram kannumayi (With a thousand longing eyes) is woven into the narrative – giving me a stitch in my side and a lump in my throat (yes, both) – or the names of the MLA’s dogs, the undisguised criticism of the government or clever swipes at religionists. Nna, Thaan Case Kodu even manages to avoid being crude while educating those who don’t know the polite Malayalam word for buttocks.

I briefly wondered whether the film was playing it safe in what felt like a positive portrayal of the Chief Minister, but the decision to make the CM a woman ( Unnimaya Prasad) gives the depiction a totally different spin. Nna, Thaan Case Kodu does, however, slip up in its cursory mention of a significant character from Mizoram. That cursoriness is self-contradictory in a film that is positioned as a spotlight on the nameless, faceless poor pitted against those in power.

Nna, Thaan Case Kodu’s overriding quality is its incisive political commentary conveyed with a light touch, among other ways by recording the passage of time through the skyrocketing price of petrol in India. It’s a device that is worth a thousand editorials.

In north India where I live, liberal cinephiles can often be heard lamenting the spinelessness that a majority of Hindi filmmakers have displayed in the face of the ongoing repression of free speech in the country. In such a scenario and for such viewers, Malayalam films – from the excellent _The Great Indian Kitchen_ to even the clunky _Jana Gana Mana_ – have served as an antidote to despair. Nna, Thaan Case Kodu is an example of what cinema can yield when made with a ramrod straight spine. It is one of the finest, funnest, funniest contemporary political satires to emerge from India.

Rating: 4 (out of 5 stars) 

This review was first published when Nna, Thaan Case Kodu was released in theatres in August 2022. The film is now streaming on Disney+Hotstar. 

Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic. She specialises in the intersection of cinema with feminist and other socio-political concerns. Twitter: @annavetticad, Instagram: @annammvetticad, Facebook: AnnaMMVetticadOfficial

Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News,  India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.