‘Farhana’ movie review: Aishwarya Rajesh is the cornerstone of this intriguing drama on empowerment and freedom of choice

In Farhana, Nelson narrates the story of a Muslim woman from a conservative family who “allows” her to work because of their dire financial situation. When she learns of a different team within the call center that does the work she does that offers better incentives, she signs up for it, only to realize it is a value-added service that can be used carried out by sex-starved men in the hope of fulfilling their desires by talking to women. , Initially appalled by the idea, Farhana comes to terms with it, thanks to the positive effects of her salary on her family and finding a friend in a collar with whom she develops a strong bond. Like a bird out of its cage, Farhana soars high only to realize later that the branches she rests on are not trees that offer solace and may be some vicious trap. There is more than meets the eye and all hell breaks loose when Farhana bypasses her company’s protocol and tries to meet a stranger on call.

A still from ‘Farhana’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

macroscopically, Farhana Very simple and straightforward story. But it is the treatment and performances of its cherry-picked cast that makes the film worth placing on a high. Similar to the lines in AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’ track with which the film begins, Farhana Titanic is about the character taking control of her life and rising to the occasion. Poetic choice and returning to similar scenarios that produce different results without spoon-feeding are parallels. Farhana’s The greatest strength. There are clear hints such as the scene where Farhana looks longingly at working women carrying large handbags which she eventually gets for herself. And then, there are not-so-obvious ones like not having a phone for myself or not being allowed to take landline calls to my home, thanks only to a job that involves phone calls. The film is a storehouse of exposition that never feels superfluous. My favorite has to be a shot of Farhana, in a hurry to meet someone, looking at a watch with a tube of Moov ointment next to her.

Read also: Aishwarya Rajesh on ‘Farhana’ on the under-representation of Muslims in films and the changing landscape

The poetic touch reaches its peak when Farhana meets Dhayalan (Selvaraghavan) for real and their conversation, though quite mirthful after a while, makes the case for the need for a soul that is just us, our bullshit Vulnerability with and to be heard and share our secrets. These sequences, while being a bit excessive, help transform the play into a thriller that it becomes towards the end. What does not work in the film’s favor is the simple story dragged to the length of a film and becomes more visible after Dhalayan’s introduction. But Farhana Makes up for how well it stays true to the world. Despite showing the struggles of a woman from an orthodox family, the film deliberately never questions the religious aspects that turn into the expectations women are still forced to live by. In fact, Farhana, regardless of his position, supports the tenets of Islam. Throughout the film, we see him following the pillars of his faith such as Shahada (profession of faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (giving alms) and Sawam (fasting during the holy month of Ramadan). Farhana wears her identity on her sleeve like the veil she covers herself with.

Farhana’s The biggest pillar is Aishwarya, who as Farhana, in one of her best roles in recent times, shows resilience in her actions rather than words. Jeetan Ramesh as Karim, a progressive and caring husband who has his own insecurities, is a pleasant surprise, while Kitty, as Farhana’s father Aziz Bhai, scores as the patriarchal patriarch of the family; Afterwards Bombay, the veteran once again knocks it out of the park as a Muslim man who values ​​his faith as much as his family. Selva surprises us by being an extension of the characters in the films he directed in his earlier days. Behind the camera, it is Justin Prabhakaran’s background score and Nelson, Shankar Das and Manushyaputran’s dialogues that add flavor to the film. The film is laced with interesting lines, like one Nithya (Anumol) saying how the sex life of an average Indian man is mostly inside his head, Or the one where Karim, who runs a footwear shop, explains the difference between falling and touching someone’s feet inside and outside the shop.