Iblis Review: A compelling Visual treat

We are familiar with Rohit VS worked with Asif Ali in ‘The Adventures of Omanakuttan’. Iblis, a fun oriented fantasy, despite its minor flaws, presents a new visual experience for the Malayalee Audience. In fact, all credit goes to the Cinematographer Akhil George who has undertook a herculean task of presenting extraordinary, yet ordinary in the sense that it becomes relatable in a level.

The story is centred around the life of Vyshan and Fida but one is fascinated by the whole world rather than the protagonists. In fact, non heroes have adorned convincing roles. Perhaps the utopia Iblis presents, its a facet, or a cupboard in our mind itself. The whole idea of the movie was to capture the insecurities and fears we tend to neglect in our doesn’t care for another life. Iblis, becomes a chronotrope, a place that is situated outside time and space. In literature, we have seen this in OV Vijayan’s, The Legends of Kshasak, where the land becomes an entity that is detached from the outside world. People have all sorts of weird customs and rituals, that doesn’t go well with the culture we are familiar with. Their life becomes a melange of unorthodoxy.

Fantasy and magical realist movies are often an unexplored genre in Malayalam movies. What makes Iblis great is the extra natural worlds we see in books such as Alice in Wonderland. In fact, the very subtitle of the movie, that ‘Reality is a Joke’ fits the ambience perfectly. We have seen Fantasy elements in Mayanadhi, Ee Mau Yu, but the depiction of an utopian other world is a bold experiment. Seeing the movie as an experimental one and not something box office oriented will make Iblis more appreciable. The 2 hour long movie has new elements even in something small as a frame. Asif Ali, Lal and Siddique stands apart due to their unique roles. The movie addresses primary philosophy questions like afterlife and the mortality of everything living.

The lag in the film is unforgivable, but can be excused by the fresh comedy. Perhaps this isn’t a movie for the average movie goer. I believe it is safe to say that, technicians and camera men have gained prominence rather than the actors : As a whole, the movie Iblis gives the idea that Don Vincent and Akhil George has done the major works, rather than analysing it in a traditional plot oriented basis.