Director Joju promises much with this effective revenge tale

Just a few minutes into Paniwe see a ruthless murder executed in broad daylight, right in the heart of the buzzing Thrissur city. This gripping sequence sets us up not just for a raw, action-packed experience but also to take serious notice of Joju George, the debutant director. Throughout the film, there are many such moments signalling flashes of a promising filmmaker, like this sequence after a woman is subjected to some horrifying assault. The whole family is shattered and thirsty for vengeance, making it the perfect setting for a composer to amp up the pathos and subsequently, rage. But Joju, the writer-director, shows remarkable restraint by letting silence take over this all-important sequence. Instead of deafening music and arousing monologues on avenging, the emotions are conveyed through comforting glances and touches. The immediate focus is on the survivor and not on seeking revenge. Though assault is the key trigger factor in this revenge drama, the film encouragingly advocates that sexual assault needn’t be the end of the world.

Director: Joju George

Cast: Joju George, Sagar Surya, Junaiz VP, Abhinaya, Bobby Kurian, Sujith Shankar

So Joju plays Giri, a wealthy and influential builder with a history of crimes. Though not directly involved anymore, Giri’s close aides are still an active part of Thirssur’s crime world. How about two boys, probably in their late teens or early 20s, ruffling feathers with these powerful men? First accidentally, and then voluntarily. It might look like a David vs Goliath-like situation, but the boys here are a terrifying mix of brutality and fearlessness. Sagar Surya and Junaiz VP are brilliant as these boys, who have no particular reason to be such terrorising outlaws. Or at least, the film doesn’t resort to any backstory to justify their actions, which is also the beauty of it. It’s as if the film suggests—they are like this because they chose to be it. How these two nobodies manage to outsmart and—even—intimidate a whole army of gangsters and cops is what makes Pani interesting.