After its stunning box-office success, grossing over Rs 75 crore worldwide, Malayalam investigative thriller Rekhachithram has made its way to OTT and is streaming on SonyLIV. Directed by Jofin T. Chacko, this Asif Ali-starrer is a must-watch for those who missed it in the theatres and a chance for repeat viewing for those who loved it.
Rekhachithram revolves around a disgraced police officer, Vivek Gopinath (Asif Ali), who is investigating the suicide of businessman Rajendran (Siddique). Before taking his life, Rajendran live-streamed his confession about a murder from 1985, leading Vivek to a deserted forest where he finds a woman’s skeleton and an anklet. Vivek begins to dig up old missing persons’ records in the hope of identifying the victim.
While piecing together the events that might have led to the woman’s death, Vivek stumbles upon the victim’s possible identity — Rekha (Anaswara Rajan), a junior artiste who had featured in Bharathan’s 1985 film Kathodu Kathoram, starring Mammootty. As Vivek retraces Rekha’s steps into the film world, one gets to discover who she was and why her life was cut short. That makes Rekhachithram not just a mystery story about a hushed-up murder but also an account of a small-town young woman’s dreams of making it as an actress.
Asif Ali makes Vivek more than just a typical cop, with a character arc of redemption. Having been suspended after winning a jackpot in online rummy, Vivek is desperate to crack the case and restore his reputation, making his journey all the more compelling.
Similarly, Anaswara Rajan’s Rekha initially seems like an ordinary character but by the climax, she evolves into a powerful representation of small-town fandom. Her transformation highlights the obsessive passion for cinema that existed among the masses before the rise of social media.
Rekhachithram has already created a buzz for its use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in constructing a younger version of Malayalam star Mammootty. This gives the film a sense of authenticity when depicting scenes from the sets of Kathodu Kathoram. The younger Mammootty was not played by the actor himself (as speculated by some) but by stand-in actor Twinkle Surya, whose facial features were digitally replaced by that of a young Mammootty’s.
What added another layer of authenticity to Rekhachithram is casting the children of iconic actors as their parents’ younger selves. Shaheen Siddique plays the younger version of his father Siddique’s character, while Sreejith Ravi plays his father TG Ravi. Director Jenuse Mohamed also plays the younger version of his father, Kamal.
Appu Prabhakar’s cinematography captures the contrast between the warmth of the 1980s and the sharper tones of the present. The transitions between the two timelines are smooth, thanks to Shameer Muhammad’s editing. The film’s music, composed by Mujeeb Majeed, enhances the story’s poignancy without ever overwhelming it. And the use of the song Nee En Sargasoundaryame from Kathodu Kathoram lends a nostalgic touch.
