‘Avihitham’ movie review: Senna Hegde’s indie rediscovery indicts prying eyes

The simplest of stories, even the seemingly unappealing ones, can turn into fairly engaging pieces of cinema once it gets into the right hands. In Avihitham, filmmaker Senna Hegde, who co-wrote the film with Ambareesh Kalathera, does not have an elaborate story to tell, but teases out several strands out of it to pull off something which keeps one engaged.

Avihitham revolves around the kind of rumour so common in village squares in the past and in online spaces these days. A jobless man on yet another pointless evening jaunt chances upon a secret meeting between two neighbours, only one of whose faces is visible. As idle minds are bound to do often, the man soon gets into action to identify the people involved in the apparent illicit affair and trap them.

At first glance, one wonders whether this story can be expanded beyond the limits of a short film, but Hegde has other ideas, tapping into his innate flair for creating characters with standout identities and for humorous conversations. The rumour that begins floating around, takes a life of its own. The film nor the characters of that small village lose focus from it, managing to pull us along on this journey that turns into an indictment of the prying and judgemental eyes and ears which are part of every community.

The surprise element in the movie partly hinges on the identity of the other person involved in the affair, but it is fairly predictable as to who it might not be. Yet, the success of the screenplay is in turning the gaze to the other side, of how the community around the couple reacts to it with an elaborate plan of action, complete with a blueprint akin to a military operation. The operation involves even a makeshift watchtower on top of the village water tank. The filmmaker at no point appears to have lofty goals, but at the same time is clear-sighted in using the resources at his disposal, be it the thread-bare story or the set of talented actors, to the optimum.

Hegde had turned ‘Made in Kanhangad’, a branding he made for his movies set in Kanhangad town, into a promise for funny and engaging narratives, with films like Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam and1744 White Alto. These films without any big stars found their audience just with the strength of the writing and the craft. However, he did not quite manage to hit the mark with his previous film Padmini, which incidentally was not made or set in Kanhangad. In Avihitham, which does not have any big star and is propelled by the strength of its narrative, Hegde returns to his roots and sort of rediscovers his ‘indie’ mojo.

Avihitham is currently running in cinemas