Iratta

''Iratta'' () is a 2023 Malayalam-language crime thriller film written and directed by Rohit M. G. Krishnan featuring Joju George in dual roles, Anjali, Arya Salim and Srikant Murali. The film revolves around the death of a policeman during his duty hours in Vagamon police station and the investigation that follows by his estranged twin brother.

Plot

The film begins with the murder of 52-year-old ASI Vinod Kumar, the twin brother of DYSP Pramod. There are three suspects in the murder: ASI John, CPO Bineesh, and SCPO Sandeep. All three police officers worked with Vinod in the Vagamon police station and have animosity towards Vinod, due to different incidents. It is revealed through the incidents, narrated by the trio individually, that Vinod was a drunkard and womaniser. Bineesh narrates his incident where he caught Vinod coming out of a lodge room after raping a 17-year-old girl in an inebriated state.

Pramod is a recovered alcoholic, who is now sober but is separated from his wife, Sreeja, and daughter. Unable to withstand his drunkard behaviour, Sreeja moved away from him to Mumbai with their newborn daughter. Pramod recalls his and Vinod's childhood. The two brothers grew up in the same household with an abusive and absent father, who also was incidentally a police constable. One day, their parents have a violent fight, owing to their father's infidelity. This causes their parents' separation. Pramod stays with their mother, while Vinod is forcibly taken away by their father. This fuels Vinod's resentment towards Pramod and their mother, as he feels betrayed and left alone to face their father's abuse. One day, few people hack their father to death, after he tried to sleep with an underaged girl and molest her. Years later, both the twins become policemen, but take different paths. Pramod starts as a Sub-Inspector and eventually becomes a respected and honest Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP), while Vinod started as a constable and becomes a violent and street-smart Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI).

At present, DYSP Satheesh, who has close ties with Vinod, leads the investigation. He also doubts Pramod, as he is aware of the duo's past and hatred towards each other. This is further fueled by the statement of Vinod's lover, Malini, who recently came into his life and changed him for the better. Hence, Pramod is kept away from the investigation initially, but he requests to take over the case. He quickly proceeds with the investigation, and it turns out that all the three suspects have legitimate alibis. He then finds camera footage from a media personnel recording, in which he sees two children playing cricket with their dog in the nearby field. Upon contacting them, it is revealed that Vinod actually committed suicide by shooting 3 times on his chest and one of them witnessed it while picking up their cricket ball.

Puzzled and shocked by the new discovery, Pramod starts to look into the motive for Vinod's suicide, especially since it seemed as though he was very happy after Malini had come into his life. At this point, a few constables receive the footage of the music reality show that Vinod was watching just before he committed suicide. Pramod sees Sreeja in the audience and realises that his now grown-up daughter Swetha is one of the participants. Pramod suspects the worst and confirms the identity of the minor girl raped by Vinod in the lodge with the reality show footage. Pramod infers that Vinod realised that he raped his own niece and, unable to bear the guilt, committed suicide.

The film ends with Sreeja trying to reconnect with Pramod, after hearing of Vinod's death. However, he strictly instructs her not to tell Swetha about him or ever show her his face, as she has unknowingly "seen" her father's face on that unfortunate night at the lodge. Pramod, unknowingly, has to now atone for the mistakes and sins of both Vinod, their father and also his mistakes done to Sreeja.

Cast

Release and reception

The film released in theatres in Kerala on 3 February 2023. It had its theatrical release outside Kerala on 17 February 2023, and had its digital premiere on Netflix on 3 March 2023.

The film received positive reviews. S. R. Praveen of ''The Hindu'' opined that "Joju George's double act and a gut-wrenching climax" redeems the otherwise "average police procedural." A reviewer from ''Malayala Manorama'' noted that the film is an "emotional, suspense-filled thriller," and "yet another excellent cinema in Malayalam." Rating the film 4/5, a reviewer from ''The Times of India'' wrote, "''Iratta'' is a movie that draws you in, steals your breath and leaves you with pain." ''Telangana Today'' praised Joju George's ability to bring out the different exposure and exhibition of the two characters. Saketh Reddy Eleti of ABP Desam rates this Movie 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Iratta is an Excellent thriller with a Disturbing Twist." And Praised Joju Georges performance as Pramod and Vinod.

References

External links

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2023 films
2020s Malayalam-language films
2020s police procedural films
2023 directorial debut films
2023 crime thriller films
Films scored by Jakes Bejoy
Twins in Indian films
Indian police films
Fictional portrayals of the Kerala Police
Films shot in Idukki
Films shot in Mumbai
Indian nonlinear narrative films