Kumari (2022 Film)

''Kumari'' is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language mythological fantasy film written and directed by Nirmal Sahadev, featuring Aishwarya Lekshmi in titular role. It also features Shine Tom Chacko and Surabhi Lakshmi in supporting roles. The film is produced by Giju John, Nirmal Sahadev, Sreejith Sarang and Jakes Bejoy under the banner The Fresh Lime Sodas. Abraham Joseph is the cinematographer of the film, while Jakes Bejoy has composed the songs. Kumari is co-produced by Aishwarya Lekshmi, Priyanka Joseph and Mridhula Pinapala

Plot

The movie starts with a grandmother narrating to her grandchild about a Goddess that had visited the earth and became fascinated by the beauty of planet, hence she did not return to her abode, and married a man and had two children named Chathan and Gari devan, who neither looked like Gods nor humans and possessed enormous powers. They fought amongst themselves destroying the planet forcing the Goddess to restrain Chathan to the mountains; Gari Devan under the land and return to her abode. Human beings then start worshipping them, knowing that they are very powerful and can be used for the betterment of mankind.

The movie then shifts to a village, where the conservative landlord Thuppan undervalues people from low-caste and was known to be very cruel. Chokkan was a young orphan, who unbeknownst to everyone often met Chathan and gave him food in exchange for gems. Thuppan's generous wife Nangakutty was fond of Chokkan and often conversed with him. One day, while Chokkan was conversing with Nangakutty, he forgets the mangoes that he fetched and Nangakutty, unbeknownst to anyone, eats the mangoes which was considered a sin as people of the forest where outcasts. Later, while Nangakutty was serving food to Thuppan, he notices the smell of mangoes coming from nangakutty and comes to the conclusion that she ate mangoes from the forest. The agitated Thuppan who was feeling impure, went to have a bath in the family pond to purify himself. Finding Chokkan having a bath at the bond, a furious Thuppan admonished him and eventually killed him using a rock. Angered, Chathan cursed the village causing a rain of rocks and deadly disease, with which Thuppan got infected. To get rid of the curse and protect his clan and people, Thuppan decided to invite Gari Devan.

After 12 generations, Kumari, an orphan raised by her uncles along with her brother Jayan married Dhruvan, a mentally ill person and Thuppan's descendant despite receiving opposition from Jayan, for her uncles. Kumari was attracted towards the forest by Chokkan but she is desisted by her co-sister Lakshmi, who disclosed that their family was not supposed to enter the forest, having earned the wrath of Chathan. She also revealed that Thuppan had sought the protection of Gari Devan against the curse imposed on the family by Chathan. Later, Kumari confronted Dhruvan when she witnessed his uncle Velyachan and brother mistreat him and he revealed that he was ignored in favor of his brother, causing him to be his own companion and people started to believe that he was mentally unwell. He also revealed that he killed his teacher for beating him mercilessly with a cane for watching a dance performance by skipping lessons. Kumari realized that what Dhruvan needed was love and affection and begins to care for him. Achyuthan engaged in an extra-marital affair with a woman named Parijatham, who provoked him to seek authority over the village.

Kumari, chasing Chokkan who fascinated her, entered the forest and happened to meet a woman called Muthamma who told Kumari that the latter was carrying a child, who would be in danger because of her loved one and asked her to come meet her across the river and she would take her to Chathan, who would protect the child. Kumari, horrified returned home and her pregnancy was confirmed. Kumari was stressed over the fact that Achyuthan and the family's women were not happy about her pregnancy. Dhruvan began to hold desires for power over the village as its lord while Kumari caught him cutting his two fingers to resemble Gari Devan. Achyuthan mocked him over it and a fight erupted between them but Velyachan intervened and declared that Dhruvan would be the next lord as he was delivering an heir. Lakshmi divulged that she
intentionally didn't bear children for a reason. Thuppan had sacrificed his own son to Gari Devan for appeasing him despite Nangakutty's protests which caused the latter to commit suicide. The sacrifice of Thuppan's son and Gari Devan's protection for the family only lasts for twelve years and it was Dhruvan's turn as the lord of the twelveth generation to sacrifice his child which is why the women were not happy over Kumari's pregnnacy. Terrified, Kumari expressed to Lakshmi that Dhruvan would never do such a thing but Lakshmi told her that the family's men would go to any extent to uphold their power and traditions. Kumari was also shown Thuppan, who had been alive for twelve generations rotting in the attic for his sins. Velyachan, having witnessed Lakshmi telling everything to Kumari killed her the next morning.

Devastated, Kumari crossed the river and visited the community that prayed Chathan and Muthamma took her to Chathan, who promised to protect Kumari's child. She was given a small thing to be buried in her house and few incantations to be read. Velyachan began to train Dhruvan for engaging in the next sacrifice while Parijatham instigated Achyuthan to visit Chathan and seek power but he got killed while Velyachan died of a snake bite. Dhruvan took his position as the lord while Chathan's curse began to haunt the village for the second time, repeating the history. After fire erupted in their house, Dhruvan was convinced that someone was conspiring against him and took Chathan's side and went into the forest along with his henchmen, killed his worshippers and was forced by his henchmen to return when Chathan's arrival was signalled by the nature. Realizing that Kumari consulted Chathan, Dhruvan confronted her and justified that it would be his responsibility to kill his child for the village. Kumari was confined to a room while Jayan visited her to take her away. He assaulted Dhruvan in fields for mistreating Kumari but the former murdered him leaving Kumari distraught. Kumari met Thuppan, who blamed himself for all the miseries and asked her to pray to the Goddess, worshipped by Nangakutty whom he ignored for approaching Gari Devan. Kumari followed what he said and found the idol of the Goddess along with a dagger that Kumari had always seen in her nightmares. Kumari eventually gave birth to a healthy boy and tried to escape with him but Dhruvan ambushed her and took the child for sacrifice. He invited Gari Devan to accept the sacrifice but Kumari intervened and fought against Dhruvan and Gari Devan with the dagger. Chathan arrived and fought against Gari Devan for two reasons: upholding his promise to Kumari and seeking revenge on his brother. Kumari killed Dhruvan reluctantly while Gari Devan was killed by Chathan.

After a few years, Kumari is now looking over the village as the landlady and it is her son who has been hearing the story since beginning from Velyachan's wife Savitri. Kumari's son finds Chokkan standing in the forest and tries to go to him.

Cast

*Aishwarya Lekshmi as Kumari
*Shine Tom Chacko as Dhruvan
*Swasika as Lakshmi
*Surabhi Lakshmi as Muthamma
* Spadikam George as Velyachan
* Tanvi Ram as Nangakutty Amma
* Rahul Madhav as Jayan Devan
* Shruthy Menon as Parijatham
* Shivajith Padmanabhan as Thuppan Thampuran
* Giju John as Achuthan
* Santhakumari as Kunjamma
* Shylaja Sreedharan Nair as Savithri

Release

The film hit the theaters in Kerala on October 28, 2022.

The film released on Netflix on November 18, 2022.

Reception

Cinema Express writes Kumari is Powered by a heavily folklore-influenced narrative that bears elements of a gothic horror story or a monster feature, Kumari is one of those films with all its departments well-balanced.
The New Indian Express writes the most impressive aspect of Kumari is its visual texture heavy with ominous foreboding.

A critic from ''The Hindu'' wrote that "Director Nirmal Sahadev, who debuted with Ranam, an action drama set in Detroit, has improved his game marginally, but a shallow script pulls ''Kumari'' down". A critic from '' onManorama'' said that "The plot, however, is stuck in a rulebook of the genre, if there is one. The characters' tension doesn't convey to the audience. The narrative flows in a rather predictable manner, leaving little moments of thrill and fear".

Music

The music was composed, programmed and arranged by Jakes Bejoy and one song composed by Manikandan Ayyappa.

References

External links

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2022 films
2020s Malayalam-language films
Indian direct-to-video films

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