Rekhachithram - Picture this

Rekhachithram

Malayalam - Drama / Crime 

147 mins
SonyLiv

As viewers of cinema, especially Malayalam and Tamil Cinema, we have become fairly tuned to Police procedurals.  Rekhachithram, is another notable addition to this genre.

Vivek Gopinath  (Asif Ali ) is a cop currently under suspension—for playing online rummy while on duty! As part of his punishment, he is transferred to Malakkapara, a remote posting. On the very day he arrives, a man,  Rajendran is found dead, leaving behind a video recording confessing to having buried the body of a young girl at the very spot where he eventually died by suicide. He also implicates others in the crime.

This sets off an investigation that unfolds over the first half, along familiar line. Who was the girl? How did she die? Did Rajendran and the others murder her? Despite the confession, Vivek and his team struggle to build a case due to a lack of admissible evidence.

Vivek stumbles upon a missing person case - Rekha (Anaswara Rajan), who he suspects could be the buried girl. Almost no one seems to remember her, apart from a few people who worked on the set of a 1985 Malayalam film, where she was present for just a single day! From here on, the writing skillfully blends nostalgia for that era of cinema with Rekha’s mysterious disappearance, elevating the film beyond a standard investigative drama.

Asif Ali has been on an impressive run in Malayalam cinema over the past 15 months. He appears much more at ease here compared to his emotionally intense role in  Kishkinda Kaandam. Anaswara Rajan is captivating, with a poignant performance. The production design is quite good, especially in recreating 1985.

A conventional investigative drama, Rekhachithram eventually stands on its own,  due to its thematic setting, well-woven backstories, and evoking the sense of nostalgia.