'Alif' creeps slowly under your skin and stays right there, refusing to let go. Deftly scripted, brilliantly acted and tautly directed, it is a riveting drama that leaves you all shaken. Tantalizing and troubling in equal measure, 'Alif' has plenty in store to draw and hold your eye.

 

'Alif' asserts what an astounding performer Lena truly is, and she breathes life into Fathima with such exactness that it's a pleasure to see her perform on screen. The film could also very well boast of some gripping performances from seasoned actors as Zeenath, Irshad and Nilambur Ayesha, as well as from the two young child artists who play Ali and Sainu. There is Nedumudi Venu in a convincing cameo, while Kalabhavan Mani is aptly cast as the good Samaritan neighbour. M J Radhakrishnan's splendid cinematography captures the very essence of the film, while Ramesh Narayan's striking musical score adds to its sobriety.

Cast: Lena, Kalabhavan Mani, Roy Mathew, Irshad, Narayanan Nair, Zeenath, Nilamboor Aysha

DVD Features:Dolby Digital 5.1,Anamorphic WideScreen,NTSC All Regions, English Subtitles

Director: MK Muhammed Koya

Producer: M S Biju

Production Co: A Square B Media

Music Director: Ramesh Narayanan

 

 

Ummakunju (Nilambur Ayesha), her daughter Aatta (Zeenath) and her granddaughter Fathima (Lena) lead a hands-to-mouth existence, after Fathima's husband Abu (Irshad) decides to abandon her. Fathima's kids Ali and Sainu are unable to understand why their father has left them in the lurch, and marooned in the middle of nowhere, remain aghast at the turn of events.

 

 'Alif' throws open a window towards a contemporary society, where religion rules. There is a challenge in it that is thrown right on our faces to reassess our spiritual selves, and the fact that the film does not thrive on salacious provocations makes it a momentous cinematic piece.