HELEN: WHAT'S IN A NAME!

During the initial days of lockdown, PM was on a movie watching spree, viewing many regional films. I caught her contagious bug and decided to watch a regional film. Earlier I was apprehensive of watching films in languages I don’t understand but now that I am addicted to subtitles (I have them on for Hindi and English movies too!), I decided to pick one from her list of recommendations.

Sky’s cousin T is a big fan of the Malayalam film industry and had recommended a few films to watch which I unfortunately never did. I recall the first Malayalam movie I watched in 2001. It was on a bus. It was during a school trip and as I scanned the bus wondering whom to sit next to and pester into translating the film for me, my eyes rested on NS. I am not sure if NS enjoyed that bus ride having to sit next to me and translate each and every dialogue but I most definitely enjoyed the film.

I decided to watch Helen.

Helen is available on Amazon Prime. It is a 2019 release.  Its falls under the genres of Suspense and Drama. The film is directed by Mathukutty Xavier and stars Anna Ben, Lal Paul and Noble Babu Thomas.

Anna who plays the title character in the film, has won many awards for her performance and deservedly so.

The movie is based on true events which makes the film even more intriguing.  

PLOT: Helen is a nursing student. She lives with her father. With loans looming over their heads, Helen intends on moving to Canada with the hope of landing a high paying job there. On the sly, Helen is seeing a Muslim boy knowing fully well that her conservative father would not approve of the same. Helen also has a part time job at Chicken Hub, a KFCesque eatery in a mall where she works the late-night shift.

All you need to further know about the plot is this – “The movie follows the turn of events after Helen doesn’t return from work one night”. I’ve picked this line from the description on Prime. Please do not read up on the plot from reviews (you may read my review :D) before you watch this film.

I believe that the thrill in watching this movie also lies in attempting to figure out what trouble befalls Helen.

Review: Helen is a survival drama. If you enjoy watching movies that keep you on the edge of the seat, you must watch this one. Here is why I ask you not to delve too deep into the storyline before you watch this film- the suspense is two-fold. You know that something bad is going to happen to Helen and the first three-quarters of an hour has scenes that make your eyes grow big in apprehension, wondering whether that random catcall by the autorickshaw driver or being stopped by the police is what will form the crux of the story. And then unexpectedly, boom, when you least expect it, you realise why Helen will not be returning home that night.

I love the way this film has been shot and the way the actors are presented. It could be the story of the girl next door. There are no extravagant costumes, elaborate scenes, orchestrated background score nor the least bit attempt at making the lead character look like she stepped out of a magazine cover.  I am drawing comparisons with mainstream Bollywood cinema and while doing so, I know I am generalising, considering the massive shift we have seen in recent Hindi cinema. This film feels real, almost as if you’ve caught a glimpse into the life of Helen, who exists in real life. The film showcases not only Helen’s struggles to escape but also her father’s desperate attempts to look for her.

Helen (Anna Ben) is outstanding and to think this is only her second film.  Other noteworthy mentions are Lal who plays Helen’s father Paul, Aju Varghese who plays the Sub-Inspector and Rony David who plays the manager of Chicken Hub.

The movie ends with a heart-warming message on kindness.

When the end credits begin to roll, you realise that the opening shot with the ant was not randomly inserted.

Verdict: I can assure you the movie will not leave you cold.

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Image Source - IMDb