Rekha Chithram Review

 

Picture Courtesy: TV9 Malayalam News

Happy New Year!

It’s been exactly a year since I last wrote about movies consistently. Not because there weren’t films that moved me—2024 had plenty, with gems like, Bougainvillea, Ullozhukk, Meiyazhagan, Amar Singh Chamkila, Bhramayugam, Avesham, to name a few. But somehow, I just couldn’t bring myself to write. Let’s just say 2024 wasn’t a great year.

I don’t know if this year will be any different, but I’m trying to go with the flow—in writing and in life. Fingers crossed.

And what a movie to restart writing about than a mystery thriller around the magic of cinema! Rekha Chithram, my first theatre experience of 2025, is a captivating mystery thriller interwoven with the wonder of filmmaking. It beautifully demonstrates how modern technology can be used so effectively to make you fall in love with a yesteryear classic while delivering an intriguing new narrative.

Picture Courtesy: Nana on X

My memories of Kathodu Kaathoram (1985) are tied to childhood. I only have a faint memory of watching Mammootty and Saritha on TV with my Appa, just remembering being sad about the character Mammootty played. I still recall Appa mocking me as he sat in his regular cane armchair, asking, “Achooda, why are you sad?” I was too young to understand the deep meanings of that film then, which is probably why he asked. Even I didn’t remember why until I rewatched it years later on a weekend. The movie so brilliantly explored, at least for me, how loneliness manifests differently for different people, and Mammootty’s desperation to shield another child from his own pain was heartbreakingly relatable. In many ways, my own life has been shaped by similar emotions.

So, when I first heard about Rekha Chithram being connected to Kathodu Kaathoram, I assumed it would be a sequel. Naturally, I worried it might dilute the essence of the original. But Jofin T. Chacko, along with half of Malayalam cinema’s veterans, delivered a brilliant tribute to the classic in the most unexpected way.

While the mystery kept me engaged, it was Rekha, portrayed beautifully by Anaswara Rajan, who truly captivated me. Rekha is a girl with big dreams, an unwavering obsession with cinema, acting, and, of course, Mammootty. Her wide-eyed curiosity as she discovers the magic of motion pictures, and her sweetly persistent efforts to coax her father into buying a TV and VCR, felt so personal and relatable. The narrative compels you to root for Rekha, making it impossible to accept that someone with such childlike enthusiasm and unwavering dreams could simply fade into obscurity. CI Vivek, played by Asif Ali, follows her mystery with a similar conviction. His determination to uncover the truth and his refusal to accept her fate as final perfectly mirrored my own thoughts as a viewer.

Much like this review, where you wade through context and world-building to reach the heart of the critique, Rekha Chithram takes its time to build its world. For me, it was worth it, but I understand how some might find it slow—especially in an era of Instagram-reel attention spans. Still, I’d wholeheartedly recommend the film as a really good one-time watch.

Asif Ali is an underrated actor who has gotten very few chances to showcase his true potential. But when he does, he shines. Last year’s Kishkindha Kandam and Level Cross are just recent examples of his talent. I truly hope he continues to choose scripts that are deserving of his abilities, because he has so much more to offer. Anaswara playing a yesteryear-inspired character has become a trope off late, but at least here, I loved her performance. The supporting cast did a commendable job, especially the actors playing younger versions of Pushppam (Zarin Shihab), Jagadeesh, and Harishree Ashokan. That said, I wish Manoj K. Jayan and the older version of Pushppam had emulated their characters better—it was a slight letdown.

Ultimately, Rekha Chithram is a beautiful homage to Kathodu Kaathoram and, more broadly, to the timeless allure of cinema. Mammootty’s presence is felt throughout the film, and I can only hope this serves as a promise that his streak of selecting remarkable scripts from 2023—barring a few like Turbo—will continue this year as well. The climax, where his voice-over delivers the words, Rekha longed to hear all her life, moved me to tears.

Some dreams truly grow so big that even death cannot take them away.