2023 INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF LOS ANGELES REVIEW!
In a mostly-male stage production, the sole woman, Anjali (Zarin Shihab), is outshining the ensemble. When the team goes out to party one night, Anjali expresses the following day that one of the cast members groped her during the party while she slept. Aattam is the story of the group of men trying to deliberate, trying to come to terms with what has happened and how to respond appropriately.
Most of the film is focused on the group of men talking about what could be done in order to rectify the issue at hand, often focusing on just them and not Anjali. During their conversations, Writer-Director Anand Ekarshi makes a bold choice. That choice is to not include a score. The lack of score through the majority of the deliberation is perfect, the best possible decision for the film–as it allows viewers to hone in on the emotion present in each of the characters, and not the room as a whole. Each of these characters, while representing a group, are individuals, and it’s important that viewers see them as such. Avoiding a score in these moments allows each character to shine individually, making it clear their role in the grand scheme of Aattam.
The decision for Anjali to have a significantly smaller role than her male counterparts is an interesting one. The reality is that Ekarshi wants the film to focus on the man’s point of view in this harrowing situation, not the woman’s–even when it probably should be the woman’s that we see. However, I think this decision, as unique as it was, was the right one. We’ve become a society that instantly places blame in these situations, and while there is certainly discussion surrounding the topics of sexual harassment and assault, they aren’t always made public, causing viewers to believe that the situation is one sided. Aattam pulls viewers in and allows them to see the full scope of all that is taking place in this situation–making for an incredibly interesting take on what the world sadly sees so much of.
I expected drama to exist throughout the course of Aattam, and I certainly got it–but what I didn’t expect was a mystery to ensue. There are so many layers to this narrative, so many pieces of the film to dissect, and the film is constantly evolving, becoming something darker as it moves forward. There are a series of stories that work their way into the fold, that become intertwined as Aattam moves forward–and that causes viewers to have to play detective, to try and determine what is fact and what is fiction. There are subtle hints laid out throughout the film that lead viewers to believe certain things. Some are red herons, existing only to throw viewers off the truth’s scent–and other things lead you in the right direction. There is a beautiful blend of truth and lies that allows viewers to play along, to sit in the room and deliberate with the characters.
Aattam is a drama/mystery that relies almost entirely on character development. It seems that each male character represents a piece of the human psyche. We see things like fear, trauma, anger, and more–and in those moments that lack a score, viewers are given the best opportunity to understand these characters and dive into the story. Aattam is brilliantly constructed, but maybe a little too long–however, every second of the film is intended to have purpose, and I think the intent is clear even in those gratuitous moments. Viewers will find a slew of emotion present in Aattam, and that emotion, and the exceptional mystery will guide viewers from beginning to end.
Written & Directed by Anand Ekarshi.
Starring Zarin Shihab, Vinay Forrt, Kalabhavan Shajon, Selvaraj Rafhavan VR, Aji Thiruvankulam, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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