Movies based on sports have such a set pattern that often the only thing that changes from one film to another is the sport that it is based on. Barring a few cosmetic changes, most of them run the same track on which many similar races have happened before. Have a taut screenplay, with the right amounts of tension and emotion, and you have a winner at hand.
When that easy route was there for the taking, it was thus delightful to watch P.R.Arun veer away from all that in his debut directorial Finals . Alice (Rajisha Vijayan), a cycling champion from the high ranges of Kattappana, has her eyes firmly set on an Olympic gold, having set records at the national level. Supporting her all through in that mission are her father Varghese (Suraj Venjaramoodu) and her boyfriend Manuel (Niranjan Raju).
For the rather low-budget film that it is, Finals has its aims set quite high, and it manages to deliver on most counts. The clever writing, which keeps you guessing, is evident from the initial scenes. For instance, in one early scene, we see Alice getting up early morning and setting out for cycling practise, when her father Varghese asks her to get some more rest. She says - “You only taught me all this”. We get the full import of this scene only later, when we are told that Varghese himself was a former sporting coach, who had his own athletic school.
The script divides its attention between the three main characters, rather than the usual single-pointed focus on the central character. Each of them move into focus, and out of it, organically, with all three holding their own with top-notch performances. Suraj Venjaramoodu pulls off yet another sensitive portrayal, as a man worn down by many a failure, yet having an ounce of hope left for one more fight.
Different ball game
While things are fairly on expected lines in the first half, a whole different ball game awaits in the second half. The issues regarding dirty politics within the sporting administration and lack of facilities at the lower levels are brought to the fore, without much of preaching.
It helps that the movie doesn’t dwell much on these, showing us only enough, before veering back to the core story. Even in that part, there was much scope for melodrama, which Arun stays clear of.
The whole high range village, its people of moderate incomes and big dreams, are all brought alive, with a handful of well-conceived scenes.
In this festival season, the one movie which came with the least noise and fanfare has turned out to be a clear winner, proving that you don’t need a big budget to touch people’s hearts. Just a neat script would do, for starters.
S. R. Praveen
