Sootravakyam - School Bells

 

Sootravakyam

Malayalam, 2025

 

Genre: Investigative Thriller

 

Stars: Shine Tom Chacko, Vincy Aloshious, Deepak Parambol, Binoi Vilya

 

Mohan's Measure: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

Sootravakyam is the stuff that makes Malayalam cinema outshine the rest.  A low budget film with understated acting, the film winds us through an innocent tale of a good-natured cop helping the teens in his community to a multi-layered investigation combined with an overarching sense of primal spirituality that is God's Own Country.

Shine Tom Chacko carries this film as Christo Xavier, SHO of a sleepy little town, who uses his otherwise quiet police station to mentor teenagers from the local high school.  Along with him is Nimisha, played by Ms. Alshious, who offers both competition and support as a teacher who finds that her students prefer the cop to him.

Light comedy and a certain festive feel surround the afternoon tradition, but it is the arrival of a young Indian American that serves as the catalyst to a Pandora's Box of corruption and murder.  She is played by Meenakshi Dileep, daughter of Manju Warrier, who plays her character in a very effective ABCD style.

Creating his own style as nemesis is Mr. Parambol as Vivek, the older brother to one of his students who is known for anger management issues and domestic abuse.  It is impressive to observe how he lets bravado to the fore without interrupting the story.  His character is believable, almost empathetically so, albeit not forgivable.

Even the gods do not offer forgiveness, instead providing valuable clues at a temple festival to a much darker secret.  In saying this however, please do not get discouraged in thinking that this is a conventional tale. As in good film noir, the movie offers both Legal and Poetic Justice.  But the uniqueness of the message lies in its compassion, an all too human sense of understanding and forgiveness.