Garudan review: Suresh Gopi and Biju Menon’s twisty thriller is gripping

If Biju Menon was all rage and testosterone in Ayyappanum Koshiyum (2020), he’s restrained and understated in Garudan. (Screen grab from trailer by Magic Frames)

After the success of the serial killer film Anjaam Pathiraa (2020) that he wrote and directed, Midhun Manuel Thomas is back with yet another twisted script. The film, directed by newbie Arun Varma, is an exciting cat-and-mouse game between a policeman and a killer who hides in plain sight.

On a rainy night, a college student is raped and strangulated. She would have been killed had the perpetrator not been interrupted by an unexpected eyewitness. The young woman, the daughter of a colonel (Thalaivasal Vijay), goes into a coma and the police face immense pressure to arrest the culprit. Suresh Gopi plays DCP Harish Madhav, a cop who takes pride in sticking to facts and solving difficult cases. So, when he catches hold of Professor Nishant (Biju Menon), he makes sure the evidence is solid.

But, is it really? Nishant insists that he’s innocent and before Harish’s disbelieving eyes, the case starts to fall apart. The dialogues – especially the lines in English – aren’t impressive, but the detailing that has gone into the plot and the fast-paced screenplay ensure that the film always has our attention. The background score, too, adds to the suspense without being intrusive.

Suresh Gopi is known for his bombastic roles, and he plays Harish Madhav with a mix of arrogance and obsessiveness that sits easily on his shoulders. Siddique as government lawyer Iype and Jagadish as the eyewitness are also good, but the man who walks away with the prize is Biju Menon. If Menon was all rage and testosterone in Ayyappanum Koshiyum (2020), another film where he’s pitted against a star, he’s restrained and understated in Garudan. Is he the predator or is he the prey? Is there someone else behind the crime, targeting both Nishant and Harish? The film keeps you guessing as the delicious mind game between the cop and his nemesis unravels.

Though the rape of the college student is at the heart of the film, the violence isn’t showcased in graphic detail. With just the shot of a forlorn fallen umbrella, we know what is happening. That’s the kind of sensitivity we need to see more often in films centred on sexual violence.

Unfortunately, this same sensitivity doesn’t extend to the dialogues. In a crucial scene, the killer talks about his crimes and the lines are overly explicit, celebrating how he relished raping and killing his victims. Of course, this may be in character for a psychopath, but the lines sound borderline erotic when they ought to repel the average viewer who doesn’t share the killer’s mental profile. It’s also puzzling why the TV channels and reporters in the film keep announcing the survivor’s name when it’s against the law to do so. This sticks out in a police procedural that’s otherwise quite careful with its details.

While the conflict is set up convincingly, the denouement is rushed and a tad cinematic. The switching of one person with another in the climax feels unnecessary, given the timeframe within which it happens. Kind of like letting the air out of the balloon too soon, before we’re ready for the party to end.

Apart from the survivor who is in a coma, Abhirami and Divya Pillai are the only other significant female characters. They have small, predictable roles as wives – why not at least a woman police officer, lawyer or judge? This isn’t merely to tick a diversity box. Considering the case in hand, the inclusion of a female perspective would have made the story richer.

Despite the flaws, though, Garudan makes for a gripping watch. You’re constantly thinking about what could have really happened, and that’s the film’s victory. It takes you down a twisty path that keeps surprising you — till you get the eagle’s eye view of things and everything falls into place. Nicely done indeed.