A Disaster movie with a heart and soul
‘Virus’ is one of the sought-after films along with ‘Contagion’ in this lockdown period. This is the time when the events would make sense and the impact will be doubled. Like watching a horror movie alone at night. Also, while discussing the film there is a moral fear that something might happen to us if we criticize the film. That also works for both of the films. Both the films could be used a template for making disaster-based films and both come out as pretty interesting ones too.
If ‘Contagion’ was all start studded and quick based movie, ‘Virus’ thrives more on the mood. The former is like any American movie where things unfold quickly and the events are similar but with ‘Virus’ we feel the situations are more real. Also, the numbers game was blown out of proportion in ‘Contagion’. In ‘Virus’ the numbers are small but the situations are equally tense. We get to see the film from the Health Departments point of view. It was lovely to foresee a situation before it actually happens. Thinking of what the bigger impact would be.
The film could have definitely been pacy but that’s how it is in real life, it doesn’t happen fast but the situation is gripping. The way it unfolds as a thriller was terrific. Just like how the people in charge would have found out the cases, we too see them in same angle, so with every link found we feel as if we get close to a conclusion. The track of finding whether Nipah had really come from single cluster forms the heart of the film. That part was superbly made. And every actor who were part of the process had acted beautifully too.
There were ‘n’ number of actors involved in the film. It feels as if they had made this film to create awareness among the public. I wonder how so many actors would agree to act in a film which has so limited screen space. For me the two people who really stood out where Parvathy Thiruvothu as Dr. Annu and Sreenath Bhasi as Dr. Abid. They both were prolific. Dr. Annu was charming in every little way as possible. Parvathy could really do any role. I was bored of her short curly haired look and roles that she was doing off late, especially ‘Charlie’. It was blown over the top but here she is more rooted and it took me a while to know that it’s her. And Sreenath Bhasi was a revelation. He did his role with so much conviction. He demands respect right through his looks. He looks like a perfect doctor in distress.
The film talks only about the positive aspects of the people and no politics was involved. I don’t know whether it was really a good thing or bad thing. May be a few not so good things could have been shown which would have added dimension to the film but the risk is that those things would make the film a commercial one and we lose the connect to the films. With people always all so good it feels like we are fighting along with them to solve the mystery and find the root cause. Wish things were that simple.
The CCTV footages played a major role in the film and so were lighting. The colors used at some junctures were trying to give a hallucinating feel. The director was trying to bridge a gap between reality and fantasy so didn’t go into trance lighting full on but I’d have preferred it that way. Here it just feels like some other color bulbs instead of regular ones were used. It didn’t give the desired effect.
All in all, it’s a film definitely worth a watch but it’d work best if you watch it now during lockdown period because post that it would not be as interesting as something which would hold your attention.
constantscribbles 