All-American hero Henry Fonda shocked his fans when he played a child-killing monster and rapist in Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). Malayalam acting legend Mammootty had already taken a dark turn in films such as Vidheyan and Bramayugam, but his character in Kalamkaval: The Venom Beneath is beyond the pale.
Kurup writer Jithin K Jose’s directorial debut begins in 2005. Stanley (Mammootty) lies to his wife and checks into a lodge with his lover. His conversation with the woman he promises to marry after divorcing his spouse is ordinary, banal even – until he flashes that famous smile and says, “The greatest satisfaction comes from killing a human.”
Viewers have been put on high alert. The beloved and brilliant actor, capable of playing just about anybody, is going to direct his charisma and intelligence towards portraying a depraved serial killer.
Stanley uses his low-key and yet ample charm to reel in a host of unsuspecting women. Several years later, Kerala Police officer Jayakrishnan (Vinayakan) starts investigating the disappearances of numerous women. The trail leads to Stanley, but this being a Malayalam police procedural, ever so gradually.
Kalamkaval is out on Sony LIV following a successful theatrical run in Kerala. Written by Jose and Jishnu Sreekumar, the film borrows from the Cyanide Mohan case, which also inspired the Hindi series Dahaad. The suspense in Kalamkaval is not about who the killer is, but just how Jayakrishnan will get to him.
Jayakrishnan’s investigation has the dogged and rigorous qualities favoured by Malayalam police procedurals. Apart from the clever casting against type and suitably tense background music by Mujeeb Majeed, there are few flourishes here. The movie quietly goes about showing how Stanley ensnares his victims as well as how Jayakrishnan pieces together the modus operandi.
At 137 minutes, Kalamkaval takes a bit too long to reach its finale. The film lists target after target even as Jayakrishnan gets closer to unravelling the mystery. What the slow-burning approach does do is give a measure not only of Stanley’s killing spree, but also the women who fell prey to his sweet talk.
Mammotty’s perfectly pitched performance brings out Stanley’s deceptive bashfulness, his perverse methods and his utter lack of remorse. Few actors of this stature and from this age cohort are willing to let their screen image be muddied in this way. Vinayakan is solid too as the cop who patiently chases down dead ends and clues.
The mind games between the men result in a not entirely convincing twist and a gimmicky ending. Otherwise, Kalamkaval is mostly unshowy, revealing just how banal Stanley’s evil is.
You’ve read Scroll.
Now help sustain it
Scroll is funded by readers, not corporate owners. If you believe our work matters, support our newsroom. Become a member today!
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!