Review of film VIRUS
Film VIRUS, as we all know, is based on the Nipah virus outbreak in kerala in May 2018.
Director Ashique Abu has done a wonderful job in creating a suspense filled entertaining engaging film, which could very well have been a documentary, given the abundance of data and materials available, the incidents being so recent.
The way the very different human stories have been told, connecting each to the treatment and disease, shows the extraordinary craftsmanship of the director and the whole team behind the film.
The scenes in the casualty of the medical college, how the doctors and supporting staff attend to the cases thrown their way.. All the actors were absent there, we saw only the real life crises attended to in medical colleges, any Govt hospital, on a daily basis.
The way Nipah virus was suspected, by the doctor enacted by Rahman, speaks of the Strength of Basics and relevance of procedures in any profession.
Nurse Lini, the single most important person who may be named the mascot of People's resistance and courage against the unknown disease is portrayed as Nurse Akhila by Rima Kallingal, Co Producer of the film. So few minutes Rima was on screen, but, she left an unforgettable impression on the viewers, about Lini.
Dr. Annu, a community medicine PG, enacted by the versatile and one of the best actresses in malayalam, Parvathy, shows how the Extra mile traversed by individuals make and mark the turning points in any breakthrough.
The conversation between Annu and her doctor husband, asking her to take leave, hinting, that instructions not to take leaves during the Nipah scare was meant for doctors coming in direct contact with patient care, her facial expression on hearing it, how her face lits up when the medical director calls and seeks her aid on preparing FAQs, all show the detailed research, and effort put into the characters, yet, it's so subtle, its seen and understood casually by us.
The portrayal of Dr. Abid by Sreenath Bhasi may be one of the finest acting performances by the talented actor.
Kunchacko Boban, Revathy, Poornima Indrajith, Tovino, Rahman, everyone in the film has performed well, the characters are so real.
Each and every character and situation are well thought out and well developed, that, we can very well imagine a plausible whole story based on everyone of them.
It's this attention to smallest of details, that makes this film great, enjoyable and a tribute to all who laboured to free our state of the Nipah scare.
It's a must view film, not only to understand the extent of the threat, how it was contained so fast and the individual efforts behind it, but, as an artistically taken sensitive and relevant social drama. Director Ashique Abu, has wisely omitted to emphasise on the Government's direct involvement in the process of decoding, and containing the disease.