Padavettu set in a fictitious village, Maloor gramam, in North Kerala is the tale of a common man emerging as the hero who saves the villagers from a powerful system that seeks to exploit them. The Nivin Pauly-starrer opens abruptly, and showcases the journey of a man who society brands 'useless'. It then goes on to show how he used to have a comfortable life that was snatched away from him, and how he fights the evil that is trying to take over his village.
The plot moves through the perspective of the protagonist’s outlook toward the society around him even as it tries to empathise with him by showcasing the pressures and dilemmas that he faces. There is also an element of nostalgia brought through his good past.
The age-old plot addresses issues like capitalism, power politics, class distinction, and greed against the backdrop of Kannur agricultural society. Agricultural festivities related to harvest in the area like Theyyam are incorporated into the proceedings through the childhood memories of the hero. Even as the film attempts to celebrate the various moral elements of human nature, it fails to communicate the same effectively.
The female characters have barely anything to contribute other than to be the love interest of the hero and support the male ego.
Nivin Pauly has his moments of subtle performance, portraying the antagonist Ravi. Shammi Thilakan shines as the ambitious politician Kuyyali. Aditi Bala as Shyama also comes up with a good performance.
The cinematography is fairly decent and the background score and music by Govind Vasantha deserve some credit.
Padavettu director Liju Krishnan has tried to bring various facets of society to the screen, but the movie ends up as a one-time watch.
Padavettu cast: Nivin Pauly, Shammi Thilakan, Aditi Balan, Indrans, Sunny Wayne
Padavettu director: Liju Krishnan
Rating: 3/5