'Kuri': A simple, humourous tale told with twists and turns

The Malayalam word 'Kuri' is polysemous. For a state obsessed with lottery, we have the bhagya kuri (lucky draw), then the religious symbol on the forehead and a paper which contains details of a couple during a marriage ceremony.

In K R Praveen's 'Kuri', we see two of these aspects unfold, making us comprehend why the name is apt for the movie. The story set in the high range revolves around a group of people in a village confronting a situation that changes their lives.

Starring Vishnu Unnikrishnan, Surabhi Lakshmi and Vishnu Govindan, the movie starts on a simple note where a newly appointed policeman named Dileep is doing the rounds as part of his duty. He arrives at a house, where a sister and brother who are struggling to make ends meet, live together.

The story unfolds soon after this and several events take place in the house, which form the crux of the story.

What is interesting is how the director has chosen to tell the story. Most of the events are situational and how the key characters respond to these turns and twists in the story make it a compelling watch. The dialogues are funny and lend a humorous mood to the story that can seem a little emotional.

The social message in the movie is very relevant in today's times and is conveyed in a very emotional manner. Award-winning actress Surabhi Lakshmi as Betty has put up a fine performance in that aspect.

Vishnu Unnikrishnan, who gained the audience's love ever since 'Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan', wields his usual charm as he plays his way into our hearts. Vishnu Govind, Sagar Surya and Vinod Thomas have also shone.

At a time when open ended and more complex stories are finding a bigger audience, 'Kuri' sticks to the older, familiar pattern of story-telling. But overall, the story is eventful and will keep you intrigued till the end.