'ID: The Fake': Dhyan Sreenivasan's film has its moments, despite its predictability

What happens when a young man discovers that a nude picture of his pregnant wife is circulating online? Does he offer her support or does he choose an alternative path? Dhyan Sreenivasan's 'ID: The Fake' explores this dark world of morphing and cyber crime through the eyes of a married man. Cyber abuse and its ramifications have been explored in films like 'Operation Java' and is not novel, but Arun Sivavilasam attempts to delve a little more deeply into the issue and even chooses to be a little daring in his effort to explore the theme.

Dhyan Sreenivasan who had a string of releases last year, plays Vinod, who works at his neighbour Jijo's (Kalabhavan Shajon) food delivery firm 'Eatiko'. He and his wife are expecting a baby soon but Vinod is hurt and confused after he learns that his wife's nude photo is circulating online. This creates a rift between the two, though the latter is unaware of the reason.

The film and its makers deserve praise for addressing an issue that needs to be discussed. However, the predictability of the storyline and cliché treatment affect the film at times. There are overtones of patriarchy in the narrative, especially in how Vinod deals with the issue. This is probably because the story is told from the male perspective. Despite these flaws, the climax of the film offers the audience a lot to ponder about, making it one of the highlight moments of the movie.

Dhyan has often been criticised for his choice of films in the past, but in 'ID', he pulls off his character with conviction. Divya Pillai, who proved her acting prowess in the Telugu film 'Mangalavaaram', shares good chemistry with Dhyan. Johny Antony, Kalabhavan Shajon also play prominent roles in the film. The love tracks by Nihal Sadiq play a crucial role in the film, establishing the family bond. Overall, the movie addresses a pertinent issue and gives you an insight into the world of cyber crime, without sounding too preachy.