'Rekhachithram' is a mix of nostalgia and freshness with a good dose of mystery

Police investigation thrillers often have a pattern. A dead body, several missing links and more than a handful of suspects. Jofin T Chacko's 'Rekhachithram' too has a dead body, but the confessions and the criminals are revealed early in the film and what remains is the quest to find the truth. This backstory takes you on a nostalgic ride to the past, dissecting an alternative history from the sets of a Malayalam film directed by one of Mollywood's greatest directors.

'Rekhachithram' featuring Asif Ali and Anaswara Rajan is an overall experiment, treading on a path that many filmmakers, including veterans, have not dared to do in the past. Many of the ingredients in the film makes do with the same elements used in investigation thrillers like 'Paapan' and 'Ozler', but what it truly differs in is its premise and the film's unique treatment. Vivek Gopinath (Asif Ali) is a police officer who is under suspension for his involvement in Rummy, a game involving money, and is transferred to a police station in Chalakkudy. However, on the day he takes charge as the Station officer, a man named Raveendran (Siddique) commits suicide in a rubber plantation. Before he shoots himself, he reveals that he and a man named Francis and Vincent had buried a young girl in 1985, in the exact same spot he is found dead. This leads the police investigation into the past and to the sets of a well-known film that involves Mammootty and Bharathan.

This exploration of an alternative history is very new in Mollywood, though films like 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood' is one of the most recent examples from the Western world. The film is definitely bound to be a nostalgic ride for cinema buffs as the makers lavishly throw in big names from the 1980s into the movie. The use of AI in 'Rekhachitram' may not be very noticeable, but it definitely is a good attempt by the makers and might possibly open opportunities for bigger experiments in the future.

Asif Ali, who has had some brilliant outings in the recent times, including the intense family drama 'Kishkindha Kandham', is definitely making some good choices in recent times. Anaswara Rajan may not have too much screen time in the movie, but she nails her role and brings in the right conviction needed for her character in the movie. It is interesting to see veteran actors Harishree Ashokan, Jagadish and Indrans come together to be part of this movie. With just a few sentences, Harishree manages to give us some laughs in the film. The songs by Mujeeb Majeed and the costumes by Sameera Saneesh are also a highlight in this movie, which is intense and engaging at the same time.