Gadhama- A Desert Journey is what it was expected to be, a poignant tale of a housemaid working in the gulf. The film is a really good effort, coming from Kamal, the maker of many memorable films.
Kamal endeavours to tell the story of Aswathy (Kavya Madhavan), who reaches the Gulf to work as a Gadhama (housemaid). It’s Usman (Suraaj Venjaramoodu) who had arranged her visa and she comes to work in the same house where Usman works as a driver. There is another Indonesian girl working there as a Gadhama. Aswathy’s life is not that easy in the Gulf, but she endures it all as she has a family to support, back at home in Kerala. Malayalam Movie Gaddama stills00 16 400x266 Malayalam Movie Gaddama ReviewIt was after her husband had died, shortly after her marriage, that she was forced to take to the Gulf. In the meantime, an affair between Usman and the Indonesian girl is discovered and problems erupt. Usman is sent away and the Indonesian girl locked up and beaten. On being requested by Usman over phone, Aswathy helps the girl escape. Aswathy’s problems begin here and at a stage when it all becomes unbearable, she escapes from the house. Then begins a new ordeal for the hapless Gadhama.
Parallel to the main plot runs the story of a social worker Razack (Sreenivasan), who goes about helping Indians in the Gulf. When he comes to know of the story of Aswathy from a newspaper guy, he goes out hunting for her, as she is missing after having reportedly fled her sponsor’s house with money and jewellery. There is also the story of Bharathan (Murali Gopy), who happens to meet Aswathy after she flees her employer. Bharathan has been in the Gulf for about 15 years and has reached nowhere. At a stage his fate gets linked with Aswathy’s. The film tackles this in a sensitive manner.
Gadhama thus happens to be a good film, with the theme executed in a neat manner. But it’s not likely to be a big thing at the box office. Heroine-oriented films rarely make it big at the box office in Kerala. The subject too is not the usual box office stuff.
The film belongs to Kavya Madhavan, who gives a really good performance in the title role. She portrays the different stages in the life of the protagonist with ease and in a very convincing manner. Biju Menon is good in his cameo, as Aswathy’s husband. Murali Gopy does his role, that of Bharathan, excellently well. Sreenivasan is his usual self. So are the others in the cast.
Technical aspects
Manoj Pillai’s camerawork is the main highlight of ‘Gadhama’. He has captured life in the Gulf in the best of manners. Suresh Kollam has rendered able support in the art department while editing by K.Rajagopal is in tune with the theme.
Music
M.Jayachandran’s background score is perfect, adding to the intensity of the theme. The songs, set to tune by Bennett Veetraag, also jells perfectly well with the theme and the plot of the movie.movie gadhama000 2 400x223 Malayalam Movie Gaddama Review
Script
Script, penned jointly by Kamal and K.Gireesh Kumar, is brilliant. The details are all worked out well. Of course there is melodrama coming up at times, which may not appeal much to youngsters. But the script is good indeed. Dialogues penned by Gireesh Kumar too happen to be good.
Direction
Kamal is in full control of things. The film is very much a Kamal movie. Of course those who are in expectation of the usual kind of light entertainers from Kamal may not like ‘Gadhama’, but the film is good indeed.
Overall verdict- Good effort! Good performances! May not work well at box office.
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