MCLUB

THE METRO
 Bipin Prabhakar's 'The Metro' has a multi narrative structure which merges together three individual tales at a critical point. The ultimate impact that a multiple narrative has on the viewer depends on the potency of the component story strands and of course that very vital spot when they eventually combine into one.

'The Metro' is a film that takes you into the shadowy world that Cochin is today, where gangsters rule, while the government and the law enforcers sit in silent and often supportive watch. It is here that Hari and his four friends get lost after a minor scuffle with the brother of a mafia king pin Paruthikkadan Shaji (Suresh Krishna).

One of the two other stories that are being told simultaneously along with that of the boys on run belongs to CI Jacob Alexander (Sarath Kumar) who after several transfers is back in the city once again and has vowed to wipe out the last trace of crime from Cochin. The other tale has Anupama (Bhavana) who works at Infosys, who has her bag nabbed by some petty thieves at a café and to whom the aforementioned boys turn out to be saviors.

A closer inspection of these three story lines reveals that just one of the three holds the potential keep the viewer hooked. The story involving the five men who frantically try to flee from the city is the only one that keeps us engaged, while the other two have been built around it with convenient stilts and props.

Jacob Alexander is brought to life solely because of Shobi Thilakan who lends some unbelievable power to the under written part. He is just a part of several encounters with the don, and as is customary on such occasions gets quite verbose. The third tale that involves Anupama is never truly developed and it remains more of an incident that forms part of the script than a distinct story track.

The point of convergence where the three tales finally meet is a terrible disappointment. There is a tiny twist here that would act as a spoiler if revealed, but it would suffice to say that it lets the air straight out of this inflated balloon and within seconds it lands crumpled on the earth.

Sarath Kumar is eminently imposing as the CI and all the youngsters Nivin Pauly, Bhagath Manuel, Suraj Venjarammoodu, Biyon and Arun impress. Bhavana is there in a cameo, and Suresh Krishna delivers the goods with aplomb. The performances of the lead actors give us little reason to complain and are evenly good.

'The Metro' thus tells three stories, none of which is told methodically. The characters are hopelessly lost in a maze and when they do finally bump into each other they cling on, merely to cover up the emptiness that lies beneath them.