Rampant consumerism, the herd mentality, the fear of being left out and above all, the desire to make life a lot more comfortable has resulted in us losing sight of the true values -- that, in sum, is the gist of Palunku (Pearl).

With this film, Blessy actually surpasses his earlier efforts Kazcha and Thanmatra, and in the process gives us reason to believe that even in these days of rampant commercialism, there is still scope for sensible cinema.

The kernel of Palunku is the same as that of Blessy's two previous films: the family, cocooned in its own warmth. But once external forces start guiding their destiny, fragility becomes evident.

Blessy's three films till date have depended on that aspect of family life for its plotline; it is to his credit that he avoids the trap of being repetitive.

Monichan (Mammootty) is a farmer leading an idyllic life in a hilly region, secure in its innocence and safely removed from modernity. He has to begin thinking of moving to town, in order to give his daughters a shot at a better education.

The lure of urban life completely absorbs Monichan, with an ease that leaves us in shock. The director shows us how Monichan falls for one vice after the other, without realising where it is leading him.

The narrative is simple; the undercurrent of humor ensures that we buy completely into the slow deterioration of Monichan, from a simple farmer to the haughty urban being who likes to flaunt his power.

The vices have been interestingly lined up. The first is the instinct to gamble, and it is as easy as buying a lottery ticket when he lands up in the town for the first time. From there on, the spiral of vices climbs steadily upwards, through drinking to womanising and so on, to the ultimate deterioration.

Mammootty lives the part, delineating the character in such a way that he holds audience empathy even as he indulges in the most horrible of deeds. Jagathy Sreekumar gives a memorable performance as Pallai, who is responsible for Monichan's transformation. In some ways, Pallai's characterisation may feel similar to Joseph's of Thanmatra, but here he is deceitful and cunning. Also, here his character is more rounded, to the point where we can safely say he is the second lead in the film.

One complaint could be that the female lead is underwritten. Lakshmi Sharma, who plays Monichan's wife Sussama, only gives a nudge here and push there to the narrative. Then again, given the plotline, perhaps that is all we can expect from that character.

In sum, Blessy confirms his reputation for brilliance; it is his art that drives this film, carrying the audience with it.

Rediff Rating: