Paltu Janwar – A fun journey through realistic matter

Syrian Christians moved in significant numbers and in an organized manner from Central Travancore (today’s Kottayam district) to the Malabar region between 1930 and 1970 in pursuit of productive agricultural land. In the mountainous terrains, they battled wild creatures and viral infections; their sweat and tenacity changed the hinterlands of Malabar. Large swaths of uncultivated land were converted into profitable estates and fields. They introduced their distinct culture, religious customs, superstitions, and regional accent to Kannur. The setting for the movie Palthu Janwar is a rural hamlet in Kannur’s Iritty district that is populated by migrants who are Syrian Christians.

The main character of the movie is Prasoon (Basil Joseph), a failing animation business owner who is made to work as a livestock inspector in Iritty as part of a humanitarian appointment. He would face difficulties at work, and his lack of expertise would get him into a lot of problems. His minor wins and major setbacks encapsulate the narrative.

Based on a strong writing by Vinoy Thomas and Aneesh Anjali, debutant Sangeeth P. Rajan creates a convincing environment.

Iritty’s migrant Christians’ way of life and language are being intentionally captured. Additionally, the significance of religion in their social lives is examined. The speech accurately captures the migrant population’s vernacular. Malaysiankunju and Ila Veezha Poonchira, among others, are two contemporary Mollywood movies where the geography of the regions significantly influenced the plot. The geography of Iritty is included in Palthu Janwar as well. Ranadive’s cinematography is passable.

The acting of the movie’s principal actor is one of its worst flaws. Even if the supporting characters, especially Johny Antony and Shammy Thilakan, give excellent performances, Basil Joseph is unable to take the movie beyond a certain point. Shammy excels with his screen presence and experience in the combo sequences of Basil and Shammy. Basil’s lackluster performance drags down the movie’s momentum frequently, notably during the conclusion.

We don’t get to see a lot of veterinary treatment in movies. Palthu Janwar makes an effort to present an accurate picture of veterinary services, as well as the challenges and demands experienced by people working for the state veterinary services. It satirizes multi-level marketing, as well as superstitions and “magic acts” offered by people wearing pious robes. Additionally, it suggests symbolically how religion was important to the survival of the Syrian Christians who emigrated. There is also a portrayal of the tenacity and bravery of immigrant women. All of these minor components are cleverly integrated into the story by the writing. Effective usage of light humour is also present.

The film features two fantastic songs written and directed by Justin Varghese and Suhail Koya. The movie’s background music is also respectable.

The movie aims to convey the idea that animals are likewise worthy of human compassion. There aren’t many scenes, though, to convey that emotion to the viewer. Additionally, the movie doesn’t successfully elicit sympathy from the audience for the primary character’s emotional states. This reviewer believes that the movie would have been much different if the lead actor had been a better actor.