The bitter violence hidden within the ‘Happy Couple’ photos

Love, directed by Khalid Rahman is brilliant by all means. To be honest, writing a review for such a movie is a tad challenging as detailed attention needs to be paid to not expose any major spoilers.

Well, here I have tried my best to refrain from giving away any kind of spoilers from the movie.

Before digging deeper into the review, here’s a segment that caught my attention-the happy couple photo with a bloodstain on it.

Though this particular photo may be the one that grabs the eyeballs, the initial camera stretches peek into their several other ‘happy couple photo’ But they aren’t happy as they seem in those photos.

After watching the entire movie, I couldn’t help to contemplate the bitter violence hidden in these ‘happy couple’ photos that usually go unnoticed. Have these happy couple photos become a display of love more than the symbolism of the very experience of love? The bloodstains on the photograph very much agree with that.

On the parallel side of that happy photo lies violence, deceit, and infidelity. The photo ends up being a mockery of reality, lampooning love and exploring the darker side of the same. 

A Quick Look

The film opens with Deepthi being informed that she is two months pregnant. Though she has been trying to conceive for a while, does not seem happy with this news now.

We sense a discord in Deepthi and Anoop’s marriage right from the beginning itself but have no clue what the reasons for that might be. It is only in the end that secrets unfold.

For a moment I did worry whether Khalid Rahman is romanticizing domestic violence, but I was wrong. The film is a twisted take on the issue of domestic violence and infidelity.

The initial half of the film is scattered. But over the course of the film, we pick up the pieces and complete the puzzle.

The Brilliant Film making

The entire credit to the success of the film goes to the well etched-out script and brilliance in capturing the details.

There are two interconnected layers to the film, the first one; what we think has happened, and the second; what actually happened. And trust me, it is simply mind-blowing.

The entire film happens in a single location, Anoop and Deepthi’s apartment. But that does not leave us claustrophobic, rather it hardly reminds us that all this is happening within the four walls. 

Astounding Performances

Rajisha Vijayan and Shine Tom Chacko may not strike as a convincing couple at first but they offer riveting chemistry. They pull off their roles effortlessly and we even start to feel a sense of discomfort that Anoop and Deepthi share.

There are limited characters in Khalid Rahman’s Love. Apart from the leading pair, there’s a handful of supporting characters who shine in their brief appearances. Johny Anthony, who plays Deepthi’s father is best of all (strictly personal!). Veena Nandakumar is the only female actor besides Rajisha Vijayan. Sudhi Koppa and Gokulan shine as Anoop’s friends. They are the only actors who have roles stretched out throughout the movie.

Watch Love on Netflix