Tiyaan movie review: In the name of faith

Cast: Prithviraj, Indrajith, Ananya, Murali Gopy, Suraj Venjaramood, Shine Tom Chacko.
Director: Jiyen Krishnakumar
Rating: HHH

The story of Tiyaan opens with a ‘voice of time’ that narrates the history of Adi Shankara, his travel to various parts of India and his successors. Actor Mohanlal’s voice is the ‘voice of time’. The tale of Tiyaan takes place in a north Indian village where religion, cow, and faith are of utmost importance.A group of Malayalis, who have been living there for generations also form a part of the plot.  Suddenly, a godman enters the scene, making the life of the villagers worse. 

Tiyaan marks the current era in it. The first half of the movie is quite realistic. It takes a stance and points to some stark realities — the politics and fear factor behind faith — that prevail in our country. The godman markets faith and brings people on his side through some gimmicks, both of which we confront these days. The focus of the first half is more on Pattabhiraman Giri (Indrajith), Amba (Ananya) and Jayanthan (Suraj) while Aslam Mohammad, Prithviraj’s character, comes in between. 

As the next half begins, Tiyaan turns more cinematic with stunts and supernatural powers. The ‘voice of time’ reappears and realism slightly paves way for melodrama. However, the movie maintains its serious tone; thanks to Murali Gopy, the writer, for not adopting the cliché of showing the flashback of Prithvi’s character through a song. Gradually the plot becomes a war zone — a fight between good and evil. Prithviraj, who comes in two different get-ups, succeeds in both. Murali Gopy, the godman with his red attire, heavy accessories and bald head, has tried to do justice to his part. Indrajith, as a Sanskrit Pandit, has done a neat job. The background score by Gopi Sundar may remind you of the tunes from some of his previous movies. 

In a time of ‘beef lynchings’, Tiyaan is a movie that is worth a watch. However, if you are the kind of movie-goer who wants to sit back and relax in the theatre for three hours, then Tiyaan will not amuse you.