A woman wronged, embarked on a revenge trip has always been a popular thriller template. Malayalam filmmaker Jithin Issac Thomas reduces the template to a threadbare plot, milks the story beats to their maximum impact and delivers a stunner in his eponymous REKHA (2023). Despite being a derivative form, REKHA is deeply rooted in the landscape of Kerala with its array of earthy characters, the most stimulating of which is Vincy Aloshious who plays the unassuming but unpredictable lead, seeking vengeance.
Malayalam cinema pushes the envelope once again. Watch it on Netflix.
Ranjan Das is Mumbai based filmmaker & faculty.