Mura

Story: Four goons, persuaded by the local big shots, plan a heist in Tamil Nadu. How will the heist pan out as hurdles keep getting stacked against the young men?

Review: Mura, Muhammed Musthafa’s second directorial after Kappela, is a ferocious action drama that’s not for the faint-hearted. We can say that, at the heart of it, Mura follows four young goons (Hridhu Haroon, Jobin Das, Anujith Kannan, Yedhu Krishna) and their friendship with each other. But director Muhammed Musthafa and writer Suresh Babu have taken the friendship story and placed it against the backdrop of a breeding ground of violence and cruelty.

The story takes a turn when the four of them are persuaded by Ani (Suraj Venjaramoodu) and Suni (Kannan Nayar) to carry out a heist in Tamil Nadu. What acts in the movie’s favour is how the makers have chosen to unfold the narrative. The film, if told in a more linear format, wouldn’t have provided the same high that it does now in its closing moments.

With that said, it has to be said that Mura wasn’t able to provide a deserved closure to many of the characters' arcs. Even with a bunch of outwardly interesting characters, the film fails to fully flesh them out and is content with keeping them at a distance and not letting us get to know them on a deeper level. Take, for instance, Rama (played by Maala Parvathy). The character is that of a powerful woman who calls the shots. It’s appreciable that there is no exaggeration in Maala Parvathy’s performance of Rama or her characterisation. But we never get a sense of who she is. We invest in the character because of Maala Parvathy’s presence and not because of how the character has been conceptualised.

The characters and subplots not being properly fleshed out and the inconsistencies in the film hinder the enjoyability of Mura. But the performances, music by Christy Joby and action by PC Stunts manage to really elevate the written material. The actors are unanimously solid. The younger cast gives their all to their roles, while the experienced actors aid them strongly. Suraj Venjaramoodu’s performance in the film is a wonderful example of how an actor can elevate and enhance an underwritten character with their portrayal.

With that said, there are many beautiful moments in the film, including a fabulous scene between Kani Kusruti and Hridhu Haroon’s characters. The bond that the four protagonists share with each other and with Krish Hassan and Vigneshwar Suresh’s characters is a delight to watch. The film also ventures into all four of their individual equations with their family but that part never fully registers.

All said and done, Mura provides a good movie-watching experience for those who are more into dynamic action and exciting flicks rather than individual character arcs or the fulfilment of the storyline.