Swarna Kaduva

Story: 'Swarnakaduva' is the tale of a conniving opportunist Rini Iype Mattumel who tries to cover up a car accident for his boss. The attempt though goes awry, with each turn springing up a new challenge that he converts into an opportunity to amass wealth and accomplish his ultimate goal.

Review: From the onset of the movie, director Jos Thomas makes it clear that the story is about a self-centred opportunist, Rini Iype Mattumel (Biju Menon), whose ultimate aim is to amass wealth – by any means necessary. Some of the protagonist’s aims are to marry after receiving the heftiest dowry and throw the biggest wedding party the Irinjalakuda town has ever witnessed.

The movie starts with Rini trying to cover up a hit-and-run case for his boss Lonappan (Innocent), who is a jewellery chain owner and a film producer. While Rini somehow manages to tie one loose end with his schemes, another unravels and ultimately it all leads to a murder. This sets off a chain of events that Rini uses to push for his ultimate goal.

The movie’s script by Babu Janardhanan and Biju Menon’s one man show are the pillars of 'Swarnakaduva'. The former has fleshed out the plot, which has elements from the socio-political scenario such as the closing of bars, jewellery smuggling and the prioritising of wealth over relationships.

As far Biju Menon is concerned, he totally owns his role as the anti-hero who has no remorse even when he verbally abuses his mother and sisters for their property, manipulates a woman to marry her or sleeps with the wife of the man, whose death he is trying to cover up. Like a chameleon, he slips into the myriad faces of Rini, the man with no moral compass. Actors such as Innocent, Ineya and Kanaran Harish do justice to their roles.

While the first half is on the sluggish side, the scriptwriter and the director does not waste time in redeeming the anti-hero in the latter half. This keeps the audience guessing as Rini keeps outsmarting his sins.

Gopi Sunder’s background score takes diminishes the effect of Biju Menon’s scenes at times while Ratheesh Vega’s songs compliment the movie’s sequences, without unnecessarily prolonging the already drawn out affair. The protagonist’s performance saves this movie from being an average fare.