United Kingdom of Kerala

Story: Tony's family, including his single father, have their hopes set on him going abroad and making his life in the west, but the young man has other plans for himself

Review: With 2.5 lakh students leaving Kerala to go abroad in 2023 and the number expected to double in five years, writer-director Arun Vaiga’s United Kingdom of Kerala is a story of the times and an important idea to discuss. But with a simplistic narrative and a lead character, who is too ironic an ‘angry young man’ to gain our sympathy, the film falters.

Ranjith Sajeev plays Tony, a 25-year-old who was brought up by his father, Roy, after his mother left for the UK and his parents separated. Now, Roy hopes and is willing to make financial sacrifices so that Tony can go abroad and make his life. But while Tony has no real plans for life, apart from making a quick buck with the illegal sand mining mafia, he is sure that he does not want to leave the ‘lovely life’ that Kerala offers.

After getting into a couple of fights with local party workers and the police, he goes against the advice of elders in his family and decides to stay on and get into business. The movie uses this situation to throw light on why lakhs of youngsters are leaving the state for greener and better pastures.

The film has a message for both those emigrating and for the authorities in the state, suggesting that life abroad is no longer a dream scenario and showing the latter why youngsters here are frustrated with the roadblocks they face when they seek employment.

Ranjith, who carries the film, has done a decent job, but he’s not playing a very appealing lead. The problem is that not only does Tony not come across as a hard-working, ambitious young man, whom we feel like rooting for, he deserves some of the troubles that he gets into. It isn't really a character who comes across a useful member of society and would be sad to see him take his talents out of the country. Ultimately, the movie resting on the shoulders of a difficult hero feels shaky.