Sudani from Nigeria (2018)

Director: Zakariya
Writers: Muhsin Parari, Zakariya
DOP: Shyju Khalid
Cast: Soubin Shahir, Samuel Abiola Robinson, Savithri Sreedharan
Language: Malayalam

Film is set around the sevens football milieu of Malappuram where Majeed (Soubin Shahir) is the 'Manager' of a struggling club. His star player from Africa for the upcoming season is Samuel who injures himself in a freak bathroom accident. The hospital expenses and recovery has to be taken care by Majeed and, to save hospital costs, he decides to take Samuel to his house and the film is basically about the human bonds that form over there.

For some strange reason the people from Malappuram call all the African players Sudu, short form for Sudanis. After a star turn in his first match, a fan asks Samuel if he is from Sudan and Samuel is quite adamant in making it clear that he is from Nigeria. The significance of this is realized later in the film. Majeed is an unemployed bachelor, and a Real Madrid fan, who is taking all the initiatives to get himself married. He has a difficult relationship with his step-father and is quite selfish at home and takes one-sided decisions, probably in an effort to establish himself as the man of the house. His mother still has an apologetic relationship with him and doesn't object when Samuel is brought to her home. It is she and her neighbor friend, Beeyumma, who steals the show in a film where most of the actors are newcomers, all of whom have done an excellent job.

It is a film which defies our expectations throughout. We take it as a given that the climax of the film would involve a final football match with Samuel returning to play after recovering, but it never materializes. The sub inspector of police, the usual bullying kind, is very thin in physique. Even the football is quite sidelined after the initial parts of the film as it focuses more on the human angle. If you lay out the plot of the film as such, it will look like a sappy sentimental film, but it is made in a very nuanced manner taking time to establish all its details. Watch out for the passive-aggressive 'Nair' guy with a cow. The politics is there in the film as a subtext which is usually how it works best in a film. It is a world away from Priyadarshan's depiction of Muslim characters as people with four wives and instant talaqs. Shyju Khalid's camera work will remind you of his work from 'Maheshinte Prathikaram'. Him and Sameer Thahir had actually produced the film with E4E, who have now got a reputation for being associated with good films, have done the distribution. It is a great watch overall.

Rating: 3.75/5