Bollywood can't touch the cinematic authenticity of films from Kerala!! Truly original plot, storytelling and nuanced direction and performances
20 Reviews
Authentic regional cinema
thejazztko4 October 2020
Wow!!Wonderful Screenplay and display of events
noddyahil10 June 2018
Parava !! So refreshing. After a long time seeing such awesome movie...it was naturally played by the characters and the bgm was so supportive. All emotional scenes were properly played..Way to go Soubin. Expecting such wonderful movies from you again...
Good one
bhanusriram13 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Movie is good I didn't feel Bor happy ending everyone showed there acting skills BGM and Carma work and show motion effect is good and feel good movie we can enjoy we will be getting our old day's back in this movie u feel as if u went to past too good movie
ClassiC
Enigmasuhail18 May 2020
A Feel-Good Movie...
agnidath21 September 2017
The Film tells us different themes of lives in Mattanchery,Kochi.The Film tells about the story of two boys dreaming of Championing the Parava(Pigeon) Tournament and some romance between Ichappi(Irshad),one of the two boys.The Film also tells the story of some boys and their club.DULQUER's role has a great part in the movie.Comedy is also average...Sentiments Too...
one of the best movies of 2017
ridinbal13 October 2017
POSITIVES - 1.) DQ's cameo was worth it and will leave you with tears.
2.) 2 child actors were excellent.
3.) Shane Nigam gets a crispy role and he shines with his performance.
4.) Siddique as usual has done his father role well with expression of emotions on the raw side.(without any doubt he proves that he is one of the best actors in Indian cinema) 5.) Cinematography was top notch and will keep you engrossed in to the scenes.
6.)Editing was raw and crispy.
7.)Direction story and script by Soubin is undoubtedly the best and his imaginations to create every scenes creatively and adding rawness to the scenes makes this film a must watch. Using birds in the story and creating emotions with it is an appreciable idea. As a story-writer to he succeeded by creating varied characters with painful pasts and present, bittersweet realities of the region and its portraits of friendships.
8.)Songs and BG score by Rex Vijayan is worth mentioning. His BG score goes well with the flow of the scenes and his songs suit the movie well.
Negatives - 1.) Duration- Duration was bit long and at times we can feel lag in the scenes.
Overall-
With 8 positives and 1 negative you can figure it out how good the movie is. Everyone should go and watch this movie in theaters because its worth it. We need more movies like this and hoping for Soubin to continue with his direction.(By the way his villain role with Sreenath Bhasi was amazing) My rating - 4.3/5
2.) 2 child actors were excellent.
3.) Shane Nigam gets a crispy role and he shines with his performance.
4.) Siddique as usual has done his father role well with expression of emotions on the raw side.(without any doubt he proves that he is one of the best actors in Indian cinema) 5.) Cinematography was top notch and will keep you engrossed in to the scenes.
6.)Editing was raw and crispy.
7.)Direction story and script by Soubin is undoubtedly the best and his imaginations to create every scenes creatively and adding rawness to the scenes makes this film a must watch. Using birds in the story and creating emotions with it is an appreciable idea. As a story-writer to he succeeded by creating varied characters with painful pasts and present, bittersweet realities of the region and its portraits of friendships.
8.)Songs and BG score by Rex Vijayan is worth mentioning. His BG score goes well with the flow of the scenes and his songs suit the movie well.
Negatives - 1.) Duration- Duration was bit long and at times we can feel lag in the scenes.
Overall-
With 8 positives and 1 negative you can figure it out how good the movie is. Everyone should go and watch this movie in theaters because its worth it. We need more movies like this and hoping for Soubin to continue with his direction.(By the way his villain role with Sreenath Bhasi was amazing) My rating - 4.3/5
Visual treat ;natural acting
fascse15 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
You will live with the characters through out the film.Portrayed the real life of Mattanchery in a best way as the director can.Classy performance from all actors especially two child artists.DQ though has got a little screen space,remains in the hearts of viewers .Shane a promising actor,Soubin machan as a villain and as a director hatsoff.Last but not the least ,siddiqe ikka once again proved his calibre.
Up, up, *hiccup* and away! [+62%]
arungeorge1322 September 2017
'Parava', the directorial debut of Soubin Shahir, is a film that centers completely around the locality of Mattancherry. Similar to 'Angamali Diaries' from earlier this year, 'Parava' offers a juicy chunk of the 'isms' associated with Mattancherry, told primarily from the perspective of a couple of school-kids Ichappi and Haseeb (played by Amal Shah & Govind V Pai respectively), who wish to partake in a local pigeon-race tournament and have been raising/training a flock of their own.
A good part of the first half chronicles the daily lives of these two kids: their back-to-school scenario, running after pigeons across tiny alley-ways, the experiences of love and heart-break et cetera - all part of the "growing up" phase. The screenplay, written by Muneer Ali and Soubin himself, is garnished with a sizeable dose of nostalgia, and evokes those much-cherished memories outlining most of our quirky childhoods.
A particular incident drives the story into flashback mode: To a few years ago, when Imran (Dulquer Salmaan) and his cronies swayed around the streets/beaches, spending their days playing cricket and doing odd jobs. Their gang unintentionally gets entangled in a brawl with a drug-addict duo (played by Srinath Bhasi & Soubin Shahir, in a change from their usual comic personas) and things get ugly pretty fast.
While the disjointed narrative style employed by Soubin appears fresh initially, there seems to be a case of excessive sub-plotting and character-stuffing. As such, each frame during the flashback sequence looks filled to the brim with characters (whose names we're likely to forget) who do not necessarily add meat to the core. However, most of the artistes have done exemplary work. Shane Nigam (who plays Ichappi's brother Shaine), for me, was the best of the lot. He seems to have steadily evolved into the new-gen directors' pick for playing romantic, baby-faced brooder roles in Malayalam cinema. Dulquer shines in the 20-25 minutes that he's in, playing mentor to the boy-gang. Jacob Gregory, Arjun Ashokan, Zinil Zainudeen, Srinda, Harisree Ashokan, Indrans, Shine Tom and Siddique and a whole lot of unseen faces make up the remainder of the ensemble. Gregory (during the cricket match scenes, somewhat resembling his '1983' act) and the guy who played Manaf majorly added to the humor element.
That said, the movie is definitely more engrossing when it focuses on the partial coming-of-age saga of the two kids (largely due to their innocence) than their seniors. For a movie that runs close to 150 minutes, the writers could have delved a wee bit more into the rules of the pigeon-race that'd have had the audience backing the protagonists even more. Instead, Soubin chooses to end things in the most cinematic way possible: a vengeance-filled slo-mo stunt sequence in the rain between Shaine and the drug-addict group, the sole purpose of which is to provide closure to the earlier flashback. The writing indeed goes down a few notches when the filminess of the climax becomes too apparent.
Soubin however has managed to extract nothing short of top-class work from his technical team: Cinematography by Littil Swayamp reeks of Mattancherry-ness, leaving a strictly local yet delightfully memorable aftertaste, and the shots of pigeon-flight simply brilliant; Rex Vijayan's music and background score are crucial to the storytelling and elevate the overall experience.
If you're looking for a distinct storyline in the midst of everything that's going on, chances are, you won't find one. But if slice-of- life narratives revolving around a sequence of events interest you, then 'Parava' is bound to entertain you. With the exception of a few hiccups in the screenplay, this film should go down well with most audiences.
Verdict: An entertaining ride, albeit slightly muddled!
A good part of the first half chronicles the daily lives of these two kids: their back-to-school scenario, running after pigeons across tiny alley-ways, the experiences of love and heart-break et cetera - all part of the "growing up" phase. The screenplay, written by Muneer Ali and Soubin himself, is garnished with a sizeable dose of nostalgia, and evokes those much-cherished memories outlining most of our quirky childhoods.
A particular incident drives the story into flashback mode: To a few years ago, when Imran (Dulquer Salmaan) and his cronies swayed around the streets/beaches, spending their days playing cricket and doing odd jobs. Their gang unintentionally gets entangled in a brawl with a drug-addict duo (played by Srinath Bhasi & Soubin Shahir, in a change from their usual comic personas) and things get ugly pretty fast.
While the disjointed narrative style employed by Soubin appears fresh initially, there seems to be a case of excessive sub-plotting and character-stuffing. As such, each frame during the flashback sequence looks filled to the brim with characters (whose names we're likely to forget) who do not necessarily add meat to the core. However, most of the artistes have done exemplary work. Shane Nigam (who plays Ichappi's brother Shaine), for me, was the best of the lot. He seems to have steadily evolved into the new-gen directors' pick for playing romantic, baby-faced brooder roles in Malayalam cinema. Dulquer shines in the 20-25 minutes that he's in, playing mentor to the boy-gang. Jacob Gregory, Arjun Ashokan, Zinil Zainudeen, Srinda, Harisree Ashokan, Indrans, Shine Tom and Siddique and a whole lot of unseen faces make up the remainder of the ensemble. Gregory (during the cricket match scenes, somewhat resembling his '1983' act) and the guy who played Manaf majorly added to the humor element.
That said, the movie is definitely more engrossing when it focuses on the partial coming-of-age saga of the two kids (largely due to their innocence) than their seniors. For a movie that runs close to 150 minutes, the writers could have delved a wee bit more into the rules of the pigeon-race that'd have had the audience backing the protagonists even more. Instead, Soubin chooses to end things in the most cinematic way possible: a vengeance-filled slo-mo stunt sequence in the rain between Shaine and the drug-addict group, the sole purpose of which is to provide closure to the earlier flashback. The writing indeed goes down a few notches when the filminess of the climax becomes too apparent.
Soubin however has managed to extract nothing short of top-class work from his technical team: Cinematography by Littil Swayamp reeks of Mattancherry-ness, leaving a strictly local yet delightfully memorable aftertaste, and the shots of pigeon-flight simply brilliant; Rex Vijayan's music and background score are crucial to the storytelling and elevate the overall experience.
If you're looking for a distinct storyline in the midst of everything that's going on, chances are, you won't find one. But if slice-of- life narratives revolving around a sequence of events interest you, then 'Parava' is bound to entertain you. With the exception of a few hiccups in the screenplay, this film should go down well with most audiences.
Verdict: An entertaining ride, albeit slightly muddled!
Notching Technical Elegance
sudhakaranakhilan17 June 2018
PARAVA
Soubin Shahir
Parava, obviously simple in its context and treatment. I have been eagerly tried to watch this movie since it get released on theatres but unfortunately I can't. That's why this writing might not have any freshness in its approach because the film has been talked, appreciated and rated many days ago. But what should be the reason for me to write something about it? I am going to clear my point.
Parava, a wonderful piece of work from the debut Soubin who is well known as an actor. When he turned to a director, like anyone else I also have some sort of questions in my mind; How would be his execution? As far as when look into the soul of Parava, it is amazing from the debutant. Parava, walks along with us through the streets of Mattancherry the views out there and also the lives. It centered through the lives of two friends Ichappi and Haseeb whom like any other teenegers love birds and animals. They have pigeons as their pets and they always wanted to make it to fly for the tournament. They are very much keen about their pigeons and they care it with great love and affection. What is in the film is that life pattern of two friends is simply portayed.
The film has its deviation of subjects and lives when it goes to the life of Imraan, Shanu, Hakim and others. It also invited us to watch the friendship of these guys. Dulquer plays the role of Imraan outstandingly and it favors the entire decorum of the movie. Their small lives, love, arrogance etc are the subject matters revolve there. The film changes its layer when the character of Soubin (the antagonist) interferes into the life of Imraan, Shanu and their friends. From the story side the movie got its top notch ambience when we watch the killing of Imraan. Then the ambiguity around the life of Shanu and his friends that we felt at the initial part of the movie gets cleared. Then the parellel story of that guys (Ichappi and Haseeb) go through along with it.
When someone asks me what is the story of the movie Parava, I will enter into a little bit confused stage because I can't explain the underlying story of the movie. For me actually its something a visual treatment or just an open up of camera towrads some lives. The title Parava itself is an open enitiy to state this film in one word rather than we can find out other derivations to the film.
I should have state something more about the things that touch me in this movie apart from creative side. When it goes to technical aspect I like the visual effect applications, the sound mixing and the Cinematography in this movie. Visual Effects was done by Lavan & Kushan, Sound Mixing was done by Vishnu Govind and Cinematography by Littl Swayamp. The movements of pigeons were easily caricatured and restructred by the visual effects department and we realised the fluidity like the exact flying of the pigeons. It was the success of Vfx in this movie. When it went to the sound department the sound mixing is the notch elegence of the movie. Especially the murmering of pigeons recorded in its apt proportion which we feels that originality. Last but not the least the Cinematography. Littl Swayamp handle this department so smoothly and efficiently which captured the entire Mattancherry in its full aspects. Some techniques he used was outstanting. From the beginning to the end he adapt such kind of techniques. The mirror image at the initial part, the Point of View of the pigeon etc are some exceptional pieces in the film. Along with the writing department the technical side also favors to laid up the entire ambience of Parava.
Parava, for me is actually a Visual treatment. As far as I'm early noted the subject matter deals with the movie doesn't have much freshness but the technique used by the director to execute it is so amazing. That's why the movie is somehow attributed fully to the Direction department. And how the director organised those technical side is the key point that I have to point about this movie when someone asks whether Soubin is a good director?
Good Movie
kumarsdeepakku23 May 2021
PARAVA
rosetony-1285912 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
One of the most realistic malayalam movie of 2017. the 2 kids acted very well. while the supporting roles of shane nigam , sidique, arjun ashokan also did their roles very well. Dulquer salmaan's cameo was worth it. In total parava is a good feel movie with a lot of good elements that can be related to daily life. parava was a very good directional debut for soubin. 3.75/5
Capsule Review: Parava
nairtejas17 October 2017
In Parava, a school teacher makes a failure student the leader of the class he is going to repeat. That is the kind of motivation I want in real life. And that is the kind of fresh and crisp writing you will find in the film as two streetwise kids, played amazingly by newcomers, practice for an upcoming pigeon flying tournament in Mattanchery, a town in Kerala, India known for its diverse culture, effervescent attitudes, and a dark criminal undercurrent. Director Soubin Shahir sheds light into one too many stark social issues that hamper life in the town, including the growing drug menace, child marriage, and gang rivalries we last saw in Angamaly Diaries, but ultimately focuses on the game. I can only imagine the difficulty in filming those pigeons, shots of which are as awe-inspiring as the rest of the film's. Although a trim would have made this platter tastier, the story is heavily compelling and filled with warm doses of friendship and life stories in general. There's a certain cordiality that encapsulates the narrative and that's exactly where the film shines. Solid attention to detail that make you smile, beautifully-structured captivating score, and the controlled decency while talking about porn and menstruation to avoid sexual innuendos just for the laughs are what makes Parava a film to watch, treasure, and revere. It's nothing like I remember seeing in Malayalam cinema.
Parava is an Average Movie
manumohancolumnist3 June 2018
An average movie. Cliche mallu movie scenes of much boring school students love, stunts, ganja, murder are the ingredients in this movie. Graphics-Non graphics scenes of pigeons are fine. ''Climax otherwise group stunts'' and happy ending is here also! Fans of actor Soubin Shahir is just praising the movie from out of the box. I am sure, if the director is a new comer, this movie will be a big disaster.
Parava 💯 Worthy Watch. Soubin ikka fly high
kirankaladharan324 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Parava Story deals with 2 kids who raise pigeons for sport in Matancherry Kochi. Going into the movie Its a delightful watch.Loved the movie especially the performance of that 2 kids who done the lead.They made it awesome. Dq having a extended guest role gave his best performance.Character Imran will be loved by all kind of audience.The story & plot of the movie is simple were Debut director Soubin Shahir has mesmerized us with his brilliance & making. Cinematography topped with awesome camera angles specifically to say the shots with Pegion.BGM was good. All characters had a good job & will be remembered for their performance (Shane NigamGreorySidiqueHarisree ashokanIndranceSoubinSreenath basi) Movie slightly lags on the 2nd half with an enjoyable & entertaining 1st half The change to present from engaging flash back found dripping. Climax had a powerful punch & emotion were we all would leave the Theatre with heart filled. Verdict A perfect movie to be enjoyed with a pleasant heart Go for it Parava
Loved this one
ChickadeeAnna26 April 2024
A beautiful movie set in mattanchery, Kerala. The name parava means bird. Which is referring to the pigeons they domesticate, and use to compete in tournaments. Pigeons usually mate for life which makes sense in the case of the line pigeon waiting for it's lost mate. All this felt new and fresh in the movie. While the birds were an important part, it also explores relationships....friendships and inter- family relationships. The two boys did a wonderful job. All the actors did really good. Dulquer Salman was great. Music was good too. Soubin shahir has given us a gem of a movie with his "parava".
"A Pretty Decent Feel-Good Entertainer"
afsalthodupuzha6 October 2017
Apart from being a dependable supporting actor,Soubin Shahir has long been assistant to prominent directors like Fazil,Siddique,Amal Neerad and Rajiv Ravi with Parava marking his directorial debut,a much sought-out affair,thanks to an extended cameo by heart-throb of youth Dulquer Salmaan.On the positive side,Parava has managed to keep the huge expectations intact,offering a breezy take on the not much explored daily life of Mattanchery in the backdrop of 'pigeon racing'.
The narrative swivels between two rather separate story lines,focusing on the life of two innocent young boys and a group of grown-up youth,both being narrated in nevertheless a decent manner with necessary freshness and required connection between the two.Soubin has managed to throw light on the day-to-day life Mattanchery with originality and much needed detail similar to Lijo Jose Pellisery's critically acclaimed drama film 'Angamaly Diaries' that got released a few months ago.
The first half of the movie holds the meaty share of well-etched sequences in the movie that makes up for the small glitches popping up through the rest of the narrative.The notable negative of the movie is the over-drawn second hour where nothing much progresses except for elongated episodes of dove-flying and at least a couple of unnecessary sub-plots centered around inconsequential characters.The climax of the movie was good even though I felt that the fight sequence could have been easily trimmed off by a minute or two.
The episode involving Dulquer Salmaan was really heart-warming and Dulquer ensured that he has put his full efforts to make the character Imran instantly lovable for the audience.Both the young actors,Govind Pai and Amal Shah played their part exceptionally well and won hearts for their natural dialog delivery.Shane Nigam,Arjun Ashokan,Sreenath Bhasi,Srinda Arhaan,Jacob Gregory etc played their part well.Siddique gave a notable performance.
Another major highlight of the movie is its top-notch frames by Littil Swayamp who has earlier made a brief acting cameo in Anjali Menon's 2012 blockbuster 'Ustad Hotel'.Music and background score by Rex Vijayan was impressive.
0verall,Parava is satisfactory movie experience that marks a promising entry for Soubin Shahir into the field of film direction.
The narrative swivels between two rather separate story lines,focusing on the life of two innocent young boys and a group of grown-up youth,both being narrated in nevertheless a decent manner with necessary freshness and required connection between the two.Soubin has managed to throw light on the day-to-day life Mattanchery with originality and much needed detail similar to Lijo Jose Pellisery's critically acclaimed drama film 'Angamaly Diaries' that got released a few months ago.
The first half of the movie holds the meaty share of well-etched sequences in the movie that makes up for the small glitches popping up through the rest of the narrative.The notable negative of the movie is the over-drawn second hour where nothing much progresses except for elongated episodes of dove-flying and at least a couple of unnecessary sub-plots centered around inconsequential characters.The climax of the movie was good even though I felt that the fight sequence could have been easily trimmed off by a minute or two.
The episode involving Dulquer Salmaan was really heart-warming and Dulquer ensured that he has put his full efforts to make the character Imran instantly lovable for the audience.Both the young actors,Govind Pai and Amal Shah played their part exceptionally well and won hearts for their natural dialog delivery.Shane Nigam,Arjun Ashokan,Sreenath Bhasi,Srinda Arhaan,Jacob Gregory etc played their part well.Siddique gave a notable performance.
Another major highlight of the movie is its top-notch frames by Littil Swayamp who has earlier made a brief acting cameo in Anjali Menon's 2012 blockbuster 'Ustad Hotel'.Music and background score by Rex Vijayan was impressive.
0verall,Parava is satisfactory movie experience that marks a promising entry for Soubin Shahir into the field of film direction.
A film which proved that Soubin Shahir isn't just a great actor, but a great director too. His debut is nothing short of a lesson for established directors.
SAMTHEBESTEST12 June 2022
Parava (2017) :
Brief Review -
A film which proved that Soubin Shahir isn't just a great actor, but a great director too. His debut is nothing short of a lesson for established directors. I hereby humbly request Soubin Shahir to direct more films and more often. Man, you are truly a cinematic gem. Such great directing skills you have. You should start direction workshops and teach other directors in India how to direct a film. Parava doesn't have any extraordinary material in the writing; it doesn't have a solo hero, heroine, or even a standalone story; nor does it have any sensational fictional concept; and then it's a long film, spreading its wings for about 156 minutes, but believe me, it doesn't bore you for a moment. How did that happen? The answer is Shahir's marvellous direction. That's all. The story of Parava revolves around the pigeon race, a game which is prominent in Mattancherry, Kerala. It has multiple stories grabbed together, each linked to the other one from the start. It is not a story of one hero or two, and hence it has no main hero. It is a story of every single character involved in the narrative, and that's why everyone is a hero/heroine and has his/her own story to tell. Shahir makes sure that it doesn't drag anywhere, especially in the pigeon scenes. I can't disclose the details of how beautifully it has been shot because it would only spoil your viewing experience. But still, what fantastic cinematography, background score, and editing. Shahir's direction is simply amazing, and you can see it in every big scene in the film. And believe me, there are plenty of scenes like that. The actors simply follow the natural flow to make you fall in love with their characters so that you connect with them. Despite its not-so-great story, Parava is mesmerising, and that's why it is strongly recommended. Not every film is about writing, scripting, and sensational stuff; some are simple yet wonderful.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A film which proved that Soubin Shahir isn't just a great actor, but a great director too. His debut is nothing short of a lesson for established directors. I hereby humbly request Soubin Shahir to direct more films and more often. Man, you are truly a cinematic gem. Such great directing skills you have. You should start direction workshops and teach other directors in India how to direct a film. Parava doesn't have any extraordinary material in the writing; it doesn't have a solo hero, heroine, or even a standalone story; nor does it have any sensational fictional concept; and then it's a long film, spreading its wings for about 156 minutes, but believe me, it doesn't bore you for a moment. How did that happen? The answer is Shahir's marvellous direction. That's all. The story of Parava revolves around the pigeon race, a game which is prominent in Mattancherry, Kerala. It has multiple stories grabbed together, each linked to the other one from the start. It is not a story of one hero or two, and hence it has no main hero. It is a story of every single character involved in the narrative, and that's why everyone is a hero/heroine and has his/her own story to tell. Shahir makes sure that it doesn't drag anywhere, especially in the pigeon scenes. I can't disclose the details of how beautifully it has been shot because it would only spoil your viewing experience. But still, what fantastic cinematography, background score, and editing. Shahir's direction is simply amazing, and you can see it in every big scene in the film. And believe me, there are plenty of scenes like that. The actors simply follow the natural flow to make you fall in love with their characters so that you connect with them. Despite its not-so-great story, Parava is mesmerising, and that's why it is strongly recommended. Not every film is about writing, scripting, and sensational stuff; some are simple yet wonderful.
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Whatta waste
jubssss11224 July 2018
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