Su From So

I recently watched this Kannada film called Su from So. It’s written and directed by a debut filmmaker, J. P. Thuminad and produced by Raj Shetty, and has surprisingly turned into a huge hit. The film has gone from regional obscurity to almost a national sensation. What struck me most is its vibe; it feels very much like modern Malayalam cinema. Easygoing, not trying to be grand or over-ambitious, but simply a filmmaker telling a story with a camera. And that simplicity is part of its charm. At its heart, Su from So is about small-town lives. How everyone’s closely knit, and how even the tiniest incidents become the biggest entertainment in the predictable rhythm of everyday life. The story is anchored by two characters, Ravi Anna (Shaneel Gautham), a respected, unmarried man in the village, and a younger guy Ashoka (played by J. P. Thuminad, yes the director) who has a crush on a local girl.

To put it in plain English, Su From So, the Kannada film playing with English subtitles, is one of the most refreshing films in recent times Amidst the chaos and juvenile humor that characterize most Friday releases, this film, directed by J. P. Thuminad, arrives like a breath of fresh air.

There’s a passing scene in JP Thuminad’s hilarious yet thoughtful Su From So (releasing on July 25), which explains why the film lands the way it does. The villagers need to head somewhere and a convoy departs — it is led by two scooters, followed by two autos and cycles. Even in that not-so-important scene that barely lasts seconds, the film does not veer off its inherent spirit. These vehicles are ‘enough’ to serve the story. This is one of the many reasons why the film, which falls somewhere in the space between a thought-provoking movie and a horror comedy, keeps you engrossed through its runtime that’s a little over two hours.