19(1)(a) movie review: Nithya Menen, Vijay Sethupathi shine in this political drama

And Gauri is the exact opposite of our protagonist. He’s naturally inclined to swim against the tide. He’s a rebel, a writer and an activist. Even when he finds out there is a threat to his life due to the way he goes about living it, he refuses to change his stance.

Gauri never turns up to collect his manuscript as he gets shot by bike-borne gunmen. Indhu develops the sound of the silencer of the old motorbike into a theme in itself. We hear the menacing sound of the speeding bike in the very opening moments of the movie followed by a gunshot. And in various points in the movie, Indhu repeats that sound as she elaborates on that theme, giving it a feel of a monster on the prowl targeting those who indulge in the freedom of expression without any reservation.

19(1)(a) also has a tragic theme about people grieving the loss of their loved ones. The film shows how the benign and seemingly unremarkable words said by people, will gain drastic significance if those were the last words ever spoken by them. The casual conversation she had with Gauri becomes the guiding light for the protagonist when she is grappling in darkness while carrying the huge burden of Gauri’s final words on her untrained shoulders.

Nithya Menen, Vijay Sethupathi, Indrajith Sukumaran and Indrans have delivered a very nuanced performance in the movie, which talks about some heavy emotional and political matters. Composer Govind Vasantha’s soulful music blends well into the narration and becomes a character in itself.

19(1)(a) is streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar.