The Teacher just isn’t straightforward to look at, movies about sexual violence seldom are. What is unsettling is that the perpetrators are barely out of faculty, and the sufferer/survivor is a trainer they meet throughout an inter-school competitors. Even extra disturbing is their nonchalance in regards to the assault, which they’ve recorded.
The movie, directed by Vivek, pivots round Devika (Amala Paul), a Physical Education trainer in a authorities college who’s drugged and raped. The movie opens with a confused Devika ‘feeling’ the assault and checking herself for indicators of one thing she can’t bear in mind. One went in anticipating the cyberbullying tropes and cliches. But therein lies the twist; Devika is a fighter, she refuses to ‘let it go’, as her husband (Hakkim Shajahan) suggests. She tracks down her attackers and ‘punishes’ them.
Her allies embody her mother-in-law Patton Kalyani, a pan-chewing, beedi-puffing Communist celebration activist essayed brilliantly by Manju Pillai. Kalyani is appalled that her son can’t perceive the severity of the crime and the trauma Devika has undergone. Manju Pillai might have been utilised extra, however then it’s Devika’s story.
Sujith, Devika’s husband, initially lashes out when she tells him of the sexual assault, even accusing her of inflicting it. There is, what seems like, redemption for the character who realises his mistake and desires to set issues proper, however the harm has been carried out to the connection. Devika is unforgiving when he begs for a second probability. The climax denies him redemption once we realise that the ‘acceptance’ and ‘support’ had been conditional to her getting an abortion.
The couple had been making an attempt to get pregnant for a few years; after the rape, she learns she is pregnant. They don’t know if it was the results of the assault, therefore the expectation that the being pregnant is terminated.
However, for the reason that writers — PV Shajikumar and Vivek — are males, the story is basically from the male perspective. There are additionally issues Devika does which seem unnecessarily dangerous, like travelling with an individual she suspects of being her rapist late within the evening, not to mention confronting him alone.
The Teacher
Director: Vivek
Cast: Amala Paul, Hakkim Shajahan, Manju Pillai, Chemban Vinod Jose
Storyline: A trainer takes on 4 college students who sexually assault her
Despite all of the explanatory threads, The Teacher sticks to a decent two hours. However, one can’t assist however surprise why actors Nandu, Mala Parvathy, Dinesh Prabhakar and footballer/actor IM Vijayan all determine within the movie in blink-and-miss roles! What little we see of those three actors’ work may be very nicely executed, however why are they there? Chemban Vinod has a considerable position since it’s a cameo, and Anumol has a bit extra to do.
Amala Paul reveals flashes of maturing as an actor, however the movie, sadly, calls for solely variations of three feelings — anger, disgust, and grief — in a loop. It is disturbing that the characters imagine they haven’t any hope of justice, however take the regulation into their arms.
An side of the climax the place Devika actually takes on her attackers is problematic. Chemban Vinod’s character says he’s not concerned about girls; the inference drawn is that he’s queer. So when he enters and closes the door to a room with one of many attackers inside, the suggestion is unsavoury particularly once we hear the youthful man shout for assist. Having a queer character is nice, however makers should be delicate about how they’re portrayed.
The Teacher is at present operating in theatres
Source: www.thehindu.com