Crossroad (Review)

Crossroad is an anthology of 10 films on the lives of 10 women. The short feature films of 15 minutes each look at life from the varied perspectives of these women. Like the name of the movie suggests, the film delves into important moments in the lives of a bunch of women and how they deal with these situations. Ten completely disconnected stories, they which are trials and tribulations that happen in protagonists lives.

After the Malayalam anthology movies Kerala Cafe, 5 Sundarikal and Aana Mayil Ottakam, 10 filmmakers are getting ready with a portmanteau movie that celebrates womanhood. Lenin Rajendran, Madhupal, Sashi Paravoor, Albert, Avira Rebecca, Pradeep Nair, Nemom Pushparaj, Ashok R Nath, Babu Thiruvalla and debutant Nayana Suryan, has directed movies in Crossroad. Meanwhile, the movie has many actors including Mamta Mohandas, Isha Talwar, Padmapriya and Srinda Arhaan.

Madhupal directs the opening segment of the anthology, titled “Oru Ratriyude Kooli.” In this segment, he introduces Seema, a sex worker with a deep desire to become a mother. Following this, Priyanka Nair takes on the role of Devi, a soldier’s widow facing various dilemmas, in the next installment titled “Kaval,” directed by Nemom Pushparaj. The theme of “Pakshikalude Manam,” the third segment directed by debutant Nayana Suryan, revolves around a woman photographer’s profound love for the wild. Making a comeback to Mollywood, actress Mythili portrays the shutterbug in this film, with actor Vijay Babu playing the role of her control-freak husband.

Verdict

The first half is relatively lukewarm but the second has heart-warming stories of womanhood. Mudra directed by Albert introduces Gaya Parameshwaran, a celebrated classical dancer (Isha Talwar) and how she empowers her friend Padmavathi (Anjali Nair). Lake House directed by Sashi Paravoor traces the memories of young airhostess (Richa Panai) and how she deals with the untimely death of her husband (Rahul Madhav). The anthology is like a story book that has something for every kind of viewer. If one disappoints, there is always another to make up.