The title of this Malayalam film seems complicated, but in English, it translates to Ouseppu’s Will. For convenience, let me call it O2. O2 is another simple Malayalam film sans any major stars, made at a fairly low budget. At a runtime of just under 2 hours, it solely relies on the plot points to keep us engaged. The film has all the usual syntax of realistic Malayalam films written all over it.
The story centres around a wealthy Malayali Christian family, with Ouseppu (Malayalam for Joseph) as the widowed patriarch. He is reasonably affluent, lives alone amidst his cardamom plantations, and lends money to locals. He is miserly, extracting his pound of flesh from his borrowers – in short, he resembles Shylock from Merchant of Venice. He has three sons, two of whom are married and lead independent lives as a government official and a local cop, respectively. The youngest, Roy, lacks a job and pursues his passions instead. He is the laadla in the family, and from his father, Ouseppu, to his brothers, Michael and George, they are always patronising toward him.
The elder brothers are in cohort, using their positions in the town to advance their own interests, often to Roy’s discomfort. Ouseppu is a father who is cynical, and attached to his wealth. Whenever his sons or brother visit him, his first question is, “Why have you come to meet me, and is it for money?” In the first 30 minutes of the film, the director takes his own time to establish these characters and their relationships.
At a pivotal moment, an event occurs that turns the world upside down for the two brothers. The film then explores how this incident and its aftermath alter the relationships and dynamics among the family members. Although the film may adopt the tone of a crime investigation thriller, it is not actually one. As the dynamics between characters unravel, we comprehend the reason behind the director taking his own time to establish the characters. From here until the end, the film is a commentary on human relationships.
For a film devoid of any commercial elements, the performances of the cast and the visual tonality are crucial to retaining viewer attention. O2 excels in both aspects. When I saw actor Vijayaraghavan once again in an elderly patriarch role, it reminded me of a joke we often shared in our youth. In the 70s and 80s, there was a character actor in Tamil cinema named Gopalakrishnan. He was a competent stage actor who often portrayed the role of a policeman in every film. The joke was that he would wake up every morning, get ready, don his police costume, and wait at home for a production car to come and pick him up for a cop role, which he could perform even in his sleep. Vijayaraghavan’s situation is something like this. Recently, we saw him as an elderly dad in films like Kishkindha Kaandam, Rifle Club, Antony, etc. In O2, he embodies the role of the father Ouseppu well and shows that he can sleepwalk into the role. Among the other cast, Dileesh Pothan as the eldest son, Michael, is outstanding. Kalabhavan Shajohn, as the second son, is also good, though in a role we have seen him play often.
From a production perspective, the camera work by Arvind Kannabiran beautifully captures the natural beauty of the hills of God’s Own Country. The editing could be sharper; some scenes linger unnecessarily, and transitions between scenes are not seamless at times. The background score complements the slow-burn tone of the film. The use of church bells in the background during key scenes adds an emotional touch to the narrative.
The climax is well-conceived, but it may not resonate for those looking for a typical resolution in an investigation thriller. The line Michael delivers toward the end is a revealing commentary on family dynamics typical of Indian families. As the film does not focus on a crime investigation, one should overlook the gaps in police procedures and the rigour of the process itself. The emphasis is more on the impact of a crime on ongoing family relationships.
Ouseppu’s Will is expected to play a significant role in the story, but that moment comes as a whimper. Ouseppinte Osiyathu possesses all the elements of a Korean drama, and if you enjoy that genre, I recommend it as a worthwhile watch. O2 is streaming on Amazon Prime.
AnandKumarRSonFilms 
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