The title of the debut feature film by director Indhu V.S is 19(1). (a). The Indian Constitution’s Article 19(1)(a) provides for freedom of speech and expression. And Indhu’s personal film makes an effort to assess the state of the nation’s freedom of expression.
The lead role is played by Nithya Menen. In the film, her role is unnamed. She is acting in place of a large group of socially conditioned women who simply follow orders. Here’s an example: the main character runs a Xerox store. Vijay Sethupathi’s character, Gauri Sankar, a writer, enters her store early one morning and delivers her his most recent work.
He requests that she make a photocopy of the entire book. “I’ll come back today to get it. Even if it gets a little late, wait for me,” Gauri instructs the main character. And she does wait for him in a store by herself till late at night. She seems unable to object to the opinions of complete strangers. We can only imagine how submissive she would be among her loved ones.
Gauri is also quite the opposite of our protagonist. He has a tendency to swim against the current. He is an activist, writer, and rebel. He won’t modify his position, even after learning that his life is in danger as a result of the way he lives it. Gauri is shot by bike-borne assailants, thus he never shows up to pick up his manuscript. The sound of the vintage motorbike’s silencer is developed by Indhu into its own theme. In the very first seconds of the movie, a gunshot is followed by the ominous sound of a speeding bike. And at other times throughout the film, Indhu repeats that sound as she expands on that topic, giving the impression that a monster is stalking individuals who freely express themselves.
The sorrowful topic of 19(1)(a) also involves people lamenting the loss of their loved ones. The movie demonstrates how words people say that are relatively commonplace or banal take on tremendous importance if they are their last. As the protagonist struggles in the dark while bearing the enormous weight of Gauri’s parting words on her untrained shoulders, the casual chat she had with Gauri serves as a beacon of hope.
The film, which deals with very serious emotional and political issues, features exceptionally nuanced performances by Nithya Menen, Vijay Sethupathi, Indrajith Sukumaran, and Indrans. The heartfelt music by Govind Vasantha complements the narration and takes on a life of its own.
