The works of William Shakespeare are famous for their adaptation into pop culture. Whether it be for screen or stage, the makers have interpreted those gigantic literary works through various perspectives of their own. Especially for the screen, perhaps “Macbeth” is the Shakespearean work popular among the Indian masses, as Indian filmmakers frequently try their hands to adapt this literary masterpiece. Whether it would be based on the modern-day “Mumbai Underworld” in Vishal Bharadwaj’s “Maqbool,” historical era in “Veeram,” or on the murky politics and ruthless game of power struggle in rural Bengal in Anirban Bhattacharya’s “Mandaar,” the directors try their best to portray the story with originality in different contexts, at the same time staying true to the original material.
‘Joji’ Explores its Psychology Rather than its Darkness
Often filmmakers set these films in dark and disturbing settings. But this darkness often comes to the forefront of the story over the deep psychological drama beneath them. This becomes a recurring thing of all the “Macbeth” adaptations I have seen so far. 2021’s Indian Malayalam film “Joji” takes quite a unique path apart from the others. It refuses to showcase the darkness and mystery in the forefront; instead, it is more interesting to explore the different psychological aspects of its characters.
To focus more on that, Director Dileesh Pothan and Writer Shyam Puskaran set everything in a closed space; they offer details to observe their characters closely rather than getting too carried away with the overall outside look. They are masked with vibrant and picturesque frames and landscapes from the outside. But under this charade, the unsettling mystery is boils to burst in the right moments to come.
The filmmakers put the whole story into the everyday life of a typical household on a rubber plantation in Kerala. We see the day-to-day work throughout the film’s first half, which captures the pride and prejudices of the patriarchal family.
P K Kuttappan Panachel as ‘King Duncan’
The aging patriarch P K Kuttappan Panachel is our King Duncan, but instead of being benevolent, he is an alpha male who is well-built (he does work out every morning) and dominates his other family members even in his mid-70s. He has three sons; each one is different from their own characteristics. Elder son Jomon is the favourite of his father. Middle one Jaison is divided between his own wish and her father’s domination. And the younger one, Joji, is a carefree, childish, unemployed and purposeless brat who is neither involved in the family affairs nor ever asked to. He is our Macbeth in this story.
A scene from “Joji.” (Photo: Bhavana Studios).
An engineering dropout, Joji spends most of his time at home doing nothing, eating and sleeping. His father and brothers treat him as inferior, and take to sidelining him frequently. They blamed and even abuse him for simple issues. With all these circumstances, Joji desires to ride up the ladder, showing all he can do. This hidden angst leads him to violent acts against his own family members.
These relatable issues of jealousy, patriarchy, and feuds within families act as a profound reflection of us. The psyche and morality within the societal system are highly questioned, and the bitter-sweet relationships of cause and effect are valued meticulously into the screenplay and characterization.
The Art of Making Banality Attractive
The subtle moments of black comedy on-screen take out the banality of everyday life and make the plot more attractive in certain places. These small instances often represent the characters’ subjectivity and help us think about it in an overall context. Primarily shot in closed spaces, Shyju Khalid’s cinematography gives a claustrophobic feel, which beautifully signifies the narrow mildness’ of the characters representing societal people. Accompanying an eerie background score using the string instruments by Justin Varghese set the perfect mood, and sublimes this complex psychological study of the characters.
A scene from “Joji.” (Photo: Bhavana Studios).
It is nobody who can do Joji better than Fahadh Faasil. With little nuances of throwing the hands in frustration or a subtle grin, he portrays every bit of the psychological state of Joji through his expressions throughout the film. Other actors such as Baburaj, Sunny PN, and Unnimaya Prasad are good in their respective, but no one is at par as Fahadh.
While all these good points to notice, “Joji” also has the setback of going to the climax too early. I wanted the makers to delve more into the character and explore his psychological state more. But the film rushes in the third act, eventually ending in an ambiguous anti-climax. Despite that, with great characterization, writing, and directing, “Joji” becomes a powerful adaptation of the modern context of Shakespeare’s work.
“Joji” is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
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