Ayyappanum Koshiyum

Plot

Koshy Kurian, an ex-Havildar in Indian Army, is on the way to Ooty from Kattappana, with his driver Kumaran. Koshy is drunk and nearly passed out in the car's backseat with a case full of alcohol, bought from the military canteen. Instead of the common route via Coimbatore, they have opted to take the Attappadi hill route, which they did not know was an alcohol prohibited region. The car is stopped on a monthly traffic check, which is a combined police, forest, and excise department work. On finding the alcohol in the car, the excise officials manhandled Koshy. Koshy, irritated by this, assaults the excise inspector Faizal. On seeing this, SI Ayyappan Nair steps in and restrains Koshy. Koshy is taken to the local police station, and an FIR is filed against him in the online records system. Within minutes, the officers are startled to see the names of well-known political and media personalities on the contact list of Koshy's mobile phone. Koshy reveals himself as an ex-army officer living in Kattappana and also the son of an influential and ruthless political leader named Kurian John, who is known for his rude and confrontational behaviour.

Fussing over this and over consultation with his CI Satheesh Kumar, Ayyappan decides to go easy and reveals himself as a native of the area, and that he has only 3 years to retire. Koshy asks Ayyappan to let him return home for 5 days to spend Christmas and promises to return for any prison sentence, but Ayyappan refuses, stating that he has been booked under non-bailable sections and may not go home. Soon, Koshy fakes a meltdown and asks for some alcohol, as he is an addict. Against his better instincts, Ayyappan pours him some from the confiscated stock with the help of a lady constable, Jessy. Koshy secretly records this on his phone. Koshy is remanded to 12 days in Palakkad sub-jail, where he is visited by his family. After 12 days, Koshy gets bail on the condition that he has to sign once every Monday and Thursday at Attappadi station. Upon his release, he uses the video footage to get Ayyappan and Jessy suspended for breaking the prohibition. Ayyappan is arrested, and his police medals are revoked. The next day, he is brought out on bail by Satheesh, who makes a compromise with Koshy's friend MLA George, that Koshy can sign for all future bail conditions at the same time, and end this melee, in return for not providing original video evidence at the enquiry against Ayyappan.

After signing at the station, Koshy goes back on his word, and his lawyer submits the video proof at the enquiry. Ayyappan has no answers to the enquiry done by the DYSP Cherian George, and despite saving Jessy's job, he is sure that his job is lost. Koshy meets him outside the DySP office and boards the bus to Attappadi, seemingly to apologise to him, but due to ego, they both challenge one another, and Koshy leaves in his car. Furious at this blatant act of pride, Ayyappan savagely beats a small-time crook, Kuttamani (who was aiding Koshy), in front of Koshy and demolishes Kuttamani's illegal building. Visibly horrified at Ayyappan raining down fury on Kuttamani, Satheesh reveals to Koshy that 25 years ago, Ayyappan was a brutal communist leader, who had killed 13 men, as they were commissioned by the landlords to get rid of union workers during the Kummatti festival at Mundoor. He was caught by MLA Master Chathan and made to join the police force; he had also turned very mild. He finds out that Ayyappan had a nickname during those days of crime Mundoor Maadan (the vampire of Mundoor). Frustrated, Koshy goes to drink in Anaikatti. While returning to Attappadi, Kumaran is arrested, and his car is impounded. Left without a phone, purse, or other options, Koshy starts to walk to Attappadi.

Production

Development

Ayyappanum Koshiyum is the second directorial of writer-turned-director Sachy after Anarkali (2015) which also had Prithviraj Sukumaran and Biju Menon in the main roles. Written by Sachy himself, the film was produced by the film director and Sachy's long-term friend Ranjith along with P. M. Sasidharan under the production company Gold Coin Motion Picture Company. The film's idea was first formed as a story about the relationship between Koshy and his driver, Sachy had two real-life friends resembling them, a jewellery owner and his driver. Later, police sub-inspector was introduced into the plot, which took the story into its present form. Prithviraj played the lead role and Menon had a supporting role in their last collaboration, Anarkali. The film was titled Ayyappanum Koshiyum as Sachy wanted to state that both Prithviraj and Menon have equal importance in the story. Sachy did not have anyone in mind for the two lead roles while screenwriting. Their casting was done after finishing the screenplay.

Filming

Principal photography began in early October 2019 in Attappadi, Palakkad district. It was completed in early December 2019. Menon suffered burn injuries on hands and legs while filming in November.

Music

The songs featured in the film and background score were composed by Jakes Bejoy, while the lyrics have been penned by B. K. Harinarayanan, Rafeeq Ahmed, and Nanjiyamma. The soundtrack album was released on 10 February 2020 by Manorama Music.

Release

Ayyappanum Koshiyum was released on 7 February 2020. The film's satellite and digital rights are sold to Amazon Prime Video and Surya TV.

Reception

Critical reception

The film received positive reviews from critics with praise for performances (particularly Prithviraj Sukumaran and Biju Menon), story, direction, dialogues, cinematography and its tradition to Kerala culture.

The New Indian Express wrote: "This is essentially a masterclass by Sachy on how to make a three-hour film by relying mostly on dialogues which carry enough power to not just reverberate through the walls of the movie hall but also each cell and nerve in your body. With a script like this, one doesn't need bullets or pyrotechnics to excite the audience. Sachy does that with his characters, a rare skill that not many filmmakers possess today in Malayalam cinema", and praised the performances. The Hindu wrote: "It is a dialogue-driven narrative, as much verbal as visual, but without over-punctuation or the burden of forced hilarity. The film also comes with a highly textured screenplay, creating an immaculate balance between lightness and intensity", and the cast gives a stand-out performance, also it is "nearly three hours of riveting reel time devoid of any customary gimmicks".

Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion South wrote "...psychological flourishes make Ayyappanum Koshiyum a very different kind of masala movie about similar-yet-different, different-yet-similar men...as the film progresses, it becomes a very textured thing, with a bubbling undercurrent that keeps questioning a very specific kind of masculinity". The Times of India said that it is "a commercial film that reflects contemporary socio-political situations aptly" and Sachy "smartly scripts a story" that explains the struggles between an honest police officer and a rich spoiled brat, "the director manages to hold the audience in that compelling mood from start to finish" and "apart from a carefully written script with interesting characterisation, the casting is a bonus". According to The News Minute, "Prithviraj and Biju Menon spar in an engaging film ... the movie keeps you engaged for nearly all the three hours with no dramatic twists or turns or characters turning a new leaf overnight".

Box office

In the overseas opening weekend, it grossed US$36,253 (₹25.88 lakh) from 27 screens in the United States, US$3,562 (₹2.55 lakh) from 7 screens in Canada, and A$24,227 (₹11.65 lakh) from 7 screens in Australia. It grossed US$87,791 (₹65.03 lakh) in United States in five weeks, A$47,689 (₹23.04 lakh) in Australia in four weeks, NZ$28,012 (₹12.71 lakh) in New Zealand in three weeks, US$22,400 (₹16.17 lakh) in Canada in three weeks, and £48,267 (₹44.74 lakh) in two weeks. In its lifetime, Ayyappanum Koshiyum grossed ₹363 million at the global box office.