Dulquer Salmaan follows in the footsteps of Sukumara Kurup. Who resisted arrest for nearly four decades and became an urban legend in the process. Kurup was inspired by crime and one of India’s longest-running persecutions. That captures the imagination of any country.
This is not the first time a film has been made about the killer. Malayalam films NH 47 (1984) and Pinneyum (2016). As well as the Hindi film Moh Maya Money (2016), have taken up the topic. But given Dulquer’s pre-eminent power, the 37-year-old’s murder case has won a new audience in a new generation.
Some have criticized Kurup Maker for being “glamorous”:
A cold-blooded murder in the name of entertainment on the big screen. This is a debate for another day. But the filmmakers, for some reason, found this film worthy of criticism. Because they must have found something more valuable in it than the elusive villain.
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In 1984, Kurup was accused of murdering a man named Chaco. And using his body to fake his death to raise insurance funds. While his accomplices were arrested. Kurup was never found by the Kerala police. And director Srinath Rajendran and his writing team.
Who have tried to capture how one of Kerala’s most wanted refugees has become a myth in the public memory. The question is, how well did they manage to translate all the nuances?
Gopi Krishna Kurup (Dulker Salman) is a common offender who naturally tends to play the rules quickly and freely. After failing 12th class, he tried his luck with the Indian Air Force. After many attempts, he managed to secure a place in the training camp. This is not the place to use the advantages provided to soldiers for quick money. Kurup even stole some of the country’s weapons after the Indo-Pakistani War in 1971.
And as his ambition grew, he simulated his death to avoid his obligations to the IAF.
He took on a new identity, Sudhakara Kurup, and flew to the Persian Gulf, where he made a fortune. But greed made him even more challenging his luck. Kurup can only thank his stars and live happily with his wife, children and newfound wealth. Kurup returns to Kerala with a plan to fake his death again and claim Rs 8 lakh insurance money.
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He enlists the help of three other people, including his son-in-law Bhasi Pilay, played by an informed Shine Tom Chaco. Shine’s portrayal as an evil and inconsiderate drinker is impressive despite his brief appearance. On one of the drunken nights, Bhasi and his accomplices. Really out of sheer disappointment and impatience. To kill a passerby in cold blood to conspire with Kurup.
Before the conspiracy broke up, it didn’t take much effort and drilling from DYSP Krishnadas (Indrajith Sukumaran). And that is one of the main weaknesses of this film. For some reason, the filmmakers were in a hurry to go through the murder. And investigation phases and chase after Kurup. And then the film lost me.
Filmmakers are not interested in engaging audiences in the story. Or exploring the human consequences of the crime. We don’t know the mind of a cop. Who was so obsessed with this case that he lost himself. As an investigator, Indrajit showed almost no enthusiasm, tenacity, or desire to catch Kurup. He enters the investigative scene and refuses to escape in a series of pursuits. He never broke a sweat while working on the case. So we never felt angry or frustrated at not catching Kurup.
The writer wrote a weak police character or director Srinat Rajendran wasn’t brave enough to ask Indrajit for more counterparts. However, the filmmakers were confused at this point. Which significantly undermined the impact of the drama.
We first learned about Kurup through short memories of his family and friends.
He’s a criminal, yes. He is Peter’s best friend to Sunny Wayne and the caring and loyal lover of Sobhita Dhulipala. The madness of filmmakers in the form of narrative blinds them. Because they don’t tell the story as interestingly as possible.
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Towards the end, Kurup takes the form of an urban myth. It’s a crime that filmmakers hide interesting ideas about larger-than-life evil ghosts in movie footnotes. Such gold-mining material rather than telling about Kurup. And his crimes with half-hearted information available to the public.