Farhana Movie Review: Nelson Venkatesan's Farhana begins with a couple making out heavily in a car while the man continues to drive at high speed. Surprisingly, they survive any potential collision, only to continue their lovemaking in the hotel room. Unfortunately for the girl, the room is broken into by three masked men with nefarious intentions. What happens to her and how this scene, despite its voyeuristic nature, is relevant is revealed later, but first, we have to meet the protagonist Farhana. Theera Kaadhal: Aishwarya Rajesh, Jai, Sshivada To Star in Rohin Venkatesan’s Next.

Farhana (Aishwarya Rajesh) is a housewife from an orthodox Muslim family, who is herself devout in their traditions. Her introduction scene shows her disregarding her crying baby, while offering namaz at three in the morning. Due to the dire financial circumstances of their house and that her meek but good-hearted husband Kareem ('Jithan' Ramesh) can't hold a job, Farhana is forced to take up a job at a call-center.

When her friend Nitya (Anumol) shifts to another department for better incentives, even Farhana wants to move there when expenses at home increase. Nitya tries to dissuade her from doing so, but for some reason, doesn't tell her what she is doing there exactly. So it comes as a shock to Farhana when she learns her new department actually runs a 'friendship' chatline for sex-depraved men. Quite strange that neither her friend nor her HR warned her about the work she has to do here.

Anyway, with little option, Farhana continues to work there but faces difficulty in dealing with the pervy men calling up. However, one caller stands out in the way he speaks to her, and Farhana, who chats under the name 'Isha', is fascinated with this mysterious man. Soon, they build up what is for her, a forbidden but excitable friendship as they talk for hours at her work, and sometimes, even share silences. Unfortunately for Farhana, her department also doesn't tell her that striking friendship with unknown callers to a sex-chat helpline is a bad, bad idea.

Watch the Trailer:

For the past few days, Farhana has been embroiled in a controversy because certain Islamic organisations are dissatisfied with how the film depicts the Muslim protagonist, just by seeing the trailer. The movie does depict the conservatism that pervades certain lower-middle-class Muslim households, but orthodoxy is not limited to a particular religion or sect. When Farhana has to hide what she is doing in her current role from her family, and especially when things are heating up with her enamoured caller, conservatism plays an important role in the film, amplifying the tension.

Is it really necessary for the protagonist to come from a minority sect and demonstrate eggheaded orthodoxy in her folks? I'm not questioning the filmmakers' creative freedom here - and Farhana, thankfully, isn't The Kerala Story - but it inadvertently contributes to the prevalent problematic sentiments not only against a community but also against women in general.

For example, when police arrive at Farhana's house to question her about a murder, her father raises a ruckus about how this is happening because the women in his family are educated and seeking employment. It is unintentional, but the film makes it appear that he was correct, given that Farhana's problems begin when she starts a job, and thus should have been avoided. Boomika Movie Review: Aishwarya Rajesh’s Eco-Horror Film Uses Trite Haunted House Tropes To Deliver a Well-Intentioned Message.

The setup of her background also slows down the runtime, particularly in the first half. The idea is to demonstrate how, in contrast to her suffocating life at home, Farhana's conversations with the stranger are liberating her from her own conservatory nature. However, the sequences simply consume too much of the film's runtime for a film that should have finished in two hours but drags on for another half hour. The opening sequence should have been chopped off, and be placed later in the film or just avoided. Apart from the needless injection of front-bench-pleasing voyeurism, the sequence isn't exactly relevant to the main plotline except to establish the fact that callers to a sex-chatline are sketchy and needs to be avoided in person. Which a simple conversation about that girl's fate could've sufficed.

The movie comes alive for me when Farhana's caller changes his tone and manner in which he speaks to her to menace. The third act especially is riveting after Farhana decides to give it back to the caller, starting by tracking him down to a mall. If only the previous portions of the film were more tightly edited and written, then Farhana could have been an outstanding thriller in its genre.

In terms of performances, Aishwarya Rajesh is once again fantastic in a film that betrays her with a sloppy screenplay. Her commanding performance keeps you with her throughout, and her subtle body language shifts from naive housewife to a more confident fighter are well done. 'Jithan' Ramesh gives her able support as her likeable husband. Selvaraghavan is adequate, but I had hoped for more depth in his character; the transition from a lonely man to a vengeful stalker felt jarring.

Final Thoughts

Farhana's most engaging moments occur in the final forty minutes, when it embraces its thriller roots. However, until then, the film struggles to keep your attention, but if it does, it is mostly due to Aishwarya Rajesh's commanding performance.

Rating:2.5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 12, 2023 04:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).