Communist Pacha Review: More Than Gully Cricket In A Light-Hearted Entertainer

Communist Pacha Adhava Appa  is set in the times of Covid. Lock Down restrictions are in place. People are stuck at home. It was in the time a group of grown-up men decided to revive gully cricket (kandam cricket) to kill time. The movie revolves around their encounters in the cricket and game is not just a game for the men as it proceeds.

Filmmaker Zakariya Mohammed plays the lead as Wahid. Wahid has decided to quit his job in Bangalore but has not informed his family yet. Amidst the uncertain future, the game came as a emotional recharge for him. Within few days of his performance, he was able to earn the respect as a excellent player as well as a righteous commentator. But with the entry of Babish (Shamsudheen Mankaranthodi) as rival, Wahid’s supremacy is being questioned. The games that followed turned ‘not fun anymore’, but to ascertain the domination of one over the other and retain hold in the group.

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As the game intensifies, it slowly reveals the ‘real’ character of the everyone. The niceties, facade of goodness slowly strips, while the prejudices, politics, cultural conditioning, and judgments surfaces. It works on the level of religion and social background – the othering narrative. Though a communist, Wahid suffers the dilemma of a lone Muslim player in the group. The constant yearning to carry ‘good Muslim’ identity kills him. At a crucial point in the movie, when decisive game needs to be played and it attains the nature of underdogs versus top dogs in the sense of societal positioning.

Director Shamim Moideen allows a “light-hearted” film to play out these factors in subtle way. The movie satirises, these social demarcations in a slighter vein. The background of Covid has been chosen as an apt setting. The stretches of comedy in between carries these themes in an engaging way.

Zakariya gives decent performance in his full-fledged debut as a lead actor. The performance of the players in the cricket team runs the show. Babish made good attempt as contender to Wahid. Nazlin Jammeela Saleem as Wahid’s wife and Sarasa Balussery as Wahid’s mother are delightful to watch. When Wahid turns to wife, as stressed and hopeless, she gives wisdom, and Nazlin delivers the character with composure.

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Communist Pacha Crew

Direction: Shamim Moideen
Screenplay: Ashif Kakkodi
Producer: Salwan
Cinematography: Shafi Koroth
Editor: Nishad Yusuf
Music: Sreehari K Nair
Cast: Zakariya, Altaf Salim, Naslin Jameela Saleem, Sajin Cherukayil, Sarasa Balussery, Ranji Kangol, Vijilesh, Balan Parakkal, Shamsudheen Mankarathodi, Ashwin Vijayan, Sanandan, Anuroop, Hijas Iqbal, Vineeth Krishnan, Anil K, Kudashanad Kanakam