Antakshari

Vipin Das's 2022 Malayalam film follows Inspector Das, who is obsessed with music. He plays a song game with everyone, using it as amusement and as punishment alike. Things change when he is forced into a politician's business. A series of killings opens at the same time; the narrative folds the inspector's own weaknesses into the investigation and does not make him a clean hero. Saiju Kurup leads. The songs do work inside the narrative. The violence is sudden and hard. Who it's for: those who like Malayalam thrillers and crime films with unusual construction. Who it's not for: viewers wanting a policeman to like; the film does not supply one.