Sadayam

Sibi Malayil's 1992 Malayalam film follows Sathyanathan, sentenced to death for killing four people. He waits in his cell and shows no remorse. Flashbacks open up the reason. The film does not excuse the killing but lets Sathyanathan's reasoning be heard; the narrative opens the death penalty to direct argument and leaves the viewer in an uncomfortable place. Mohanlal leads. The screenplay is by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. The tone is heavy and music sparingly used. Who it's for: viewers of the classics of Malayalam cinema. Who it's not for: viewers for whom the killing of children and capital punishment would be difficult.