Urumi

Santosh Sivan's 2011 Malayalam film runs in parallel the story of a sixteenth-century warrior seeking revenge on Vasco da Gama and that of a young man descended from him today. The present-day line is built on the same land being sold to a mining company. The idea is that colonialism has not ended but changed form. Santosh Sivan came up as a cinematographer, which explains the film's strongest quality: the Kerala coast, the battle sequences and the use of colour are extraordinary. The story at times loses its balance between the two periods, and the historical section says openly that it rests on legend. It runs long. Who it's for: viewers who like Indian historical films and visually ambitious productions. Who it's not for: anyone wanting historical accuracy, or avoiding violent content.