Kuttavum Shikshayum, a slow Malayalam movie directed by Rajeev Ravi, centres on a gold robbery that occurs in Kerala’s Idukki area. The movie is based on a gold heist that happened in Kasargod, and Circle Investigator Sibi Thomas was a member of the team that conducted the investigation. In the end, the movie might not be appealing to everyone due to its lack of over the top action or drama. Although its absence intrigued me, particularly given how at odds it is with the police action/drama genre. The reality of police investigations is very different from how they are portrayed, and Kuttavum Shikshayum emphasises the tedium of the job. The second half’s visuals are excellent, and an ominous sense spreads as soon as Kerala Police enter North India. The dusty, deserted roads and the deserted settlements give a Western feeling, as does the background music.
Kuttavum Shikshayum Plot Summary: What The Film Is About?
In Kerala’s Idukki district at midnight, five criminals carry out a theft at a gold jewellery store. The police are alerted the following morning, and Sajan Phillip leads an inquiry. The inoperative CCTV cameras gave off a suspicious vibe. If this was an attempt to collect insurance money, Sajan questioned. Since the proprietor of the business was also the district association secretary and it was a well-known jewellery store, his colleague disregarded the suggestion as implausible. Rahul, the owner’s son, questioned the former employee. He thought Aravindan might have committed the heist in order to exact revenge on the owner. However, after questioning Aravindan, the police learned that they had been blaming him because of a previous dispute the guy had with the owner. Consequently, this lead was also rendered unusable. The forensic experts examined the fingerprints and came to the conclusion that the robbers were unfamiliar and not someone from their database.
The authorities gathered information about the migrant labourers who returned home immediately following the incident. Four employees departed the state, according to information kept by the agent. In the meantime, the cops looked at neighbouring CCTV footage and observed a van that seemed out of place. After taking down the number, they discovered that the vehicle belonged to Mookkhan, a loaner who had given it to a few Hindi males. Mookkhan had leased the car to the North Indian men, who used to trade in ready-to-wear clothing. They were viewed as a respectable family who consistently made on-time rent payments. He presented the police to the landlord of the apartment they were staying in after talking about the event with Mookkhan. Paily turned up their apartment’s keys and photocopies of their IDs to the police. The cops searched the area and discovered remnants of the jewellery store seal. It was a five-person gang, according to Sajan, and they were from the Dhanaganj region of the Dholpur district, which is near the border between Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. They spent four months residing in the rented apartment. Their names and identification cards were all fictitious. The crew also included a woman who served as the homemaker and contributed to the portrayal of a typical family. The people who kept in touch with them while they were in Kerala helped the police pinpoint their position. Sajan was given the go-ahead by the S.P. to go to the location with his team and apprehend the criminals.
The centre locker, which contained 15 kg of gold, could not be opened by the robbers, saving the jewellery store from a serious catastrophe. The authorities were under pressure to track down the robbers since the owner was a powerful member of the local association when they stole close to 2 kg of gold. As a result, an interstate search was necessary, however it was challenging to infiltrate an unfamiliar area.
What Was Sajan Philip s Past?
Sajan Phillip, a Circle Investigator who is traumatised from shooting a civilian, is the protagonist of this story. Sajan fired a shot into the chest of a little boy when a group of protesters began throwing stones at the police. He was protected from prosecution by his coworkers and superiors, but he could not forgive himself for what he had done. He couldn’t sleep because of this occurrence. He repeatedly questioned himself in an attempt to come up with an explanation for his irrational behaviour, but he was never able to do so. In the end, this case offers him a second chance to consider his course of action, even if it means letting go of a suspect. When the Circle Investigator understood that they would need to go to North India in order to return the suspects to Kerala, he felt a tremendous amount of pressure on his shoulders. Sajan Phillip and his team had to enter the violently known town to retrieve the suspects without endangering anyone or stirring up the locals.
Since the audience is aware of Sajan Phillip’s past, a story that centres on him aids in creating a feeling of unease and worry. He is in command of the team, but he constantly questions his past decisions, which heightens the suspense of what might ultimately happen.
Kuttavum Shikshayum Ending Explained: Did The Kerala Police Get Hold Of The Robbers?
CI Sajan Phillip, Senior C.P.O. Rajesh Matthew, S.I. Basheer, C.P.O. Abin, and S.I. Rajeevan made up the team. The cops were able to sense a certain peculiarity as soon as they arrived at Dholapur. A random man began to check inside the car as soon as they parked it for a tea break, raising suspicion. The Kerala Police felt unwelcome because they were strangers and were surrounded by guests. The team was offered assistance by the S.P. at Dholapur, but they were forewarned that the village was violent. The police kept their distance from the community for the next eleven years after an altercation with the people that resulted in deaths. Despite the fact that Dhanaganj fell under their purview, the police opted not to become involved, and the village ran on its own.
Manoj, a police officer at the Dhanaganj police station, agreed to assist them, but the Kerala police had to smuggle in some extra cash to ensure smooth operation. The suspects were identified with the aid of a local as Yadram, who lived outside the village and might have been involved in robbery or dacoity; Sandhu and Sukhram, Yadram’s relatives; and Netram, who was associated with Bajrangi’s illegal alcohol operation. When Manoj contacted Bajrangi, Netram was more easily attracted. Despite giving the police very little information, Netram was nonetheless informally taken into custody by them.
The cops entered the besieged Dhanaganj village to keep off outsiders. They discovered a group of women gathering and encroaching on them shortly after entering. The cops departed the village after seeing the change in the atmosphere. Family relatives of Netram were looking for him and asked the police for assistance. During one of the police’s raids on the village, Netram was able to slip out of the police station through the restroom.
The following night, the Kerala police eventually reached the village with assistance from the Dholapur police, and they took hold of every male who lived there. Furious, the women made an effort to attack the officers. Sajan observed Netram fleeing. Netram sprinted away as he raised his rifle to his head. Sajan decided not to shoot. His traumatic past prevented him from taking any further extreme action. The police recognised the suspects after leaving the village and let the others go. The people gathered in front of the guesthouse where the police were staying while the men were escorted to Kerala. After a few months, Basheer got a call informing him that the men they had detained had been given bail thanks to assistance from the group they were associated with. Ultimately, the police carried out their routine duties and this time they pursued a different suspect.
The suspects remained at large even after the lengthy cat and mouse hunt. Once they were released on bond, the police understood that it would be hard to find them again. However, even though it seemed unfair given the amount of work and the potential danger to their lives, it was the way the system worked. Their job stopped with the arrest. No matter what happened, the men had to keep working and repeatedly put their lives in danger. An intriguing method of doing the job had been mentioned by Basheer. He talked about how he made as few enemies as he could since he couldn’t risk them coming back after retirement to exact revenge on him. In order to expose the truth, Kuttavum Shikshayum removes away the heroism that is typically associated with the police. Sajan questioned who had given him the right to shoot a civilian after he had done so. He was merely an officer performing his duties, but it did not give him the right to kill anyone who dared to spit in their face. The decision to shoot the youngster in the chest rather than the leg may have been made because of his ego and his rage. Kuttavum Shikshayum chooses not to remark on the incident and only briefly mentions it, leaving the audience with much to think about. Some viewers may find the decision to be subtle offensive, but others may find it to their liking.
The distance that the policeman felt from the criminals is created by the fact that we never get to know the suspect or even get a good look at them throughout the movie. One also wonders how many faces the cops even recall given the sheer volume of thefts that take place throughout the city. These are only instances that need to be handled as well as forgotten individuals whose names and identities are lost in case files. In the end, Kuttavum Shikshayum makes fun of the audience for possibly anticipating a dramatic climax but instead being left with little to no action and almost no repercussions.
Rajeev Ravi is the director of the 2022 drama-thriller Kuttavum Shikshayum.
