‘Sheshippu’ review: A promising premise lost in a slow, uneven flow
Sheshippu, directed by Sreejith S. Kumar and Gritto Vincent, attempts to explore the psychological scars of trauma and loneliness through the story of Anju (Meenakshi Jayan) and Pavi (Rajan Pootharakkal), a ghostwriter living in a remote hilly home. While the film’s premise—two broken individuals finding solace in each other—has potential, the execution falters, leaving the audience disengaged more often than captivated.
Set against a solitary backdrop with only three characters, the movie struggles with a sluggish pace that makes its 85-minute runtime feel longer. Scenes linger excessively on the characters’ emotional turmoil, yet fail to translate these inner struggles into compelling cinema. Meenakshi Jayan’s performance as Anju is earnest and technically strong, capturing her character’s anxiety and grief convincingly. However, even her unnerving intensity cannot salvage the narrative, which offers little beyond mood and atmosphere. Rajan Pootharakkal and Rashid Rahman provide competent support, but their contributions are similarly constrained by the thin plot and minimal interactions.
The film does deserve credit for addressing women’s safety and trauma in a realistic manner, and its cinematography and background score create a suitably tense, haunting ambience. Yet, the storytelling relies heavily on implication rather than action, leaving the audience frustrated by the lack of plot progression or meaningful development. The slow-moving story and heavy-handed focus on discomfort make Sheshippu an emotionally taxing watch rather than a gripping psychological drama.
In the end, Sheshippu feels like a missed opportunity: a film that promises depth and introspection but drowns in its own monotony. While some may appreciate its unsettling realism, for most viewers, it’s a dreary and slow experience that struggles to sustain attention.
On a whole, Sheshippu is a conceptually interesting film undone by pacing issues, minimal plot, and excessive bleakness.
