Hey Jude Review: Trisha shines in a charming launchpad

These words encapsulate everything about this romantic drama, so much so, that at the end of the film, the audience is left with the thought that emotions are indeed complicated. Director Shyamprasad takes us into the world of Jude who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome (which makes one difficult to have social interactions and restricts ones’ interests) right from the very first scene. Jude is someone who loves to do a thesis on jelly fish, clown fish, gold fish and other creatures in the ocean, and in fact his life time dream is to own a salt-water aquarium. 

If someone gives us a number, either we write it down or forget about it. But Jude is different. Say ‘60’, and his mind starts working crazy, thinking about the multiples of the number, how many hexagons it can create, angles in a circle and more. 

The director takes some time to establish the characters - from Jude’s dad Dominic (Siddique), an antique store owner who makes business by lying through his teeth to his customers, and his sister Andrea who always roams with her friends, to his mother (Neena Kurup) who only thinks about her son’s well-being. Jude’s aunt Olivia’s demise brings his family to an Anglo-Indian house located on the outskirts of Goa. Jude, who always lives in his own world, gradually finds the company of his new neighbours, Sebastian (Vijay Menon) and his daughter Crystal (Trisha), fascinating. 

In fact, it’s Crystal who ignites the spark of friendship between her and Jude and understands that he is going through something. The rest of the story is about how both shed their own fear, and how Jude learns to live life in a free-spirited way. Well-written characters backed up with a suitable cast are the core strength of the film. Nivin Pauly’s performance as an intelligent boy who lacks confidence, allows us to get emotionally invested in how he changes over the course of the film. His look, unique speech, and the body language that he carries throughout the film show how intelligent he is, as an actor, too. 

Though the film is titled Hey Jude, the story isn’t just about him. The struggles Crystal goes through within her own self is as complicated as Jude’s. She owns a cafe where she also sings with her band of boys.  

Crystal is eccentric at times, and only that helps Jude to revive himself. After being in this industry for almost two decades, Trisha has put in all her experience in her Malayalam debut to perfect this bold, confident, complicated, charming and free-spirited role. 

While Trisha has proved herself as a bankable star in Kollywood and Tollywood, this film will open doors for another run in Malayalam industry. There are scenes when you will reach out for some tissues but they’re also peppered with laughs to make it well-balanced, poetic, coupled with a strong message. While the editing and cinematography are as pleasant as Goa’s picturesque locales, the screenplay of the film looked a tad stretched. Also, the film is more like Taare Zameen Par, where Sebastian’s role is very similar to Aamir’s, and Dominic’s to that of Vipin Sharma’s (the one who plays Ishaan’s father in TZP). But this film has its own charm, and makes us appreciate life no matter how complicated it may get, much like how the film’s charming lead pair.

Cast: Nivin Pauly, Trisha, Siddique, Neena Kurup, Vijay Menon, Aju Varghese 

Directed by: Shyamprasad 

Music: Ouseppachan, M Jayachandran, Gopi Sundar, Rahul Raj 

Synopsis:  A heartwarming tale of two odd individuals Jude (Nivin Pauly) and Crystal (Trisha Krishnan) who find solace in each other’s company, rediscover themselves after unexpected turn of events    

Rating: 3/5