IF Demon Made 10-15 years ago, it might not have been as aggressive as it is now. After all, most films have perpetuated misguided and abusive representations of LGBTQIA+ characters, across languages. But in 2022, when Indian cinema seemed to have come a long way, Mohanlal’s Demon There is an anomaly, and not in a good way.
The Malayalam film, directed by Vaisakh and written by Udayakrishna, is a tasteless cocktail of clichés, stereotypes, lack of research and lazy writing. After one of Mohanlal’s biggest hits pulimuruganDirectors and screenwriters reunite with the veteran actor but the result is such that you wish they had not.
Sadly, megastar Mohanlal – a Malayali-speaking sardar – can do little to save the uncompromising screenplay and half-baked characterization of a gay couple, played by Honey Rose and Lakshmi Manchu.
The plot revolves around an entrepreneur from Punjab, Lucky Singh (Mohanlal), who comes to Kerala to seal a real estate deal. Driving him around town is Bhamini (Rose) – coincidentally on her first wedding anniversary – who, for better or worse, is drawn into Lucky’s ‘mysterious’ world (bad for them,
Stigmatizing or misrepresenting gay characters in films is not new. Several films in different languages have been blamed for presenting suggestive, offensive and silly stories aimed at LGBTQIA+ people. But, in 2022, we should know better. And accountability is doubled when a big, influential name heads a mainstream project.
In one scene, gay couples kiss each other while they are being confronted by a police officer. This is to exaggerate their sexual identity. This is one of many misplaced scenes in the film that expose the makers’ distorted understanding of communities. Clearly, little or no thought was put into the making of this project.
As Lucky Singh, Mohanlal tries to infuse humor into the character, but the efforts prove futile due to jittery dialogues. But every time Mohanlal walked out of the scene, issues with the faltering script lay bare. Most of the supporting cast, except Honey Rose, fall apart like dominoes when they are tasked with performing a scene themselves. On many occasions, you wonder whether it is the shoddy screenplay or the underappreciated characterization that deprives the film of any redemption.
Under the guise of making “progressive,” the producers present a poorly researched and written script with an even worse and mind-numbing climax. Demon, made by the cinema giant, does little to satisfy your cinematic hunger. Perhaps, it should have been locked on the reading table.