Photographer:
Now and then, there appear movies in Tamil cinema which do not follow the usual formula of audience entertainers, and ‘Photographer’ happens to be one such movie. The film directed by Ashraf A., who is also the lead protagonist of the movie, comprises aspects of fantasy, mystery and thriller genres.
The basic setup is interesting. Photography becomes more than just a profession here — it is closely tied to the mystery at the centre of the story. The film keeps dropping little clues and strange moments, making you wonder what is actually happening and where the story is heading.
What I liked is that Photographer doesn’t reveal everything immediately. It wants you to stay with the mystery rather than spoon-feed every answer. Some of the ideas around photography and the supernatural/fantasy angle are genuinely intriguing. There’s a certain eerie quality running through the film, especially when the story starts connecting seemingly unrelated incidents.
Ashraf A’s performance is fairly restrained, which works for the character. Janani Samathanam gets some good moments, while Karunakaran brings his familiar presence without completely turning the film into a comedy track. Aadukalam Naren, Vela Ramamoorthy and Nizhalgal Ravi add weight to the supporting portions.
However, there are certain flaws in the plotline of this movie. At times the pace of events seems rather slow and some scenes go by a little too long. Moreover, at times there are some obvious instances of the writers trying to convey something through their film.
However, it should be noted that Photographer does deserve praise for the attempt to do something different. This movie is not the kind of thriller that constantly keeps throwing the viewer twists every ten minutes. This thriller creates an atmosphere and manages to draw the audience into this world.
In case one likes Tamil mystery thrillers with fantasy and supernatural elements and stories that require one to connect the dots, this one is definitely worth a try on Prime Video. One will need to put down his or her expectations from a glossy and budget thriller and enjoy the experience.
Verdict: An unusual kind of Tamil mystery thriller with an original idea and a couple of interesting concepts. Uneven at times, yet worth watching.
