Hridayapoorvam: A Simple Story Straight from the Heart

Amidst firing guns, snorting drugs and shedding violence across films in all languages, it feels heartwarming to hear and witness some genuine moments about life. There is nothing but sheer joy and happiness when Mohanlal (Sandeep Balakrishnan) talks about life.

For instance, there is a sequence where he talks about the journey of life, drawing parallels from a train journey. A scenario where the passenger who is enjoying his ride, has to abruptly get down at the next stop no matter what or be it a sequence of him showcasing his regret of consumption of alcohol and what it took away from his life and finally, where he shares his newfound desire to live and how important a family can be. Moments like this define Sathyan Anthikad’s Hridayapoorvam.

The film doesn't offer you anything extraordinary or give you a mind-blowing twist. 

It's a simple, feel-good drama that maintains a steady pace throughout, and that’s the beauty of it. The film features beautiful conversations that explore life, past, regrets, love, and happiness, which slowly unravel delicate and suppressed emotions. Despite its shallow writing in a few parts, the performances from all the artists make up for it.

Sangeeth Pratap (Jerry Thomas) is the show stealer. His comic timing and dialogue delivery add so much value to the film. It almost feels like this character was written with him in mind. Sandeep is a heart transplant patient and Jerry plays a male nurse who takes care of him. They have a Tom & Jerry-like bond, which’s fun and playful. While their relationship provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, their bond gradually develops into a meaningful one, ultimately leaving us with a sense of satisfaction.

Malavika Mohanan as Prabha Matthews delivers her career-best performance. She has a solid role to play and she carries it beautifully as the story revolves around her character. Prabha experiences a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the films. Her character is complex, having multiple feelings. For instance, the relationship with her dad, an army officer who is deployed at the border, is just explained in a small scene. But the impact is immense. The way she shares about the time they spent together, the voice notes they shared explain the bond they have. Although her relationship with her mother is polar opposite and they are mostly never on good terms. With her marriage being stopped mid-way, life seems to fall apart, but she finds her mental peace in Sandeep, the man who has her dad’s heart. Their two-week journey in the bustling city of Pune is captured aesthetically by Anu Moothedath. While they explore the city, they try to understand themselves better, speaking about some intricate moments of life, which is extremely heartwarming to watch on screen. The film celebrates the tiny moments in life, for instance, when Sandeep cuts a cake for the first time in his life on his birthday, which brings him a sense of joy he hasn’t experienced before.  

Mohanlal's performance is unparalleled. At this point, there is nothing left for this legend to do, and yet he delivers such a controlled performance that hits all the right chords. After coming from a blockbuster success of Thudarum, he delivers a calm and rooted performance. When you have an actor like him, you don't really need flashbacks to convey the events that take place in his life; just his eyes are enough for us to witness what the character has been through. 

Malavika’s Mother is played by Sangita(Deepa Nair) who also delivers a solid performance. Much like how Prabha finds her solace within Sandeep, Deepa quenches her thirst for validation and empathy, which she never received from her husband, through Sandeep. The two-week stay adds so much sense, purpose and joy to her life, despite her chaotic quotient with Prabha.

In today’s world, there is a huge pressure to deliver an interval block with a bang. This one does in its own style. What starts as a visit from a heart transplant patient to the donor family almost turns into a love triangle between Sandeep, Deepa and Prabha.

As much as this love triangle seems problematic, it is not actually on screen. At one point in the film, you start to think, wait, what? Is this really happening? When Sandeep develops feelings for Prabha, a whole song is dedicated to this aspect. This makes you think, where is this film heading? But gladly, the film does not take that unwanted turn and handles the situation well. The songs and the action sequence towards the end of the film don't significantly contribute to the plot and hinder the film's overall value. But despite these hiccups in the second half, the core emotions and drama work, resulting in a wholesome ending for each character.

Also Read: Coolie: When Aura Outshines the Script

What begins as an unenthusiastic journey of a heart-transplant patient's visit to the donor’s family turns into a beautiful experience, which eventually results in him not having the heart to leave the city and the family. Much like Sandeep, I did not want the movie to finish as well, as the title Hridayapoorvam states; this one was straight from the heart.

Verdict: A heartfelt, feel-good drama that thrives on emotions, relationships and stellar performances.