IFFK 2025: ‘Shavapetti’ is a disturbing unraveling of trauma responses 

Married couple, Alwin and Priya, are stuck in a loveless relationship following the death of their daughter. The duo’s exchanges turn confrontational when they speak to each other, with plates flung onto the floor, every time their argument appears to be at an impasse. Their fights are followed by dispassionate intercourse, which ultimately culminates in a tiresome, dissatisfying ordeal.

One day, Alwin’s and Priya’s fight grows into more than what Priya could endure. She leaves the house only to return as a changed woman, one who appears happy and smiling. She cooks, cleans, and constantly tries to please Alwin — pleasantly staying away whenever Alwin picks up a fight with her. A suspicious Alwin questions her sudden change in behaviour, to which Priya tells him what she did to accept the loss of their daughter, asking Alwin to do the same if he wants to move on with his life.

Shavapetti by Rinoshun K was screened at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in the Malayalam Cinema Today category.

The 102-minute-long film offers an intriguing exploration into trauma through the two protagonists. While Alwin constantly tries to fill the void in his life, holding on to whatever little he can of his lost daughter, Priya attempts to let go of whatever is left of her daughter, as her remnants evoke pain in her. These two mindsets clash as they try to cope with the loss of the same individual.

Alwin, played by Saran Sunder, puts up a convincing act as the hurting father. His character exudes a sense of recklessness, as demonstrated through multiple sequences in which he loses his composure at the slightest inconvenience. He represents a deeply flawed male who turns to aggression in the moment of vulnerability, not knowing how to express himself without losing his temper.

Priya, played by Pooja Sreenan, beautifully portrays a mother who has lost her child. Following her restrained performance in the first half, she displays a certain level of eccentricity, as she appears happy in the second half. She carries an aura of eeriness, which is justified by the film’s ending.

The movie is mostly told through Alwin’s perspective, which is disturbed and unstable, as demonstrated by the makers through the rough camera movements, which later become stable when the story is told from Priya’s perspective.

The film carries a disturbing tone throughout, as the audience attempts to uncover a secret that has been buried. The use of light, its absence, and presence, represents a human life full of vitality placed in contrast to a struggle for survival.

This is Rinoshun K’s sixth feature film and third Malayalam feature. His earlier films, Five First Dates (2023) and Velicham Thedi (2024), were officially selected for the IFFK and several other festivals.