The coming-of-age genre is prevalent in south Indian cinema, and Malayalam directors have produced some successful films in this genre. This genre includes the recently released Vineeth Sreenivasan film Hridayam, featuring Pranav Mohanlal in the lead role. Veyil, directed and written by newbie Sarath Menon, attempts to convey the story of Sidharth (Shane Nigam), who has a difficult life in contrast to Hridayam’s Arun Neelakandan, who has it easy in life. Sarath attempts to depict the life of a small child raised by a single mother under challenging circumstances and financial difficulties. The film also delves into Sidharth’s relationship with his own brother Karthik, who are like chalk and cheese.

Veyil, which means “sunshine,” is figuratively used as light in one’s life, and the film depicts the life of a lost and irresponsible man who sees his life unravel in front of his eyes, and how he ultimately finds some light in his life.

The film is told in flashbacks when Sidharth, who now appears to be at peace with his life, returns to his house and mother. The film then depicts Sidharth’s prior life, beginning with his high school days. Sidharth is portrayed as a typical carefree adolescent who is uninterested in schoolwork, as seen by his repeated twelfth grade after a failed attempt. Sidharth, on the other hand, is unconcerned with his schoolwork and spends most of his time hanging out with a close friend. Sidharth’s mother is portrayed as a stereotypical mother figure who is constantly moaning and unhappy at her younger son for his aimless, risky behavior. Her approach to her elder son Karthik, on the other hand, is different because he is a studious, soft-spoken young man. Karthik is also depicted as having health concerns from birth, which is established in the film through numerous talks and occurrences.

Despite the fact that Sidharth is rebellious and reckless, while his brother is well-mannered and mature, both appear to have a tacit connection and admiration for one another. Sidharth is depicted steadily falling in love with Sruthi, a girl from a wealthy family, as the film continues. Despite the fact that the love sequences between Sidharth and Sruthi are presented in clichéd ways such as tiny disagreements, cute chats, and a little drama, the actors’ performances make those scenes refreshing. Things take a turn for the worse, however, when Sidharth discovers that his brother is also secretly in love with Sruthi. Sidharth gets further dragged down the path of depression and meaninglessness as a result of this. The film then depicts Sidharth becoming entangled in several troubles after his mother is duped by a fraudulent real estate company. The film also depicts how Sidharth’s melancholy, anarchic state of mind is exploited by a crafty politician, played by James Eliya, who appears to be Sruthi’s uncle. A subplot involving Sidharth’s brother Karthik and a mentally challenged youngster is also cleverly exploited by the director to create an unexpected ending. The film moves slowly via occurrences that aren’t overly dramatic, but illustrate Sidharth’s character’s emotional state. Veyil lacks unique moments of excitement or intense emotions, yet the film’s classic narrative structure is admirable.

The slow-burning drama, on the other hand, struggles to retain its intensity due to repetitious shots and a lethargic pace. The director was excellent in establishing the mental pressures encountered by characters as a result of their circumstances, whether it was the sorrow of a single mother raising two sons, Sidharth’s undesired and unloved feeling, or Karthik’s helplessness as a result of his health concerns. The premise of the film felt like a mash-up of subplots from other films, including Kammattipadam, Valyaperunnal, and Second Show, among others. Veyil also reminded me of a toned-down version of the cult Tamil film Subramaniapuram. The film’s climactic shot of Sidharth and the mentally challenged man clutching each other while enjoying in the sun emphasizes the title Veyil.

Shane Nigam plays the character of a broken hero with conviction once more. His continuous melancholy expression complements Sidharth’s various facets, who has fought with and carried a lot of suppressed emotions throughout his life. Sona Olickal, who played Sidharth’s love interest Sruthi, looked fresh, despite the weird dubbing at times. The performance of James Eliya as an ambitious and calculated politician is a master class in method acting. Sreerekha, who plays Radha, Radha’s emotionally volatile mother, is likewise believable. Geethi Sangeetha, best known for her role in Churuli, gives a brief but dramatic performance as the mother of the mentally challenged child in the film. Newcomer Saed Imran, who played Sidharth’s brother, also did a good job. Shine Tom Chako’s role in the picture is restrained, in contrast to his recent films, and there isn’t much room for this excellent actor to shine.

Shaz Mohammed’s cinematography complements the film’s realistic narrative style. Pradeep Kumar’s music, particularly the song “Pacha Rap” at the beginning of the film, is refreshing.