We always rue the fact that there is no space for small films in Malayalam these days. Films should star either of the two superstars to get a decent run at the box office. This kind of situation sounds pathetic and was unimaginable two decades ago. On the flipside, however, you may say that there are no gutsy filmmakers inventive enough to try subjects not packaged for superstars.

So, you feel happy when a film like Kisan, directed by Sibi Malayil, makes it to theatres after lying in the cans for years. You walk in smiling, then come out with the realisation of why the trade is cynical of such projects. Not only are the production values dismal, even the treatment of the subject is tacky. One 4 the People may succeed, riding piggyback on Jassie Gift's music (there is nothing in common between these films, except that they are small and have no big stars).

What is Kisan about, you may ask. In a nutshell, it is a localised version of Aamir Khan's [Images] Oscar-nominated Lagaan [Images]. The difference is Kisan is about a football match between agri-labourers and their feudal lords.

The plot itself is contrived and implausible in a highly urbanised and literate state like Kerala [Images]. It may have worked in agrarian times or even 15 to 20 years ago, but not today. The storyline has every possible cliche in the book: a patriarch with a soul, his money-minded son and a lecherous grandson. On the other side, there is a foreign-educated good grandson who is chummy with the labourers. A few labourers are played by known faces like Kalabhavan Mani and Bhavana, while the others are all anonymous.

Kalabhavan Mani is supposedly the soul of this movie -- an unenthusiastic, hardworking farm hand and champion footballer (a fact established in the beginning, which becomes a spoiler in the climax). When compared to what he does here, his acting in films like Ben Johnson and Malsaram can be called excellent. On the other hand, Biju Menon -- as the London-educated grandson of the patriarch and childhood friend of Mani -- is sincere, but deserves a part that's better etched.

Bhavana as Mani's sister is shown reciting English nursery rhymes as if to prove she is well versed in the language. She walks through her bubbly part without any major hitch. Geetu Mohandas as the betel-chewing cousin-cum-fiancee of Biju Menon manages to extract some giggles from viewers. Thilakan is wasted in the role of patriarch, whose importance comes into being only at the fag end of the film. And yes, Risa Bava and Nishant Sagar fill in the villainous quotient. 

Kisan could have worked if it were technically superior and based on firmer narrative ground. Coming from a director of Sibi Malayil's stature though, it is a complete disappointment.

Rediff Rating: