Before the Indian subcontinent faced the horrendous outbreak of COVID-19 that took the lives of many, it also faced the horrible epidemic of the Nipah Virus in Kerala’s southern state. Though it didn’t spread out to be a deadly epidemic, it did cost the lives of many loved ones and was a huge fatality to the state and the country.
The film industry is known for documenting real-life issues into a cinematic experience to understand the grave situation better.One such production commenced just before the nationwide lockdown was the Malayalam movie Virus which was later dubbed in Telugu and released as Nipah Virus.
A visual depiction of the epidemic, the Nipah Virus, was a film that denoted the emotional struggle of fighting away the deadly virus.
Released in July 2019, a month after the original Malayalam version of the virus was released, the film garnered much-awaited attention from the audience. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Nipah Virus was written by MuhsinParari, Sharfu, and Suhas and directed by Aashiq Abu. Rajeev Ravi headed a multi-starrer film of KunchackoBoban, Tovino Thomas, Asif Ali, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rahman, Indrajith Sukumaran, Indrans, SoubinShahir, SreenathBhasi, DileeshPothan, Rima Kallingal, Madonna Sebastian, RamyaNambeeshan, Joju George, and Revathi, giving outstanding performances, the phenomenal cinematography and the film was edited by SaijuSreedharan.
Nipah Virus is a well-crafted and articulated film that deserves a new addition to the curated list of virus movies online.
The film opens with a man named Zakariya Mohammed, who later was known as patient zero, being admitted to the Government Medical College, Khizokhade, where he died from an unknown virus. The medical staff who helped him soon begin to show similar symptoms, which cautions the hospital staff. Upon research and lab tests, the source was identified to be the Nipah Virus. It was later revealed that patient zero contaminated the virus from a flying fox at the end of the film.
The increasing death counts alerted the Government officials who worked hard to contain and eradicate the virus before it spreads all around and causes more havoc.
The film cinematically documents the reports and cases of the outbreak, which stormed the region and nation.
Nipah Virus is an emotional watch with various thriller elements, and how the characters succeed in bringing Kerala back to stability forms the rest of the plot.
The phenomenal cinematography and camera work did justice to deliver the director’s vision and add that emotional touch to every scene, which would keep the audience’s hooked. The poignant background score and music add to the meditative mood making the movie a reflective and emotional thriller.
The director deserves to produce an engaging thriller of the deadly virus that caused many fatalities in the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. His storytelling and direction perfectly describe the emotional turmoil and havoc in the state and perfectly draw out his audience’s compassion and emotion.
Nipah Virus is a must-watch if you love scientific or realistic plots; it adds a bit more humanity and emotions with its phenomenal storytelling to be an honorable mention in any must-watch movies online lists.
