Lilli

Lilli Story: Lilli's first baby is due in two weeks. One night she is abducted by three men. Who is Lilli, why is she kidnapped, and will she survive?

Lilli Review: She seems vulnerable and helpless in a moment but turns out to be a powerful and courageous woman in the next. 'Lilli' brushes aside the idea that pregnant women, let alone women, are weak and they can't survive in the society's underbelly.

Lilli (Samyuktha Menon) is pregnant and due for delivery in two weeks. One night after a broken phone conversation about her husband’s accident, she steps out of her home, only to be abducted by three men. She is trapped, and the men are here with a purpose. They would go to any extent to know the whereabouts of a little girl. For these men, violence is a way of life. The mystery about Lilli’s connection with the money and the girl they are chasing forms the storyline of the movie.

Samyuktha Menon presents a power packed performance in her lead role. She sustains the emotional core of the movie with her beautiful portrayal of the mysterious Lilli. Directed by Prashobh Vijayan, the movie is well crafted, especially the shots from inside the room where Lilli was trapped. The light falling through a window pane which resembles a womb, a firefly flying over a helpless Lilli and the roots that have penetrated through the wall; all owe it to the technical team. Interesting sequences and flashbacks are narrated cleverly and effectively through excellent cinematography, sound design and editing along with decent acting of the cast.

It's interesting to compare Lilli to another one-woman movie like Anushka Sharma’s NH10. The female-centric movie gives a message of hope for struggling women who are yet to release that there is an unsurpassable power inside them if they have the will to survive. However, the inclusion of demonetisation in the plot seemed unnecessary.

Lilli is a survival drama that is high on violence, at times an overdose of it. Not everyone can stomach it but if you succeed, the film will get you thinking.