Muhammad Musthafa directed Kappela, a 2020 Malayalam action thriller, and it’s a story of mistaken identities and a phone relationship that descends into problems. Anna Ben, Sreenath Bhasi, and Roshan Mathew are the main actors in Kappela. The film is set in Wayanad’s villages and Kozhikode city. Vishnu Venu produced Kappela for Kadhaas Untold, while Sushin Shyam did the music and Jimshi Khalid the cinematography. Kappela was released as the very first wave of COVID-19 began. It was well received because of its message, powerful acting, and how Musthafa directed it, and this resulted in a Telugu version of the story called Butta Bomma.
Main Cast Members
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Anna Ben | Jessy |
| Sreenath Bhasi | Roy |
| Roshan Mathew | Vishnu |
| Sudhi Koppa | Benny |
| Tanvi Ram | Annie (Roy’s cousin) |
| Vijilesh Karayad | Riyas (Roy’s friend) |
| Nisha Sarang | Mary (Jessy’s mother) |
| James Eliya | Varghese (Jessy’s father) |
| Nilja K Baby | Lakshmi (Jessy’s friend) |
| Muhammad Musthafa | Abu |
| Sudheesh | Father Gabriel |
| Salam Bappu | (Supporting role) |
| Navas Vallikkunnu | (Supporting role) |
Budget and Collection Table
| Category | Amount (₹ Cr) |
|---|---|
| Budget | Not Available (TBA) |
| India Net Collection | 0.68 |
| India Gross | 0.80 |
| Overseas | 0.00 |
| Worldwide Gross | 0.80 |
Verdict and Reviews
The movie Kappela got good reviews from critics. They liked how the movie Kappela told a story chose the right actors and made everyday things exciting. Sajin Shrijith from The New Indian Express gave the movie Kappela 4 out of 5 stars. Said it was a great example of Malayalam cinema. Gulf News liked the characters. How the story was told in the movie Kappela. Baradwaj Rangan from Film Companion South noted how the movie Kappela showed life in a great way. Users rated the movie Kappela around 4.64 out of 10 on some platforms. It did well in festivals. Anna Ben won the Best Actress award and Muhammad Musthafa won the Best Debut Director award at the Kerala State Film Awards. The movie Kappela also won the SIIMA Best Actress award for Anna Ben and a National Award for production design by Anees Nadodi at the National Film Awards. Even though the movie Kappela did not play in theaters for long it did well on OTT platforms and became a hit.
Platforms and Box Office Release
The film Kappela had its first showing at theaters on March 6 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic which caused all theaters to close resulted in extremely limited time for the movie to show in theaters. The movie Kappela earned ₹ 0.68 Cr. during its first week of showing in India after collecting ₹0.20 Cr. on its first day and £0.10 Cr. on its second day and ₹0.15 Cr. on its third day and ₹0.05 Cr. on its fourth day and ₹0.08 Cr. on its fifth day and ₹0.10 Cr. during its final two days. Kappela was screened at the International Film Festival of India and the International Film Festival of Kerala, which allowed the film to obtain more recognition and prestige by the virtue of its participation in the two festivals. The film Kappela performed poorly in international markets but it achieved success on streaming services which led to the production of a Telugu language remake of the film.
Theme Exploration
The movie Kappela explores themes of trust, deception and the dangers of relationships in the age especially for innocent women from rural areas who are navigating the city. The story of the movie Kappela warns against trusting people you meet on the phone and it shows how a wrong phone call can lead to trouble. The movie Kappela critiques how men can be weak sometimes without being too preachy. It uses suspense to show how important it is for women to be safe when they meet strangers. The movie Kappela also shows the contrast between urban areas with innocence on one side and cunning on the other. The character Roy does something and flips our expectations. The movie Kappela also talks about the pressure to get married and the difficulties of hardship making it relatable and cautionary. The theme of the movie Kappela is important in today’s era of dating and it reminds us to be careful when we talk to people online.
Conclusion
Malayalam cinema attains its artistic vision in a unique manner through Kappela which blends novel ways of story narration and its professional cast. The eternal presence of Kappela on OTT platforms and its multiple award nominations suggest that the movie will continue to be available to thriller lovers who want to watch quality movies. The movie Kappela caters to the tastes of the viewers who prefer watching action thriller movies with intriguing and well-knit storylines.
