1 by Two-A review

Some films keep you at the edge of your seat while some others challenge your grey cells. Seldom has one come across a film that does both.1 by two is such a film. A well-crafted thriller it requires effort on the part of the viewer to make sense of what is unfolding in front of you. Twin brothers HariNarayanan & Ravinarayanan played by Murali Gopy   share an intimate relationship.Harinarayanan meets with a fatal accident & dies while rushing to attend a patient .His twin brother tries to commit suicide overwhelmed by the news of Hari’s death. Things go haywire when Ravi claims that he is Hari & starts behaving like him. Even their businessman father (Azhagar Perumal) claims that it is Hari who survived . Inspector Yusuf Marikar (Fahad Fazil) who chanced upon Hari’s body at the accident site suspects foul play. Yusuf is certain that it is Ravi who has survived & letting him loose will lead to chaos. He sets out to unravel the mystery with a missionary zeal. Which of the brother is dead? Why is Yusuf obsessed with this case? The rest of the movie tries to answer these questions. The fine thriller examines the effect of certain incidents on one’s psyche. The films has some memorable sequences  of  how emotions can  get the better of one’s judgement.Jeyamohan’s fine script is backed by power packed performances by the lead actors, deft editing & stunning cinematography by Jomon Thomas.Gopi Sunder’s background score compliments the storyline. Murali Gopy breathes life to the twin characters he plays. He is at his best during the climax of the movie .Fahad Fazil does justice to his role & brings out the vulnerabilities of the character he essays. Honey Rose gets a meaty role but fails to rise up to the challenge.Shyamaprasad effortlessly plays the role of the Psychiatrist DrCherian.However the film is not without its share of  flaws. The film tries to pack too much for its running time of 2.5 hours.  It drifts through issues ranging from illegal drug testing to transference to the effect of a traumatic incident during childhood on one’s personality.  And Fahad Fazil’s character is inspired by Aamir Khan’s role in Talash.Atleast a couple of Fahad’s sequences are heavily inspired if not rip offs from Talash.1 by Two is definitely worth a try .Some of us might feel  overwhelmed like the characters in the movie. Nevertheless, this film will make you sit back & reflect long after you leave the theater.