A Light-Hearted Comedy Anchored by Earnest Turns

Wearing its heart lightly, Flask blends humour and reflection to tell a story of duty and the delicate shift from indifference to empathy, even if in a somewhat simplistic manner

- VIVEK SANTHOSH

Rahul Riji Nair's Flask opens on a light note, with constable Jyoti Kumar taking the stage at a temple ground to sing Ouseppachan's classic melody 'Nee En Sarga Soundaryame', still in his police uniform because the troupe manager forgot to bring the shirt he was meant to change into. Played with warmth and gentle humour by Saiju Kurup, Jyoti is a man who once dreamt of singing, but now finds himself in khaki more out of circumstance than choice. A blunder on duty, out of his love for the likes of the melodies of the legendary Johnson master, puts him at risk of suspension or a tougher posting. Instead, he is assigned as the Personal Security Officer to District Judge Venkitesh Balaji, a man as rigid as the law he serves.

Among the force, this role is often mocked as 'Flask', a reference to the flask typically seen hanging from the PSO's shoulder as they follow the judge everywhere. Jyoti's easy-going manner and misplaced priorities soon clash with the order and precision expected of him. It is a pairing ripe for conflict, and the film draws out their dynamic with grace and understated wit.