Sarkeet Movie Review: Asif Ali's stirring performance anchors this heartwarming ride

New Indian Express

09-05-2025

There's something beautiful about watching Asif Ali crying on screen. At the risk of sounding sadistic, Asif does have the knack for convincingly portraying emotional moments. What makes it all the more special is that he acquired this knack through years of constant chiseling of his abilities. We have seen him ace emotionally charged moments in films like Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (2016), Uyare (2019), Kettyolaanu Ente Malakha (2019), Kishkindha Kaandam (2024), etc. And with Sarkeet, he takes it a notch higher. The film rides high on Asif's beautifully understated performance and his rapport with child actor Orhan.
Director: Thamar KV
Cast: Asif Ali, Orhan, Deepak Parambol, Divya Prabha, Swathi Das Prabhu, Prasanth Alexander
Like his directorial debut 1001 Nunakal (2022), Thamar KV has chosen a Gulf backdrop for Sarkeet. Ameer (Asif Ali) is on his second visit to the Gulf, but is yet to find a job. He faces constant setbacks during interviews, yet tries to hold the hope of a better future. Parallely, we also see a middle-class couple trying hard to find their work-life balance. Balu (Deepak Parambol) and Stephy (Divya Prabha) are extremely stressed with their jobs, but their biggest worry is their son Jefron aka Jeppu. He is shown as an unruly child who is diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and it is clear that the parents aren't equipped enough to handle him. And that's when Ameer unceremoniously enters their lives.
Sarkeet brings back pleasant memories of Kamal's sweet little film Pookkalam Varavayi (1991), starring Jayaram and Baby Shamili, especially how the heartwarming relationship between a child and an adult is depicted. The kids in both films crave love and care, which they eventually get from strangers. Though Ameer finds himself stuck with Jeppu, he handles the child with a lot of warmth and patience. He understands the child better and acts like a guardian, probably because he knows the value of a father figure. This minute detail about Ameer's past adds depth to the character and his bond with the child. Orhan's role and his antics might come across as irksome, but that's the nature of the character, and he plays it effectively.
Deepak Parambol and Divya Prabha also deliver sincere performances, despite their limited scope. While there was immense scope for melodrama, Thamar shows restraint in depicting the couple's rocky lives. We see them leading their lives mechanically, without even smiling at each other. While the father is clueless about his son's disorder, Stephy, despite being a nurse, doesn't seem to know any better. Their only solution seems to be locking him up, which ultimately leads to all the chaos. The film is a reminder of how parents have the responsibility to not just provide but also nurture.
Thamar, being a Gulf Malayali himself, paints a realistic picture of life there. Interestingly, he keeps the melodrama of expat struggle to a minimum. Instead, we see the harsh reality of broke youngsters, who resort to shady jobs like distributing visiting cards of massage parlours, and even exploiting people by making them work for free in the pretext of interviews. There's also the other side, like a hotel owner serving Ameer free food. It is not something we haven't seen before, but it is important to reiterate the power of goodness.
After an engaging first hour, Sarkeet loses a bit of steam and starts going in circles, especially with Ameer's struggles with Jeppu's growing tantrums. While their encounters are mostly realistic, Thamar's treatment becomes oddly cinematic during two episodes—when Ameer tries to engage the child with shadowplay and later during stargazing. The dialogues in these scenes are too pretentious for a child to decipher. It felt like the characters were addressing the audience rather than conversing amongst themselves. Despite all this, Asif, Orhan, and their wonderful chemistry manage to keep things alive.
The sarkeet (outing) initially comes across as a much-needed getaway for the child, but as the night progresses, we see Ameer also momentarily forgetting all his troubles and enjoying his time. In a broader sense, the film can also offer a similar experience if you're just willing to overlook some flaws.