The Fahadh Faasil-Nazriya starrer Trance which released in Kerala in February is now streaming on Amazon Prime. The film, directed by Anwar Rasheed, was one of the most anticipated releases of 2020.
The film is about a motivational speaker who becomes a conman pastor in an organisation that is out to fool the masses by using religion as a drug. There are several well-known actors in the cast, apart from Fahadh and Nazriya. These include Soubin, Chemban Vinod Jose, Dileesh Pothan, Vinayakan, Srinda Arhaan and others. Director Gautham Menon also plays an important role in the film. Dileesh Pothan, also a director, is known for his excellent work with Fahadh. Their two films together - Maheshinte Prathikaram and Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum - are highly acclaimed.
While the first saw Fahadh playing the role of a man who takes on an absurd challenge, he played a nameless thief in the second. Trance, despite the hype, received mixed reviews upon release. Several found the second half of the film to be repetitive and confusing. However, Fahadh's acting was unanimously praised.
The film is a scathing criticism on organised religion. Written by Vincent Vadakkan, Trance suggests that religion is a mental illness because of the grip it has on people. There are several scenes in the film which draw a parallel to both.
While Fahadh plays the lead role of Viju Prasad, Nazriya plays Esther Lopez. The pairing drew a lot of interest before the film's release because this was the first time that the two actors were performing in the same film post their wedding in 2014. They were previously seen together in Bangalore Days where they played a couple in a troubled marriage. Nazriya took a short break after that and came back to cinema with Anjali Menon's Koode.
To understand the various layers in Trance, watch the film and come back here: