It goes back and forth between multiple time periods, beginning with the 60s. I liked how the film plays around with story structure instead of the textbook ‘biopic’ approach. Considering that the real Kurup was said to be wealthy and flamboyant with connections in high places, there is much space for creative liberties and making some plot developments seem plausible. I can imagine many of us wondering whether Sukumara Kurup was as stylish or daring as Sudhakara Kurup in real-life. Sukumara Kurup becomes Sudhakara Kurup the victim, Chacko, becomes Charlie (a top Malayalam star in a cameo) the cop, Haridas, becomes Krishnadas (Indrajith Sukumaran) and Sarasamma becomes Sharada Kurup. Whatever you see may or may not have happened. As for what happened later, the film branches off into a parallel universe. Since the makers haven’t used the real names here, they can take the story to whichever place they want to as long as it stays true to the actual case, which it does. Do I believe everything shown in it? Not really. Does the film do justice to the actual events? Yes. But like him, Sudhakara Kurup indulges in his share of fraudulent activity. The only difference is, Frank Abagnale Jr. I would say Kurup created in me a similar impact. One of my favourite films about real-life con artists is Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.
What were the impulses that drove the man? How does his family feel about the whole thing? How does his victim’s family feel about it? I can only imagine. Everyone familiar with the case’s elementary aspects has been curious about the devious brain that orchestrated a chilling murder in 1984 and has been absconding ever since. I’ve been drawn to true crime stories right from my childhood, and the Sukumara Kurup episode-Kerala police’s most embarrassing case -has found a permanent fixture in my head. Two, seeing Dulquer do a sequel/reboot of his father’s film, even though Kurup has nothing to do with that one. One, seeing the story of ‘India’s most wanted fugitive’ realised on the big screen, on the grandest scale imaginable. So, in my mind, Kurup fulfilled two of my wishes. Im not giving anything away when I say that at one point in Kurup, Sudhakara Kurup (Dulquer Salmaan) assumes a name shared by an iconic character played by Mammootty in the 90s.