Ariyippu Trailer: The Kunnchako Boban Malayalam Movie will air December 16 on Netflix

Ariyippu, Mahesh Narayanan’s next film starring Kunnchako Boban, just got a trailer and a release date. After touring the film festival circuit in August, Netflix bought the rights to it, making it platform exclusive, available to stream from December 16. Set in New Delhi during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film follows a struggling couple – working in a medical glove factory – dreaming of emigrating out of the country for a better life. But when an old video resurfaces among the workers, it threatens to ruin their relationship, reputation and job.

The Ariyippu trailer opens with an introduction to the life of the Malayali couple, starting with the factory worker and his wife Reshmi (Divya Prabha), who not only lack Hindi experience, but are constantly watched by her boss. “Why are you wearing a ring?” Asks the anonymous character of Faisal Malik according to a standard protocol, to avoid contamination problems. “Sir, it won’t come off. Please tell him, sir,” she responds in her native tongue, as we are treated to footage of her running her hand under soapy water and struggling to get it off. He then cuts to show his family situation, a small run-down apartment complex, where a family of three resides. Husband Hareesh (Boban) takes center stage here, as we see him trying to secure visas for the couple to emigrate out of the country for a better life. Things are even more difficult now because they are taking place at the height of the confinements.

Ariyippu: Netflix buys the film Kunnchako Boban Malayalam from director Mahesh Narayanan

“You will have to wait for the visa. I never said anything about a refund,” an office worker tells him, while Boban thinks he’s being scammed. “Stay put for now. At least you have a job. Imagine my situation. Ariyippu’s trailer then reveals some inner workings of the glove factory, which involves used/contaminated materials, and a presumably misleading video of a masked Reshmi offering oral sex to a colleague. Naturally, Hareesh rushes home to question his wife, forming the first significant breach in their relationship. “Reshmi, don’t lie to me! This video was shot at B-block’s beading station. People saw you got there,” he shouts. The tension continues in their workplace, as somehow the boss gained access to the incriminating video.

The couple are in legal trouble, with local cops believing this is enough evidence to end their lives. “You shot those first two videos, right? And your wife was playing in them. That’s part of the evidence!” a senior police officer (Sidharth Bhardwaj) informs them. Ariyippu’s trailer then turns into a montage of our leads trying to break into the plant’s security systems and find out the truth about the whole situation and the mistreatment of its employees.” Actually, I want the police to come here and investigate,” Reshi’s colleague (Loveleen Mishra) told Hareesh. “But they shouldn’t be questioning Reshmi, but the system here.”

“Ariyippu’s (Declaration) journey has been absolutely rewarding and fulfilling so far. I’m thrilled with the response the film has received at various film festivals around the world and now that it has found its way to Netflix, I look forward to audiences around the world watching the film and their reactions. The film is about the pandemic and the story of a couple and their fight to survive,” director Narayanan said in a prepared statement.

Ariyippu will be available to stream on December 16 on Netflix.

---