Level Cross is a slow-burning dark psychological thriller from India. With many twists and turns, this suspenseful drama primarily focuses on three individuals and their life tales.
Originally shot in the Malayalam language (Kerala) of India, this film has been dubbed in different Indian languages. Interestingly, it is India’s first feature film to be shot in Tunisia.
‘Level Cross’ – A Disturbing Psychological Thriller That Delves Deep Into The Minds Of Manipulative Criminal (s)
Spoiler Free Review of the Level Cross (2024/India) Movie
The trailer
The synopsis
Raghu ((Asif Ali) is the gatekeeper at a deserted Railway level crossing, leading a life of solitude. This existence is altered when a beautiful woman (Amala Paul) in a red dress unexpectedly falls from a train, adding a touch of spring to the parched landscape. So, it is an unusual setting that exists beyond the confines of time and space, a modern young woman (Amala Paul) finds herself in the company of an untidy man (Asif Ali), resulting in the intersection of two contrasting worlds.
Although they appear to be vastly different, they uncover a remarkable likeness in their life journeys. Will these two seemingly unrelated individuals discover a connection in their emotional isolation? As they begin to adapt to each other’s realities, a third individual (Sharaf U Dheen) arrives, offering a conflicting perspective. The film delves into the complexities of truth and falsehood, right and wrong, as well as loyalty and betrayal.
The storyline of this psychological drama is open to your interpretation
Almost like parallel railway track lines, in this thrilling psychological drama ‘Level Cross’ we get to hear the two contrasting and different versions of the same story.
The first version is shared by Chaithali/Shikha (Amala Paul) with Raghu/George (Asif Ali), in which she shares details of her unhappy personal life tale with him; also, Raghu or George reveals his sad tale to her. Please note that we have used the two names of these two lead characters, as they go by two different names in this suspenseful movie.
Then, the second version is shared by Doctor Zincho (Sharaf U Dheen) with Raghu/George (Asif), in which the Doctor disclosed the troubling aspects about Chaithali/Shikha (Amala).
Now, it is completely up to the movie viewers to believe, either the first version or the second version of the tale. Or perhaps, set in a remote desert, all of this is simply a mirage.
Perhaps, the reality is not what see and hear. So, you all watch the ‘Level Cross’, and interpret its story on your own.
The Writers and Director have done a fairly decent job
We liked the screenplay of this movie by the writers Arfaz Ayub and Adam Ayub. Also, the setting of the story is in a remote desert area, which seems perfect. They have interspersed this movie script with some expected twists and a few unexpected turns. The writers and the director have done a fairly decent job with this psychological drama.
Interestingly, this is Director Arfaz Ayub’s first film. Therefore, at the outset of the film “Arfazish Film Number 1,” the title is prominently displayed on the screen. This marks a historic moment in cinema, as it is the first instance where a director references the numerical designation of their film from the very beginning of their career.
We liked the performances by Asif Ali, Amala Paul & Sharaf U Dheen
We were also impressed with the performances of Asif Ali, Amala Paul and Sharaf U Dheen in the film. To be honest, we could not recognise the lead actor Asif Ali, with his impressive makeup. He looked so dirty and unkempt in the film. And it is hard to believe that not so long ago, we watched and reviewed the ‘Thalavan’ movie starring the actor Asif Ali. Not to forget the ‘brown’ donkey in the film, who it seemed was an imagination and not a real one.
Arfaz, the director, was determined to cast a brown donkey for the role of 'Signal', as it matched the film's predominant color. Unfortunately, Tunisia only had grey donkeys available. In a fortunate turn of events, the Tunisian producer, found a brown donkey in Algeria. He had to undertake the risky task of smuggling the donkey into Tunisia by road to meet the director's vision.
Key details
| Genre | Drama |
| Original Language | Malayalam |
| Dubbed Languages | Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, & Kannada |
| Subtitle Language | English |
| Duration | 1 hour 56 minutes |
| Writers | Arfaz Ayub & Adam Ayub |
| Movie Director | Arfaz Ayub |
| Music Director | Vishal Chandrashekhar |
| Cast | Asif Ali (Raghu/George), Amala Paul (Chaithali/Shikha), Sharafudheen aka Sharaf U Dheen (Zincho), etc. |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
The poster
The rating
| FM Rating | 3.55/5 |
The conclusion
Even now, we are still struggling to establish the truth and reality in this mind-bending film. Moreover, the ‘Level Cross’ film comes from a debutant director, it deserves all the praise.
Featured Image of Asif Ali (Raghu/George), Amala Paul (Chaithali/Shikha), and Sharafudheen aka Sharaf U Dheen (Zincho) – from Right to Left (Front to Back)
The Poster and Featured Image of Level Cross (2024/India) Movie are courtesy of Think Music India