''19(1)(a)'' is a

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

Indian

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

-language

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

film written and directed by debutant Indhu V. S. The film stars

Indrajith Sukumaran Indrajith Sukumaran (born 17 December 1979) is an Indian actor and playback singer. He predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. Indrajith was born to the actors Sukumaran and Mallika Sukumaran and is the elder brother of actor Prithviraj Sukum ...

Vijay Sethupathi Vijaya Gurunatha Sethupathi Kalimuthu (born 16 January 1978) is an Indian actor and film producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema, Tamil films. Sethupathi is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Awards, National F ...

, and

Nithya Menon N. S. Nithya (born 8 April 1990), known professionally as Nithya Menen is an Indian actress and singer who works predominantly in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films . She has also acted in few Kannada films. Having appeared in over 59 fil ...

. The film is produced by

Anto Joseph Anto Joseph (born 1 June 1972) is an Indian film producer, Film distributor, distributor and movie theatre, cinema exhibitor, who works predominantly in the Malayalam cinema, Malayalam Film Industry. He began his career in Malayalam Cinema in t ...

and Neeta Pinto. The film marks Vijay Sethupathi's debut in a character role in Malayalam and his second Malayalam film after '' Maarconi Mathaai''. The film released on

Disney+ Hotstar Disney+ Hotstar, also known as JioHotstar or simply Hotstar, is an Indian subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Disney Star. The brand was introduced as Hotstar for a streaming service carrying content from Di ...

on 29 July 2022 and received mixed reviews.

Synopsis

The mundane life of an acquiescent lady (who could be anybody) who is running a photocopy shop goes into a tailspin when a revolutionary writer leaves the manuscript of his unpublished novel with her. The movie's title references the below: Article 19(1) in The

Constitution of India The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India, legal document of India, and the longest written national constitution in the world. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures ...

1949 (1) All citizens shall have the right (a) to freedom of speech and expression;

Cast

Production

''19(1)(a)'' is produced by Anto Joseph Film Company and it marks the directorial debut of Indhu V.S. It also marks the debut of

in Malayalam in a character role. The film's shooting was completed in January 2021.

Release

In April 2021, director Indhu V. S. announced that the film would not be having theatrical release due to

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

and was looking for an OTT release. The film released directly on

on 29 July 2022.

Reception

For ''

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'', film critic Anna M. M. Vetticad ranked it ninth in her year-end list of best Malayalam films.

References

{{reflist 2020s Malayalam-language films 2022 direct-to-video films 2022 directorial debut films 2022 drama films 2022 films Disney+ Hotstar original films Films about freedom of expression Films about writers Films scored by Govind Vasantha Films shot in Kerala Indian drama films Works about articles of the Constitution of India