Streaming on
Several OTT platforms
English Title: Joyful Mystery
Duration: 85 Minutes
World Premiere at IFFK 2021 February, International Premiere at Moscow International Film Festival 2021 April.
The film was later screened at IFFT, Mohanam Film Festival, Indian Film Festival Melbourne and IndoGerman FIlm Week
Synopsis:
Maria, a young journalist (Played by Rima Kallingal) and Jithin , an aspiring actor (Played by Jitin Puthanchery), are in a live-in relationship without the knowledge of their parents. The movie is an 85 minutes car journey that they take together, shot in one long take. Set in the backdrop of the covid pandemic, this relationship drama reveals the nuances of an intense dispute and unreasoned maneuvers that the couple adapt in the intimate relationship.
Cast:
Rima Kallingal, Jitin Puthanchery and Neeraja Rajendran
Crew
Writer/ Director : Don Palathara
Producer: Shijo K George
Production house: Bee Cave Movies Pvt Ltd.
DOP: Saji Babu
Associate Camera: Jenson TX
Location Sound: Adarsh Joseph Palamattom
Music: Basil CJ
Lyrics and Script Consultance: Sherin Catherine
Sound Design: Arun Varma
Sound Mixing: Dan Jose
Costumes: Swapna Roy
Colourist: Liju Prabhakar
Designs: Dileep Daz
Reviews:
Full Picture: Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam: A review by Neelima Menon
Film Companion: Don Palathara’s Fascinating Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam Is Both Familiar And New
Cinestaan: An interesting film that is old and new at the same time
The Hindu: An experiment in ‘captive’ conversation
Asian Movie Pulse: Film Review: Joyful Mystery
The News Minute: This relationship drama is a wonderful ride
First Post: Deliciously cheeky yet debatable take-down of the romanticisation of parenthood
High On Films: A moving Romantic comedy about the culture of quarrels
Aswathy Gopalakrishnan: A Fascinating Comedy On Modern Relationships
Mathrubhumi: ഒറ്റ ഷോട്ടില് ഹൃദയം കവര്ന്ന് സന്തോഷരഹസ്യം.
Mathrubhumi English: Joyful Indeed: Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam
The Cue: കെെയ്യടിക്കേണ്ട സന്തോഷത്തിന്റെ ഒന്നാം രഹസ്യം
The New Indian Express: Impressively fluid single-take drama
The Guardian: Why Malayalam cinema, not Bollywood, is India’s rapid-response unit for Covid films
OTT Play : Santhosathinte Onnam Rahasyam review - A captivating ‘single-shot’ on the dynamics of relationships
Money Control: 'Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam' offers an absorbing view of how close relationships work