An almost archaic communication method takes center stage when the characters played by Mammootty and Mohanlal first make contact in Mahesh Narayanan’s Patriot, well into the film’s second half. It would seem apt in a way, hinting at the vintage quality of their association while also fitting well inside the theme of the film on digital mass surveillance. For that matter, the last time the duo came together in a film, almost two decades ago, digital surveillance was just an emerging public concern.

Now, it seems rather ubiquitous, and Mahesh Narayanan appears fully taken in by the urgency to convey these fears to a larger audience. The two superstars are thus tools for this socio-political endeavour rather than the screenplay being in service of their star aura, as often seen in such star-studded movies.

Daniel James (Mammootty), a top-level employee in a Union government ministry, gets a hint of a nefarious surveillance system involving minister J.P.Sundaram (Rajiv Menon), and his corporate honcho son Shakthi (Fahadh Faasil). He is forced to go on the run to protect himself and uncover the truth.

As far as the story goes, things are straightforward enough to draw a rough outline from the film’s trailer, yet Patriot has enough to keep one engaged for a good part.

Rather than painting the issue of surveillance in broad strokes, the screenplay breaks it down as digestible pieces peppered all over the narrative, from a mock phone review in Daniel’s vlog to characters on the run avoiding highway toll gates to avoid being tracked, and a depiction of the way in which a universal identity card can turn into a civilian surveillance tool.

Some of it might seem basic for a tech-savvy audience, but for the film’s reach, this treatment was quite apt. In the middle of it all, Patriot also questions those who proudly say they have nothing to hide, while slyly supporting government surveillance. The current context and the neat stepping away from these issues in most film industries make this a brave film, although the narrative has a predictable air about it..

With the film mostly staying true to its theme, diehard fans looking for high moments might leave the theatre without their expectations from such a rare coming together fully satisfied, except for a car chase scene involving both the stars and an escape sequence. Even the chase sequence ends tamely, leaving one with the feeling that more could have been done with it. There is less scope for banter between the two thanks to the serious episodes.

The minimal screen time for actors like Revathi and Nayanthara comes across as a major disappointment, while Zarin Shihab and Darshana Rajendran get a better deal. Even Mohanlal plays an extended cameo with an abrupt end. Kunchacko Boban and Fahadh Faasil have solid roles. Mammootty gets a character that literally carries the film. Rajiv Menon’s presence is not just a call back to ‘Harikrishnans’. He embodies the inherent evilness of that character.

The last act seemed a bit rushed and followed familiar templates, unlike the nuanced takes in the earlier part of the film. It does not spring any major surprises, except for a bit of history involving the antagonist and his politician father. High production values have been the trademark of Mahesh Narayanan’s films, and in Patriot, he ups his as well as Malayalam cinema’s game. Sushin Syam’s understated score fits well with the film’s theme.

Despite its predictable narrative, Patriot is an engaging and even brave film on a pertinent issue. It is not often that a questioning “dissident” gets the central role in an Indian film these days.