Iyaan Paatta Review: An Interesting Twist To Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Achingly Beautiful White Nights

Legendary Fyodor Dostoevsky’s work has given us some of the most aching stories of love, bonds, and infatuation that have been an inspiration to many others to come after him. His most famous work, White Nights, has traveled the most, and the structure it offers has been one of Hindi cinema’s favorites. Sanjay Leela Bhansali adapted the short story in his most underrated feature-length movie, Saawariya, and created a dream that was way ahead of its time when it release. Fabin Thomas tries his hands at the story but gives it an interesting twist.

Written by Fabin, Iyaan Paatta means a winged termite. One that is attracted to the light that eventually kills it slowly but surely. His perspective in this world, Aadi, enters the film with that very light in his hand. But he is not attracting the termite but is one himself. His destruction walks with him, and when he sees a light brighter, he risks everything he has.

For the ones who have read White Nights (a 40-page read available on the internet), you know this is a story of unrequited love. But what is more interesting is the mystery of the lover who entered the life of his attraction as a stranger. Thomas, in his writing, keeps that very mystery alive. He writes Aadi like a ghost who has a motive, but eventually ends up with nothing on his plate. Bhansali shaped his lead as the messenger of God who came to help three women, of whom he fell in love with. Both the perspectives are interesting because there is only pain by the end.

Iyaan Paatta also works because it chooses an unconventional setup to tell a story that will be unconventional no matter how many times you adapt it. While the conversation around homosexuality is still taboo, he manages to show you the love blooming. What he flickers a bit at is introducing subtlety to his world at many places. The tone goes high, and the drama bothers more than hooking.

With the two actors, both Justin Jolly and Akbar, acting their parts organically, Iyaan Paatta manages to be an interesting adaptation of an iconic tale.