Beautiful review: "Decent effort but caters to a Multiplex audience!!!"

After the month long strike within the Malayalam industry, things have slowly started to tide back to normalcy with the release of films since last week. With the last month of the year upon us which is incidentally one of the eagerly awaited money spinning period as well, there is an abundance of films to hit the screens. So kicking off this highly anticipated season is V.K Prakash's "Beautiful". Due to Prakash's interesting track record along with the script by Anoop Menon, it wouldnt be prudent to suggest that the audience does harbor positive vibes. So can the duo spark off a beautiful start to December???

Stephen Louis (Jayasurya) is a multi millionaire paraplegic, who believes in living life to the fullest rather than brooding over his misfortune. After having lived in various places, he decides to make Cochin his base. Just as one would expect, money breeds pseudo affection & Stephen was very well aware of it due to which maintained a stoic distance with his relatives who were plotting for his demise. On one of his outings to a restaurant, he meets up with John (Anoop Menon), a musician & offers him a better offer for being his personal singer. Before long, they become good friends & it is at this juncture that Anjali (Meghna Raj), turns up to be the home nurse for Stephen. So will Anjali be a bone of contention in their friendship & will Stephen's kin be successful in their plan???

The last few years has seen a host of impressive films focussing on mentally or physically challenged characters, be it "Thanmatra", "Black", "Guzaarish", "Taare Zameen Par" or "Deiva Thirumagal". So when I first saw the promos of "Beautiful", I was apprehensive whether it would be an spin off from "Guzaarish". However, Anoop Menon dispelled off all such doubts & comes up with a pretty decent script. The one thing which really caught my fancy were the dialogues as it was natural intermingled with humour & philosophy. Though not blockbusters, V.K Prakash does have an impressive track record be it "Karmayogi", "Gulumal" or "Freaky Chakra". Over here as well, the first half does have its light moments without ever stooping down to the sympathetic mode while the second half brings about a twist culminating in a swift climax. The flaw which many might feel, though I dont entirely agree to is the pace of the movie as it tends to slack at times.

V.K Prakash with the protagonists

Jayasurya is one of those very few actors who always tries to do something different be it in his choice of script & body language. Though at times, he tends to go overboard with his act; this time around he has given a restrained yet apt act in keeping with the character. Anoop Menon has always experimented with off beat type of characters which is realistic & as expected, he comes up with a winner here as well. Meghna Raj with her gorgeous looks has also delivered a decent performance along with Tini Tom & the rest of the supporting cast. Another aspect which deserves special mention is the music by Ratheesh Vega especially "Mazhaneer Thullikal" rendered by Unni Menon being the talk of youtube ever since it released.

Verdict: The cast & crew are unlikely to attract a full house, however the impressive sound track & promos should provide a well needed impetus. Though there isnt anything significant to find fault with the film, it wouldnt cater to the mass audience owing to its off beat nature. Frankly speaking, I believe it's a pretty decent effort & does deserve a watch!!!

Rating: 3/5

Regards...Ben