Dhoomam, O Baby, Thrishanku, Santhosham, Neeraja & Amala: "Fortunes will depend on the OTT platform!!!"

As usual, quite a number of movies hit the screens over the past fortnight but none of them quite stood out. With the schools having opened and the monsoon season set in, the release of big banner movies is unlikely to happen though there was an exception this weekend. Anyway I decided to club quite a few of these flicks to pen my thoughts as to whether any of these managed to satisfy me as an audience.

Dhoomam: "Relevant subject though the execution went up in smoke!!!"

Was any promotional events done in the lead up to the release of this movie? The reason why I asked this is coz I barely came across anything on social media. But then the valid question is does a movie with such an enviable cast & crew require such promotions. I guess that's what the makers thought, after all it is bankrolled by Hombale Films that had movies like "KGF" & "Kantara" with the shots being called by Pawan Kumar of "Lucia" & "U-Turn" fame. 

The protagonist is Avinash (Fahad Faasil) who is the marketing head of a leading tobacco company that has Sid (Roshan Mathews) as its MD. The events unfolds with  Avinash & his wife, Diya (Aparna Balamurali) being kidnapped & left on an isolated location where they are informed of dire circumstances unless they paid a sizable ransom. This marks the start of a cat and mouse game, as Avinash tries to piece the puzzles of his past to track the tormentor. Will he manage to unravel the mystery before it is too late???

Apart from wearing the director's hat, Pawan has also invested his thought into this script where the focus is on the thought process of the tobacco industry, their marketing strategies & the impact it has on the public despite being aware about the after effects. It is a relevant subject & he has crafted it as a thriller which works initially. but as it reaches the interval it starts to feel rather tedious. The dialogues also contributed to that impression as it felt rather mechanical and devoid of genuine emotions. The production quality certainly had a class about it with the technical side being handled quite impressively be it Preetha Jayaraman's visuals or Poornachandra Tejaswi's music. 

As usual, Fahad impressed especially in the flashback sequences while in the thriller sections, it was fine. Aparna did a decent job but the pick among the lot was undoubtedly Roshan who outshone his co-artists as the suave and cool MD. As for the rest, glad to see Vineeth getting more opportunities while Anu Mohan, Joy Mathew etc did their parts aptly. 

Verdict: It didn't come close to the lofty expectations that their names generated prior to the release. There is no doubt that it had a relevant subject & still deserve to be appreciated for that, but the execution of the thriller segment was kind of cold. 

Rating: 2.25/5

O Baby: "Oooo...Ranjan, the climax was rather tame!!!"

Ranjan Pramod, a name that most Malayali audience will recognize after all he has penned some of the most popular movies such as "Meesa Madhavan", "Manassinakkare", "Naran" etc., to name a few. It's been a while since he had directed a movie with the critically & commercially acclaimed "Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu" being his last released effort. Hence when "O Baby" hit the screens, it certainly attracted my attention.

As always, Ranjan has penned the script yet again with his focus being on a humongous plantation that is set in the Western Ghats & under the ownership of a prominent family for many generations. Presently, the day to day activities were managed by Baby (Dileesh Pothan), the trusted lieutenant of the family who still very much had the hangover of a feudal system. Even as tensions brew within the family over the future ownership of the estate, things take a turn when a romantic relationship is believed to blossom between Baby's son Basil (Devadath) & Mini (Haniya Nafisa), the great granddaughter of the family's patriarch, Paapi (Gopalakrishnan). The conflict that happens as a result of this forms the basis of the movie. 

Ranjan takes his time in building the story and essentially introduces us to a premise that we have come across some movies in the past. However, he still manages to give it an identity of its own as it gives us a glimpse of the life there & how things gets done to the liking of the patriarch of the family. In due course, voices of dissent emerges from the younger generation who believes in freedom & equality and the course of action adopted by the elders who doesnt quite understand or believes that a change is needed. All of this is portrayed well, but Ranjan falters in the manner in which he concludes his tale as I felt it was rather tame & didnt quite have the impact that it deserved. On the technical side, Arun Chalil's cinematography, Samjith Mohammed's editing & Lijin Bambino's BGM were fine. 

On the performance front, most of them have done a fine job especially Dileesh who expressed the various emotions such as angst, vulnerabilities & anger with ease. Vishnu Agasthya (as Stanley) deserves praise while Devadath & Haniya did justice to their roles. 

Verdict: It is the type of movie that is likely to have more support from the audience after it is released on the OTT platform. Obviously, it has its flaws especially towards the climax but Ranjan was effective in conveying his message. In short, give it a try!!!

Rating: 2.75/5

Thrishanku: "Enjoyable flick that is hardly novel but gives us a smile!!!"

Prior to watching this movie, I had no clue as to what genre it belonged to since I haven't even seen the trailer. The primary reason why I decided to check it out was because of the presence of Arjun Ashokan who in recent times have shown the knack of being part of some interesting movies. It turned out that Achyuth Vinayak's "Thrishanku" could also be included to the same category.

Apart from being Achyuth's directorial debut, he also took on the responsibility of the script, dialogues & screenplay. He has chosen a topic that we have seen in many other movies where two lovers, Sethu (Arjun) & Megha (Anna Ben) decide to elope. But contrary to their plans, Sethu's sister Sumi (Zarin Shihab) elopes with her boyfriend on the very same day as her brother had planned. Left with no option, Sethu decide to abort their plan but Megha was in a trishanku situation where she is confused as to what to do. 

As I mentioned earlier, there is nothing unique as such in terms of the story but the manner in which Achyuth had penned the screenplay made it an enjoyable experience. There were many sequences that I ended up laughing and that was primarily because of the role of the uncles portrayed by Suresh Krishna & Nandu. None of the technical aspects deserves special mention as it was average at best.

The main reason why this movie worked for me was the hilarious combo of Nandhu & Suresh Krishna who evokes laughs with their characters & the mess they get themselves into. Both Arjun & Anna were fine while Zarin also did justice to her role. As for the rest, Shiva Hariharan (as Sumi's boyfriend) & Fahim Safar (as Sethu's irritating friend) were pretty average.

Verdict: It doesnt offer anything much in terms of its storyline but it does manage to keep us in good spirits!!!

Rating: 2.75/5

Santhosham: "Nothing worthwhile that would create santhosham in audience!!!"

Ajith V Thomas is yet another directorial debutant who made his entry into the industry with "Santhosham". It might sound surprising but the movie barely had anything more than what the trailer revealed. Interestingly, Ranjan Pramod's partner in crime in "Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu", Arjun Sathyan has penned the script & it was surprising to say the least as it barely had any credible content. It is essentially the bond that is shared between two sisters, with the elder Aadhya (Anu Sithara) being more like a mother to the younger one, Akshara (Lechu Lekshmi). 

The basic issue with the movie is the lack of a central subject or conflict as it is essentially about how Akshara realizes the impact that her elder sister had on her upbringing. So the audience end up watching a chapter in their day to day life without an iota of surprise. The technical aspects were ok with the Karthik's frames being colourful while Jayhari's music was fine. 

Anu Sithara did a fine job while Lechu also impressed in some of the sequences especially the emotional ones. As for the rest, Amith Chakalakkal looked artificial in the goofy scenes, Shajon, Mallika Sukumaran were ok while Asha Arvind seemed like a misfit. 

Verdict: Nice to see movies with good vibes but there needs to be a purpose for all this positivity to endear to the audience!!!

Rating: 2/5

Neeraja: "Fails to convey the message effectively!!!"

After having plied his trade as a script writer, Rajesh Raman decided to step into the role of a director & chose to remake Manjunatha Somashekara's critically acclaimed Kannada movie "Nathicharami". It had bagged numerous awards at the 66th National Film Awards. The story was penned by Sandhya Rani is essentially about the inability of Neeraja (Shruti Ramachandran) to emerge from the trauma of having lost her husband, Alex (GP) even after three years though her physical needs puts her in an emotionally disturbed and morally conflicted state. 

Since I haven't seen the Kannada version, I cant comment on how they captured the dilemma of the protagonist but over here, Rajesh certainly struggles to convey that effectively to the audience. It is a relevant subject but the inability to flesh out the characters properly and understand the vulnerabilities that the females (Sruthi & Srinda) feel is the major drawback. The writing lacked depth and understanding to the extent that we dont empathize with Meera's character (Srinda) nor do we feel convinced about the transition that happens in Arun (Jinu Joseph). Apart from Ragesh Narayanan's cinematography, none of the other technical aspects deserves mention.

Despite the lack of a well etched character, Sruthi did a fine job and portrays the emotions and insecurities that her character goes through quite convincingly. Abhija Sivakala was fine, Jinu was average while Srinda came across as rather irritating but I would put the blame for her lack lustered performance to Rajesh's inability in creating her character properly. As for the rest, Guru Somasundaram certainly needs to take a breather rather than take up every random script that comes his way as he is turning out to be rather monotonous while the others were ok. 

Verdict: Certainly the inability of Rajesh to create proper character arcs for the female protagonists is the main reason why it failed to connect with the audience. It comes across as rather sleazy and corny at times rather than convey the subject in a matured and convincing manner!!!

Rating: 1.75/5

Amala: "Lacked the impact that was expected from a psychological thriller!!!"

This is Nishad Ebrahim's directorial debut in which he has decided to opt for a psychological thriller. It is a genre that could be a sure shot winner if it provides the apt thrills & novelty, or else it is a recipe for disaster. It would be fair to admit that this particular venture somehow manages to balance itself though it falters to provide the genuine thrills that one would expect.

Set in the high range, there has been a series of murders which indicated that it could be the work of a serial killer. The case was handled by Akbar (Sreekanth),a shrewd police officer who seemed to up to the task. In the meantime, the killer (Appani Sharath) who had taken on the job of a taxi driver had zeroed in on his next target and it happened to be a deaf and mute girl (Anarkali Marakkar). Will she also meet with the same fate???

The identity of the serial killer is revealed in the beginning itself & then it is essentially to build on the interest of the audience as to what made him become this dreaded killer. The back story & the trauma that the orphan went though in childhood is captured well but in terms of the story, it doesnt offer anything worthwhile and mysterious when it comes to the present day situation. On the technical side, Abilash Shankar's visuals were fine while the rest were just about average. The same goes with respect with the artists as well, as they have a decent job but nothing that makes us sit up and take notice.

Verdict: Apparently, they have kept an open ending with the possibility of a second part but after having failed to create much of an impact in the theatres, I seriously doubt whether they will go ahead with it.

Rating: 1.5/5

Regards...Ben

Janaki Jaane, Charles Enterprises, Jackson Bazaaar Youth, Live & Within Seconds: "None of them manages to make a significant mark!!!"

Due to hectic professional commitments & the lack of a proper internet connection, made me maintain a low profile in my blog over the past fortnight. But that didn't diminish my urge and enthusiasm to check out some of the movies that had released in that period. To be frank, none of them quite managed to hit the mark even as the industry celebrated the success of  "2018" which has emerged as the highest Malayalam grosser ever. It remains to be seen which is the next movie that is going to get the audience excited.

Janaki Jaane: "Lack of clarity messes up a potential interesting thread!!!"

It's been a while since we had seen Aneesh Upasana don the director's hat after a rather decent debut with "Matinee" in 2012. In his latest venture, he has collaborated with Anil Narayanan & Rohit Raj to pen a script about a lady who had autophobia (being alone) & nyctophobia (darkness) and how it affected her relationships & even existence. Navya Nair as Janaki was the protagonist who was married to a supportive & empathetic husband, Unni (Saiju Kurup). Life moved on happily, until Janaki for no fault of hers got embroiled in a political issue. It wrecked havoc in their livelihood & left them stranded with no immediate solution in the horizon.

The basic premise was interesting but it was evident that the writers didn't quite have the clarity as to how to take the story to its conclusion which all of us are aware as to what it would be. The political angle that they weaved in didnt quite have the desired impact as it came across as a predictable masala concoction of their modus operandi & the way, the media behaves in such situations. Aneesh failed to make us empathetic about Janaki for most parts though I did enjoy the portions that involved Sharafudeen. As for the technical aspects, they were average at best.

However, there is no denying the fact that Navya has given a praise worthy performance as she was able to convincingly convey the vulnerabilities and naivety of the character. Another person that deserves mention is Sharafudeen who in a brief appearance was natural and did justice to his part. Saiju was ok though I feel he needs to be more careful in his choices as his performances feels rather repetitive nowadays. As for the rest of the cast, Johny Antony was fine, Sminu Sijo was irritating while the others were ok. 

Verdict: It had the scope to be crafted in a much more engaging manner, anyway it is unlikely to create an impact even on OTT!!!

Rating: 2/5

Charles Enterprises: "Even the director didn't have adequate vision as the protagonist!!!"

This is Subhash Lalitha Subrahmanian's second directorial venture & the trailer (atleast for me) felt like the story penned by him had the vibe of N J Saravanan's "Mookuthi Amman" especially coz of the presence of Urvashi in both the projects. Anyway it doesn't have any similarity though this is also about a deity i.e. Lord Ganapathi whose antique statue in Gomathi's house (Urvashi) was fiercely safeguarded and worshipped by her. Her son, Ravi (Balu Varghese) was trying to make it big in life but to no avail until an opportunity comes knocking in the form of an antique buyer. However, striking a deal was a task that was easier said than done.

The script is nothing but numerous sequences, characters and sub-plots that add no relevance in taking the story forward. Most of the comedy failed to work & the events that they piece together to get into the final act was not adequately engaging. There was surely sequences in between they does attract attention & evokes laughs but in totality it felt like a missed opportunity. None of the technical aspects deserves special mention while coming to performances, most of them were fine and did their parts aptly. Though the content wasn't meaty enough, Urvashi did her part impressively as in most occasions, Balu was fine along with Kalayiyarasan. As for the rest of the cast, didnt understand the purpose of Guru Somasundaram while Abhija, Manikandan etc were ok.

Verdict:  Undeniably, fell well short of expectations & what was supposed to be a comedy, is unlikely to give smiles to the makers!!!

Rating: 1.5/5

Jackson Bazaar Youth: "Pertinent questions about the plight of the homeless handled reasonably decently!!!

Based on Usman Marath's script, this is Shamal Sulaiman's directorial debut where the focus is on Jackson Velayyan (Jaffer Idukki) who was like a guardian for the families in Jackson Bazaar. After having retired from the military, he had put together a music band that was hugely popular & also a source of livelihood. Things take a turn when the authorities orders them to leave the land as part of their acquisition formalities for the widening of the highway. In response to this, Jackson & his boys decide to mount a resistance, but it was a cost that none had expected.

In the first half, Shamal focused on the political climate in the region with emphasis on the plight of the homeless, apathy of the authorities & police brutalities. It keeps us engaged & gets us emotionally invested for most parts. As the movie shifts to the latter half, it opts for a more filmy approach with the track taking it towards an extra judicial justice scenario. If they had chosen a much more organic treatment of the situation, the effect would have been much more impactful. On the technical side, Govind Vasanth's music was impressive while the rest of the aspects were fine as well.

Coming to performances, almost all of them have done justice to their roles with Jaffer Idukki giving a masterful performance as has been the norm over the last couple of years. Equally impressive was Indrans whose role though predictable gave a punch to the proceedings. Others such as Lukman, Chinnu Chandni, Abhiram Radhakrishnan etc have also given praise worthy acts.

Verdict: A blend of political topics with a filmy culmination which though witnessed in other movies still manages to keep us engaged in many sequences which was aided by some impressive performances. If you don't mind watching flicks that is emotionally charged & rarely light in mood, then do give it a try!!!

Rating: 2.5/5

Live: "Relevant subject that's handled inefficiently!!!"

After a plethora of movies helmed by freshers & debutants, we finally had one that was directed by the veteran, V K Prakash. I will like to use this opportunity to state that his previous movie "Oruthee" that I had missed out to pen my opinion at that point of time was something that I had enjoyed. Apart from his direction, Navya's impressive performance along with Vinayakan's supporting act made it one of the better movies of 2022. In his latest venture, he had chosen Suresh Babu's script on the trot which focused on the topic of unethical journalism where the aim is only on TRP irrespective of whether there is truth in the news or not. 

The movie is about the tragedy that befalls on Anna (Priya Prakash Warrier), a bright student & the grand daughter of an ambulance driver. She also had a guardian like figure in Dr. Amala (Mamta Mohandas), a well known face for her social causes and online vlogs. Apparently, during a prostitution raid, Anna got accidently detained by the police but by the time they realized their folly and allowed her to leave, her face was splashed all over the media. The root cause for this was SJV (Shine Tom), the chief of Mandharam TV who just saw it as merely news to increase the TRPs. It remained to be seen whether Amala & her friends will be able to find a solution to Anna's existential crisis. 

We are living in a world where it is hard to distinguish between what is true and false since most of the media houses barely has any sense of ethics. For them it is all about putting up sensational headlines so as to attract maximum visitors to their news portal. In that sense, this is an extremely relevant subject & does has sequences in the first half where it makes us uncomfortable about the plight of the victim & the ruthlessness of the media house. However, VKP seemed to have lost track as to how to take the plot forward in the second half as many of the sequences felt extremely artificial and lacked the depth that it required. Eventually, it culminates in a predictable climax & the manner in which they tried to connect SJV and Anna didnt serve any purpose. 

Despite the run time being rather short, it still felt rather long & hence it could have been edited better. On the performance front, Mamta was fine though her diction faltered in quite a few places. Shine Tom's eccentricities continues to be a regular feature even on screen nowadays which surely worked in certain sequences but otherwise felt over exaggerated. Priya Warrier didnt have much to do, Jayarajan Kozhikode as the grandfather was good while I didnt even understand the purpose of even having Soubin Shahir in this flick. 

Verdict: As has been the case in other movies mentioned above, it did have the potential but the execution in the latter half left a lot to be desired. 

Rating: 1.75/5

Within Seconds: "An apt title where the audience realize that it is headed for disaster within seconds!!!"

It might sound surprising but I am pretty sure the main reason why many would have heard that such a movie release was because of the attack on Santhosh Varkey aka Aratannan. He was manhandled in the theatre premises for the reason that he gave negative opinion about the flick despite watching it for less than half an hour. Well to be fair to him, the film was pathetic to say the least. 

Helmed by the debutant Vijesh Vijayan & scripted by Sangeeth Dharmmarajan along with Vinayan Vijayan, it is about the trip made by a group of friends to a forbidden cave in the forest and what fate had in store for them. They had approached Indrans who along with his two buddies, Alencier & Sudheer Karamana agree to take them to the place in exchange for money. The screenplay was mediocre & it doesn't have anything to keep us hooked to the story. The only positive in the flick was Indrans's performance which was fine while many of the others were downright pathetic.

Verdict: It came across as nothing more than a waste of time & failed to evoke any excitement or expectations despite the fact that it was a modelled as a thriller. Hence I don't think it even warrants a rating!!!

Regards...Ben