Vikramadithyan review: "Lal's magic turns an average script into a winner!!!"

It's been a hiatus since I have been active in my blog primarily due to my PhD thesis submission & secondly due to a dearth of films owing to Ramadan. Anywaz both have come to a pleasant conclusion & as always, my idea of relaxation was to check out some movie; after all the pressure of thesis submission had taken its toll on me. As I was contemplating which to watch, the one which took my fancy was Lal Jose's "Vikramadithyan" which had an impressive cast & crew. So will it emerge triumphant or run into rough weather like Lal Jose's world tour???

Vikraman (Unni Mukundan) & Adithyan (Dulquer) are childhood friends whose innate nature to outperform the other always took centre stage and more so, when their lives were intertwined well before their birth. Vikraman's father Vasudev (Anoop Menon) nurtured feelings for Adithyan's mother Lakshmi (Lena), but that relation never reached the altar as destiny had other plans. Another bonding factor between the two friends was Deepika (Namitha Pramod), whose love and supportive presence motivated Adi to strive harder as he competed for the SI selection. But things took a turn as Adi's name was found mysteriously missing from the selection list inspite of a commendable physical test. So was it just ill fortune or was there more than what meets the eye???

The presence of Lal Jose & Dr. Iqbal Kuttipuram does raise expectations after all their track record boasts of "Arabikatha" & "Diamond Necklace". Unfortunately, this time around Iqbal's script flounders though the intention was noble as it culminates in a good climax. Lal Jose's ability to make something worthwhile from a mediocre script was evident in "Pullipulikalum Aatinkutiyum"& it's pretty much the same feeling that I got, though the script was relatively better here. The first half does have some humorous moments but overall it does make the audience feel a shade bored while the latter half picks up the tempo and interests the crowd.

On the technical side, the positioning of the songs was kinda weird as it felt more like a medley but Jomon's visuals more than made up for it as it was aptly shot.  Bijibal has done an average job with the music though "Mazhanila..." rendered by Najim & Soumya deserves praise.

With each passing film, Dulquer Salman is expanding his fan base with his endearing performances. He has done complete justice to the role as he essays the impulsive brooding under-dog character with elan. However, the person who really bowled me over was Unni Mukundan as I always considered him nothing more than a stone faced body builder; but he was fantastic as Vikraman & showed that in the hands of a good director he does have the skills to act. Namitha Pramod has done a decent job as well as she makes for a pleasing presence but she will have to work on the emotional scenes. Anoop Menon & Lena were both fantastic in their respective roles while Nivin Pauly continues his Midas's touch with a cameo.

Verdict: Though I got to watch the film just now, it has been released a week back and the reports suggests it has hit the bull's eye. Well I am not surprised as it makes for an entertaining watch especially the second half. Anywaz Lal Jose has got yet another hit!!!

Rating: 3.5/5

Regards...Ben

Koothara review: "Much better than what the title indicates!!!"

The Greatest show on Earth has commenced in Brazil & for the next four weeks most of us would be glued to our television sets. With our state being in the forefront when it comes to football, all other events & activities (films, cricket etc) are likely to take a back seat for the time being (does anyone even know there is an India vs Bangladesh ODI series commencing from today???). It is at this interesting juncture that we have "Koothara" being released, whose promos had captivated the imagination of the public with the striking makeover of Lalettan. So can the team of "Koothara" grab enough eye balls or will it's title be an apt description of the movie???

PLOT :

Koobrin (Bharath), Tharun (Tovino Thomas) & Ram (Sunny Wayne) are roomies in Engineering College who eventually become the best of buddies. The booze parties, flings & squabbles made their college life quite vibrant or rather a trifle too lively as they get dismissed from college for their antics. At the behest of their lecturer, they decide to open up a software firm which also bites the dust in due time. As their life meandered aimlessly like a string less kite, they come across Ustad Saale (Lalettan) who seemed like a savior to their problems or was he???

DIRECTION & SCRIPT :
After having impressed one & all with his debut venture "Second Show", Srinath Rajendran is back with an array of youngsters & the legend, Lalettan in an extended cameo. Just as in his previous film, Vini Vishwa Lal has also scripted for this one & I do have to admit that it does have its moments sprinkled throughout the movie. The first half of the movie which focused on their college life was hilarious and realistic however it didn't quite have the conviction in the latter half. Lalettan's role was a well conceived thought be it the appearance or catchy one liners but they failed to execute it properly as the character seemed half baked and lacked substance.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS :
Pappu though not quite in the league of Samir Thahir has done a decent job while Praveen should have done a better job with the editing as the film lagged quite a bit in the second half. As for the music department, it's yet again Gopi Sundar (where are all the rest???) and his efforts were average at best though the BGM was pretty impressive. A word of praise for the make up artist, who had been instrumental in arousing the curiosity of the public with Lalettan's looks.

PERFORMANCES :
All the 3 kootharas have done a good job, but the one who actually scores is the "kalikaran" Bharat who is back in Malayalam films after a period of 10 years. Sunny Wayne & Tovino Thomas does justice to their roles while all the female characters barely had anything substantial. Lalettan as always rocked in a role which would have slipped into oblivion if it wasnt for his commanding presence. I just wish Srinath & Vini had put in more flesh into Lalettan's character, as it had the capability to take the film to a different level. 

Verdict: Without a shadow of doubt, Lalettan's dramatic makeover is the primary reason which will urge the audience to flock to the theatre. The hilarious & jovial first half will keep the audience in good spirits, but the latter half is likely to generate dissatisfied grunts & groans. In short, a missed opportunity & an average fare at best !!!

Rating: 1.75/5

Regards...Ben

Bangalore Days review: "Happy Days for the box office!!!"

May 30th, 2014...a day that I am definitely going to remember for many years to come as it marked the successful completion of my PhD Colloquium. So just as I was wondering which film to check out to relax my over worked grey cells, my eyes lit up on seeing that the eagerly awaited "Bangalore Days" was going to have a simultaneous release in Namma Bengaluru. So will the star studded cast & crew make the box office go bonkers???

PLOT:

Arjun (Dulquer Salman), a vagrant with a passion for bikes; Divya (Nazriya Nazim), a smart chirpy graduate & Krishnan (Nivin Pauly), a homesick software engineer were cousins who shared a bond so strong that they stuck with each other through thick and thin. The film unfolds with Divya being forcibly married off to Shiv Das (Fahad Fazil), thanks to her peculiar horoscope. Anywaz she settles down in Bangalore with Das & at around the same time, both her cousins also make the city as their base camp. Though Das's inconsiderate and frigid nature starts stiffling Divya, the presence of her ever supportive cousins, gave her the much needed relief. However, it wasn't smooth sailing for the other two as well with Arjun fighting the ghosts of his past while Krishnan's search for a girl of his dreams seemed much more elusive than he assumed. In short, it was not long before things spiralled out of their control...but the love, trust & concern they shared for each other enabled them to tide over every hardship.

DIRECTION & SCRIPT:

There is no doubt that stars are crowd pullers, but the primary reason which allured me to this film was Anjali Menon. All three of her previous ventures were excellent as her scripting skills exhibited her ability to judge the pulse of the audience. In her latest venture as well, she has captured the various hues of relationships in an impressive manner be it the camaraderie between the cousins, Das's apathy towards Divya, Arjun's mental turmoil, Krishnan's realization of the callousness of his mother towards the past etc. What made all of these to actually click is that Anjali never resorted to making the scenes melodramatic but it does manage to tug our heart strings in a subtle manner. Anjali's choice of locales was fantastic & she made sure that all the events gelled well culminating in an engaging and exquisitely picturised climax. The film also have its drawbacks as its a shade too long at close to 3 hours as some sequences could seem dragging for quite a few.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS:

On the technical side, Samir Thahir once again reiterated that he is definitely the best cinematographer among the younger crop. The colour tones used aptly captures the mood and vibrancy of the movie. Gopi Sundar has done an average job as only the wedding song would stay with us after coming out of the hall and also the rest could have been avoided as it felt like speed breakers. 

PERFORMANCES:

Since almost all of the main characters had substance in their roles, it would be tough to say as to who was the best as Dulquer, Fahad, Nivin & Nazriya excelled in their roles. Nivin Pauly was an absolute scream as he had the masses in splits with his classic dialogues & expressions. Dulquer wins over the audience with his vagabond and defiant nature while Fahad, who seemed to be given a rather monotonous role in the first half stamps his authority toward the end in a manner which only he could do. Among the female leads, Nazriya essayed her role well along with Parwathy while Isha Talwar & Nitya Menon barely had much to do. 

Verdict: In all probability, this will be having the best initial weekend collection of the year as it caters to the requirements of the youth. The film has definitely lived upto expectations and will make a killing at the box office in all probability. In short, its not a "New Generation 20-20" but rather a well made film regarding the take on modern day relationships. So dont miss it!!!

Rating: 3.75/5

Regards...Ben

Mr Fraud review: "Far from being a hi tech heist!!!"

It's been quite a while since Lalettan had a release & so naturally there was a great deal of expectations surrounding his latest venture "Mr.Fraud" after all it was his first outing since the all time blockbuster "Drishyam". Well "Mr. Fraud" has been in the news for all the wrong reasons as the Exhibitors Association had threatened a ban on the film following a tiff with the director, B. Unnikrishnan. Finally everything has been resolved & it's now upto the audience to deliver their verdict. The promos seemed interesting but will it be able to match upto "How Old Are You"???

PLOT:

Bhaiji (Lalettan) is one of the most sought after conman who after numerous successful heists is planning to call it quits after gearing up for the biggest of them all. The opportunity comes knocking in the form of a treasure trove belonging to Adityapuram Palace, whose heirs were at loggerheads regarding the division of wealth. Bhaiji gains entry into the Palace impersonating as the legally appointed wealth evaluator & sets his plan into motion. But executing it right under the eyes of a professionally equipped security team would test his abilities to the core. So will he emerge triumphant one more time or will he falter at the final step???

DIRECTION & SCRIPT:

After trying times, B. Unnikrishnan finally managed to get his film released, but does he deliver what he promises??? Well, for a start it is a pucca masala film & he has tried to cash in on the larger than persona of Lalettan with sly dialogues and characteristic subtle mannerisms which will have the masses whistling to glory. As for the script, though the trailer projected it to be a hi tech heist, the actual plot seemed far from it. After a pretty decent first half, the latter half loses steam with each passing minute eventually culminating in a mediocre climax.

PERFORMANCE & TECHNICAL ASPECTS:

Lalettan is the heart & soul of the film as he plays the role of the conman with elan. As for the rest of the cast, many of them were for the numbers while some of them like Siddique, Saikumar, Vijay Babu & Mia did manage to make their presence felt. As for the technical aspects, it was one of those rare films where Gopi Sundar disappointed & moreover it ebbed the flow of the film. Satheesh Kurup has done a decent job with the visuals while Manoj should have done a better editing in the latter half.

Verdict:  There is no doubt that the promos & the first release of Lalettan since "Drishyam" will have people queuing up which will ensure a more or less impressive initial. However, the lack of a credible storyline coupled with a lack lustered heist along with Manju's powerful performance in "How Old Are You" will affect the collections once the first few days are over. In short, an average time pass!!!

Rating: 2.25/5

Regards...Ben

How Old Are You review: "Manju back with a bang!!!"

Finally the month long election process has concluded & Narendra Modi has been conferred as the PM by the citizens of our great nation by an overwhelming majority. Even our Malayalam industry saw it's President, Innocent being elevated to adorn the post of MP. So it was all about politics till Friday which meant films were far & few until Manju Warrier's much anticipated comeback film "How Old Are You" graced the screens from yesterday. So can Manju script a thumping come back pretty much like how Modi thumped his detractors???

PLOT: 

Nirupama Rajeev (Manju Warrier) is a middle class woman working in a bureaucratic establishment whose tale was pretty much similar to scores of other women. For Nirupama, it was all about taking care of her household & in the process, she even forgot that she had an individuality of her own. Both her husband, Rajeev (Chackochan) & daughter, Lakshmi (Amritha Anil); fails to realize the sacrifices that she had made & considers her more as an embarrassment for them. Life seemed to take a turn for the better when she is provided with an delightful opportunity, only for fate to mess it up. So will Nirupama ever able to discover her inner self & take stock of her family before it's too late???

DIRECTION & SCRIPT:

After the fantastic "Mumbai Police", Rosshan Andrews is back with his latest venture with Manju Warrier, who is undoubtedly one of the best actresses that our industry had seen. Since this was her comeback film, the hype and anticipation was quite palpable & understandable; but Roshan ensured that he didn't wilt under pressure by delivering the goods.There is a limit to how much a brilliant performer can enact unless he/she is ably supported by a strong script & impressive screenplay and that's where Bobby Sanjay draw aces. They have once again proved as to why they are considered as one of the best script writers in the industry. 

TECHNICAL ASPECTS:

Gopi Sundar deserves a pat on the back for his BGM & Shreya Ghoshal rocked with her rendition of "Vijanathayil". Diwakar & Mahesh Narayanan have done their jobs well be it with the editing or the visuals, however Ranjith Ambady ought to have done a better job with the make up of Manju in some of the sequences.

PERFORMANCES:

It's been about 15 years since Manju had donned the grease paint for a film, but the way she had portrayed Nirupama made us feel that she had never left as she seemed completely at ease facing the camera. I just hope that this isnt just a flash in the pan & she keeps getting meaty roles. Chackochan was fantastic in the role of Rajeev, which had a whiff of male chauvinism  about him & held his own even when it was evident that Manju was going to be the highlight. All the co-stars have done an impressive job be it Muthumani, Kalaranjini, Vinay Fort to name a few but Sethulekshmi deserves a special mention as she outscores Manju in one of the emotionally charged scenes.

Verdict:  Though Lalettan's "Mr.Fraud" will prove a tough competitor in grabbing the initial, there is no doubt that Manju's film will have a sizable crowd of its own considering the hype & talent on offer. It does not belong to the genre of thriller or suspense, but the film has something about it which make us totally involved in the film and makes us empathize with the protagonist. In short, dont miss it!!!

Rating: 3.5/5

Regards...Ben

1 by Two review: "Failed to satisfy even 1/2 the potential the thread had!!!"

This Vishu-Easter season has seen many of the movies slug it out for honours at the box office & the latest to join the scramble to earn the maximum eye balls is Arun Kumar Aravind's "1 by Two". Incidentally, the release of the movie coincided with the announcement of State Film Awards which saw Fahad Fazil win the coveted Best Actor for the first time. Already the promos has garnered a lot of interest & to add to that, the promise that Arun Kumar showcased with his previous venture "Left Right Left"; the question that now remains is whether this would live upto expectations???

Dr. Hari Narayanan (Murali Gopi), a noted surgeon & son of a powerful business tycoon has met with his death after crashing his car onto a truck. This event has rendered his twin brother, Ravi into a state of dissociative identity disorder whereby he behaves like Hari. Yusuf Marikar (Fahad Fazal), Crime Branch Officer had been a witness to Hari's death but when he is told by people from his own department & others related to the deceased family that Hari had escaped unscathed; he decides to unravel the mystery. So did Hari actually die or was all this a farce???

This is Arun Kumar's fourth film & each of his previous ventures have revealed that he is indeed a talented film maker. The main highlights of his movies has been a strong thread incorporated into a cohesive script. Here too, the potential that the basic story had was immense but Jeyamohan went overboard with excessive indulgence into the protagonists mental framework which doesnt add much apart from ebb the flow of the movie. For an engaging thriller, there has to be some sort of a surprise element in the climax & though it does touch upon interesting topics it barely explores those apart from a brief mention. As for other aspects, Gopi Sundar was brilliant with the BGM & even added "Psycho"'s iconic score towards the end as a tribute (I guess not as a liftoff). Some of the sequences shown in the trailer has been edited but Arun could have edited another 20 mins & made it more crisper & engaging. 

Murali Gopi has done an impressive job as the twins especially in the climax while Fahad Fazil has done a good job with the half baked role that he was served with as we see him do nothing in the first half apart from being on the bike & bark for answers from everyone. Shyamaprasad deserves praise for his portrayal of the psychiatrist while Honey Rose makes use of a meaty role given to her. As for the rest of the cast, I liked the naturality & nonchalant attitude of the actor who essayed the role of Dr. Balakrishnan.

Verdict: This will have an impressive opening thanks to the good will & quality that the duo of Murali Gopi & Arun Kumar churned out in "Left Right Left". However, the lack of an engaging storyline & dreary pace will hamper its chances at the box office. In short, it is an opportunity missed as it definitely had the potential to be a brilliant film!!!

Rating: 1.5/5

Regards...Ben

2 States review: "Feel good romantic comedy!!!"

On the occasion of Easter eggs & bonnet hats, I would like to wish all my friends a peaceful & hopeful Easter. Since we had a long weekend, thanks to the elections apart from Good Friday; I decided to check out debutant Abhishek Varman's "2 States" based on Chetan Bhagat's novel by the same name. Apart from the promos, the main reason which urged me to check it out were the protagonists & the brilliant music which has been topping the charts.

Since many of you would have read the novel, I guess there isn't need for a detailed outline. Anywaz the tale is about Krish Malhotra (Arjun Kapoor) & Ananya Swaminathan (Alia Bhatt) who fell for each other during their time at IIM Ahmedabad. By the time of graduation, they decided to take their relationship to the next level knowing very well that their cultural differences would pose a challenge. Even their efforts to break the ice between the families falls flat as their parents vehemently rejects their idea of consummation of their relationship. What subsequently follows is how Krish & Ananya tries to placate their parents.

Chetan Bhagat novels may not quite score from a literary point of view but there is no denying the fact that it is a potpourri of Bollywood masala. Abhishek Varman has ensured all those ingredients has been aptly picturised on celluloid.  Though the film feels a tad long towards the latter half, I still totally enjoyed it. There is no doubt that there are numerous cliched assumptions about people from both the North & South, but it has been tastefully depicted without going over the top. Abhishek's take on Krish's family has been immaculate though he leaves numerous questions unanswered about Ananya's folks. The major plus point of the film is undoubtedly the music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy which was brilliant & in sync with the situations. Binod Pradhan has done a good job with the visuals but the editing could have been better.

Alia Bhatt was fantastic as Ananya as she seemed an absolute natural, though she reminded me of Kareena Kapoor in the initial portions & reiterates the fact that she is the one to lookout for in the future. Arjun Kapoor has done a decent job but it would have been better off if they had chosen Ranbir Kapoor (who happened to be one of the initial choices). Amrita Singh & Revathy both rocked in their respective roles while Ronit Roy reprised his role from "Udaan" in an impressive manner.

Verdict: The attractive promos,catchy songs & extended weekend should make it an overwhelming favourite at the box office. In all likelihood, the film will turn out to be a profitable venture for Karan Johar & Sajid Nadiadwala. It doesn't proclaim of being an intellectual or different movie but the elements has been integrated in a manner which makes it for an enjoyable watch. So check it out!!!

Rating: 3.5/5

Regards...Ben