Paradesi

After being hit hard to ground by his previous super flop venture 'Alibhai',the actor/producer Mohanlal is yet again doing a muslim character role.This time it is an entire change from the heroism, he is the middele class man,Valaiyakathu Moosa in 'Paradesi'.Here also the hero is producing the film under the banner of Ashirwad Cinemas.It is good that Mohanlal is spending some time to act in 'so called' parallel movies also.This film is directed by PT Kunjimuhammed, who once gave films like 'Magrib' & 'Garshom'.


Almost a couple of years ago,you might have read in newspapers that from Malappuram area, an old malayali who dont have an indian passport has been forcibly transfered to Pakistan.He dont like to goto pakistan,but our law doesn't permits him to stay here since he holds a pakistan passport.Why i remember that incident lies in the fact that there was a photograph in the front page of the newspaper in which that old man taken to the court guarded by an inspector & two other policemen.That police officer was none other than AbuSalim who is also an actor doing villain roles in malayalam films.


May be such an incident might have inspired the script writer/director Kunjimuhammed.Here we are having Moosa, who is being targeted by the police for not having a Indian passport.Moosa is an old man in the 80's.In the India-Pakistan divison of 1947 there are many people like Moosa who was born in India,who is being transfered to pakistan.Since they dont like to be there, they returned to our country.Once they hold a pakistan passport,our government doesn't permit them to stay here again.So as a result they will be hiding from the police,some of them stays here bribing the police.If they are caught they will be taken to the Indo-Pak border to be handed over to the rival country.
This is the basic theme discussed in 'Paradesi'.


Most of the characters in the film played by Mohanlal,Jagathi,Siddique,Jagadish etc are facing the same pain & feelings.Among them Moosa's family & his olden days is shown in detail.Jagathi's character shows how deeply a person can be affected due to these problems.His performance in a slightly mental disordered character is excellent.


Mohanlal's appearance is extraordinary & it is never seen before.He is a very old man with white hairs & halfly balded head.Makeup man Pattanam Rasheed should be appreciated well here for giving such a shape to Mohanlal as well as Jagathi.But the performance of the hero is not upto the mark compared to his makeup.Likewise Swetha('Anaswaram' fame) who acted as Moosa's wife's character is not suited for such a role.She is so unrealistic and also dramatic.
I dont know why she is being given such a heavy role of a great grandmother.
Padmapriya,Lakshmigoplaswamy & the old man who comes as Mohanlal's uncle has acted well in their roles.


Cinematography is by KG Jayan.For the first time young editor Donmax has not used any visual gimmics like he did in films like 'Chinthamani Kolacase','Tiger',Babakalyani' etc.Music is by Rameshnarayan.Through 'Paradesi',this is for the first time a parallel/art film is released in more than 30 centres & that too in DTS.This shows the weightage of the producer 'Ashirwad Cinemas' & the disributor 'Pyramid Saira Ltd'.


There are many touching scenes in 'Paradesi',but...any thing which is more than enough will lead to restlessness and boaring.

Rating : 2.5 / 5