Google

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Aakasagopuram


Movie is an entirely different media when it is compared with a literary work or a drama or a play. Only very few movies in Malayalam have been adapted from English plays. The directors here, don’t want to take the extra burden on their head by doing so, thus the number of such films coming here is limited only.


Director KP.Kumaran’s (‘Rukmini’ fame) latest movie ‘Aakasagopuram’ with Mohanlal is an adaption from the English play by Ibsen, “The Master Builder”. The main character done by Mohanlal is an architectural genius. He, who is reaching the old age has got the tension and fear towards the younger generation. In this modern world, he is afraid of his existence in architecture and engineering field with older ideas. So he disagrees with his associate (Manoj K Jayan) in official matters; also doesn’t allow him to be independent.

Generally ‘Aakasagopuram’ relates to the inferiority complex of a man when he becomes old. Thus the crookedness shown by a person for his existence in every aspect is represented through an antiheroic image.



The film is shot entirely in UK. Though the story of the play happens there, the director should have kept in mind that he is doing a malayalam film. In that sense, we can’t say that ‘Aakasagopuram’ is an adaption from the play “The Master Builder”; rather it is a carbon copy. Every dialogue from the play is translated as such to malayalam, thus creating an intolerable non realistic effect. In some scenes, the placement of the characters and their movements even leads us to a second thought, Is this a drama or a movie ?!



Anyway the film is technically sound. The frames captured by cinematographer Santhosh Thundiyil (‘Krish’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ fame) are excellent. Some of the night shots resembles like a Hollywood classic. Mohanlal has acted well. In some scenes his action is too dramatic, maybe his recent theatre experience (“Chaayamukhi” and “Karnabharam”) might have enabled the director to request him to do so. Swetha Menon, Geethu Mohandas and the female debutant Nithya are also good at their roles.



Expecting a global market, the creators have gone for a Hollywood team in the music, mixing and recording section. Paul Altman (‘Titanic’ fame) has given the music for the film; but one should think whether that was essential for such a malayalam project.




‘Aakasagopuram’ is too tall and difficult for a common man to climb, so please don’t let your effort to be unsuccessful in the end.


Rating : 1.5 / 5

No comments: