Red Chillies

Director Shaji Kailas, script writer AK Sajan and producer Ranjith Rajaputhra has joined hands again through ‘Red Chillies’, after their previous hit, ‘Chinthamani Kolacase’. This time their hero is superstar Mohanlal, who plays the role of a business tycoon.

The background of the happenings in the film is an FM radio station named Club Fm, whose owner is a Singapore based rich man OMR (Mohanlal). The radio jockeys plays an important role in the story line. (Seeing those 9 girls, I felt that the team behind has not escaped from the hangover of ‘Chinthamani Kolacase’). In the course, these girls came across a murder and those key suspects escapes from the city as per instruction from their boss OMR. Till first half he controls their voyage and activities through the telephone. Meanwhile the police conduct a detail enquiry and chase the girls. Later the hero, who is the prime accused in the case, reaches the city, he acts against the police and other negative elements. In the end the suspense is revealed and the real villain is caught.

‘Red Chillies’ has got the ultimate heroism of Mohanlal in Shaji Kailas’ style. OMR in the beard look and colorful costumes has got a stylish appearance and a different way of dialogue presentation. Each scene will felt like the introduction scene for the hero. (the shot in which hero's photo is shown in the pooja room is an extreme...)

The contribution of Editor Samjith is brilliant for the visuals taken by the cinematographer Shaji. After Don Max had flied to Chennai, Shaji Kailas has got an editor whose work has got an extra ordinary technique. Some of the shots even look like a big budget film produced in hindi / tamil.

In the current trend of FM radios, the story of radio jockeys is relatively different. But the way in which those girls are shown drinking and dancing in the rain at late night can give wrong information to the audience. (I know this is a film and all characters here are created and fictitious only, but an average malayalee won’t rethink much about this fact!).

The performance of Saba Khan who comes in the chief of Jockey's role is very below average. It is good that the director had not given many dialogues to her or not shown any close-up shots of this north indian lady. The face of girls who acted as RJs other than Ranjini Jose (singer) and Dhanya ('Thalappavu' fame) is not familiar and most of them had nothing big to do. While discussing many things as a part of globalization, here the script writer should be appreciated for placing a real communist leader (Thilakan) also who acts against the irregularities in the modern society.

Background score by Rajamani is fine and dts mixing by Raj Krishnan matches the scenes very well. Songs by M. Jayachandran is fast, but not appealing. After a series of many dull films, here I don’t felt anything much boring. That is an advantage for a film like ‘Red Chillies’. If you can withstand heroic subjects accompanied by suspense, then you will like this film.

(.....for persons who don't like films like 'Red Chillies'..., i can't agree with you..., since you people didn't took initiative to see films like 'Thirakkadha' and 'Pakal Nakshtrangal' and make it at least average hits....you don't like any of these styles...!!! then what is your taste & interest ???!.....please comment...)

On the whole, ‘Red Chillies’ is an entertainer by Mohanlal. Don’t expect anything big, but I am sure that they had not given the bad.

Rating : 3 / 5 (revised)