To Harihar Nagar

Now it is the time for another sequel in malayalam. The chance is for ‘In Harihar Nagar’ by Sidhiq- Lal, which released around 18years before. The new version named ‘To Harihar Nagar’ has got script and direction by Lal (alone). Along with Mukesh, Jagadeesh, Sidhiq & Asokan, the new heroine here is Lakshmi Rai.

Three of the group excluding Thomaskutty (Asokan) are married and settled in different places. They all had a get-together for his engagement, leaving their families. Thus for 10days, they had planned to enjoy their second stage of bachelor life. Accidently they got Maya (Lakshmi Rai) as the companion. Their friendship with her, caused many problems and after getting into many troubles, how they escaped from all such things is told in ‘To Harihar Nagar’.

The treatment of first half of the film is very humorous. Appukkuttan’s (Jagadeesh) blunders and fumbles in dialogues holds the key for this. After many situation comedies (most of them has got a Sidhiq-Lal touch), the film becomes serious in the post interval time. It is carried away by some kidnapping, fighting and sentimental scenes. Even then, there are many twists and turns till climax.

The role of Appukkuttan is questionable (he is a dental doctor here?). Casting of Salimkumar is unnecessary. Comedy sequence created with Atlas Ramachandran again and again feels restlessness. In place of sweet villain John Honai, a new face is introduced here as villain. His body language is sometimes childish and sometimes serious; the familiarity in sound is also a drawback (Anoop Chandran dubbed for him). In such a prestigious project villain should have been big and different. It would be better if any outsider has been placed there.

Director Lal has done a major crime by asking his brother (Alex Paul) to remix the original version of “Unnam Marannu…” and “Ekandha Chandrike…” created by S Balakrsihnan. The new songs are horrible and intolerable. The climax song is also not pleasing. It is good to see majority of artists in two films are appearing in it, but it is not appealing. Without any humorous situations, the second half lags here and there. But by creating some suspense elements in between the director has managed to get things done within the limit. The charecterisation of heroine has got the flavor and inspiration from ‘Mannar Mathai Speaking’. In this period, the age of those artists also matters, we can’t expect the same flexibility for their performance her also. Venu’s camera work and Saajan’s editing helped the director very well. Though a successive producer and distributor, Lal has also proved that he has the capability to hold the megaphones if situation demanded.

Those who are curious to know what all are happening in Harihar Nagar this time, can watch ‘To Harihar Nagar’. In the current scenario of malayalam film industry, as a sequel, it is presented in the best way it can.

Rating : 3.5 / 5