Malayali

Days before, one of my friends asked me whether I have seen the film ‘Swarnam’ acted by Kalabhavan Mani. When I told him “No”; he repeated the question for some of the previous releases by the same hero like ‘Raavanan’, ‘Aandavan’, ‘Rakshakan’ etc, the answer from my side was not different. His enquiry later sounded like a complaint. Even though there was a chance for an argument, it is better that a movie fanatic like me should keep silent at that time. (we have already discussed the horrible experience of ‘Kabadi Kabadi’). The real fact is that the particular friend has not seen a single movie acted by the same hero in the last 4 years. Anyway I decided to watch the new film ‘Malayali’ by Kalabahavan Mani, for my friend!

The hero (Kalabahavan Mani) lives in a big family with his mother (KR Vijaya), his two brothers (Irshad, Madhu Warrier), their wives, kids etc. He has also got two sisters and their husbands (Sadhik, Srihari). He, being an elder brother is helpful for the villagers most of the time. This attitude is not liked by his relatives. Some business people kept an eye on their properties for a resort project. He doesn’t like the attitude of the brothers and other relatives who supports the outsiders. In such a worse situation, he leaves the place. He reaches Pazhani as a pilgrim. There he meets an old guy (Murali), who shares his problems with the hero. The former is found dead in the very next morning. Hero reaches the old man’s native and stays there. He helps the family to clear the debts. At the same time, he takes his share from the brothers and helps the family who is unknown to him. The situation in that village is also not positive for him and he moves to a distant area. In the end, the lost man is found; his real value is understood to the family members and they all unite.

From the time of Satyan-Prem Nazir itself; we are practicing such a story line. Films like ‘Valsalyam’, ‘Balettan’ etc also followed the same pattern. Without having a wide canvas of audience allover the state, Mani has also gone through the same track. The average presentation of the film and the inclusion of many serial artists had made the project too narrow. Thus most of the scenes has got teh flavour of a teleserial. The melodrama dialogues in the film are also as expected only. The situation in which the old men sitting with the hero in front of the big house and narrating poems looks un natural. The attitude of the hero is repetitive and in this period it looks cinematic in some areas. Only films which became hit for Mani (as hero) were ‘Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njanum’, ‘Karumadikkuttan’ and ‘Ben Johnson’. It seems like, he wants to exploit his sentimental image again; but it resulted in a disappointment.

The film is directed by CS Sudhesh (‘Maanasam’, ‘Nakshtrangal Prayathirunnathu’ fame). After ‘Black Dhalia’ and the surprise hit ‘Passenger’, P Sukumar handles the camera. As his recent script works like ‘Kancheepurathe Kalyanam’, ‘Panthayakkozhi’ and ‘Don’, J Pallasseri’s confidence level is still in the low level only. Mohan Sitara is the music director.

The name ‘Malayali’ has got a nativity, but we can’t expect it from such a film which don’t have good ingredients to project.

Rating : 4.5 / 10