Four Friends

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Kamalhassan (guest role), Jayaram, Jayasurya, Kunjakko Boban, Meera Jasmin
Director : Saji Surendran
Music : M.Jayachandran

After a couple of hits like 'Ivar Vivahithaaraayal' and 'Happy Husbands', the same team (director Saji Surendran & his associates, script writer Krishna Poojappura, cinematographer Anil Nair, editor Manoj, art director Sujith Raghav, music director M.Jayachandran, choreographer Prasanna, still photographer Mahadevan Thambi etc), once again joined together for a new venture named 'Four Friends'. Jayaram, Kunjakko Boban and Meera Jasmin are doing the lead roles with Jayasurya who was also a common factor in the previous projects. The notable thing regarding this project is that 'Universal Hero' Kamalhassan did a special appearance in malayalam after 'Chaanakyan', breaking a gap of more than 20years.

The movie starts with a song, 'Yeh Dosti...' (remake from 'Sholay), showing the friendship of Roy (Jayaram), Soorya (Kunjakko Boban) and Ameer (Jayasurya). They are reaching airport for a trip to Malaysia. They are waiting for their another companion Gauri (Meera Jasmin) to arrive. In the mean time, their past, the way in which their friendship started, the motive of their journey etc are shown through a flashback. What happened to each of them and how they are prepared to face the life boldly forms the main theme of the story that are shown in the second half portions at abroad.

Unlike from the earlier movies, the presentation of the movie is different; Though 'Happy Husbands' was filled with humour oriented situations, here the story is more sentimental. In the beginning portions itself the problems are revealed, which later takes us to a sentimental journey till end. It shouldn't have done like that, there has to be a suspense element kept for the viewers to stay there. In this decade, you can't expect the people to enjoy a movie made like 'Thaniyavarthanam' or 'Aakashadoothu'. We can't blame the viewers, they are clever enough to identify that the incidents shown in the movies are real, but they don't want to see as it is through an entertainment medium. If the team behind is too particular about taking such a team, then they should tackle such a situation by presenting it differently, here the creators have failed on such a part.

I strongly argued with those people who says that the first two movies of Saji Surendran looks like a tele serial; but here I felt in many situations, such a view point must be right. The situations involving the doctor (Ganesh Kumar) and Soorya's parents (Lalu Alex and Seema) are too dramatic. Most of the time, the dialogues used in the movie felt like narrations or statements. The scenes showing affection between Roy and Gauri, the sudden start of the song after a tense behaviour by Gauri, Salim Kumar's comedy, the lengthy action scene in abroad, chasing done by Gauri's brother (Manikkuttan) , the doctor 's wig, the temple episode etc are few areas carelessly handled here. In general, the overdoze of sentiments creats laughing and humorous sequences are not upto its standards. The bg score given by M.Jayachandran is too loud most of the time. The remix song used in the movie won't make any change.

Jayasurya in the beard appearance is serious and humorous also. Jayaram and Kunjakko Boban did well. The character given to Meera Jasmin suits her well. The visuals given by cinematographer Anil Nair is colorful. If editor Manoj wants to trim certain sad situations, it would be confusing for him to decide, where should he started. It is good to see that Saji Surendran has handled the lengthy and motivating scene by Kamalhassan in an excellent manner, which is the only highlight of the movie.


'Four Friends' is a serious attempt targeting ladies. The presentation of the movie in such a way, won't gives you an attractive sight...


Rating : 3.5 / 10

Paattinte Paalaazhi

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Meera Jasmin, Revathi, Manoj K.Jayan, Krishnakumar, Balabhaskar
Director : Rajiv Anchal
Music : Suresh Manimala, Balabhaskar (bg score)

The months of August-September, were considered as a festival season for the movie industry also; but in the recent past, such an attitude has changed and there is no chance for big / notable malayalam projects released during this period. The distributors are doing this, as the collection in the malabar area at this time will be minimum due to the Ramzan season. Anyway, this has helped the arrival of some small projects like 'Paattinte Paalaazhi'.

The only thing that attracted me to watch this movie is the director's name. He is Rajiv Anchal, an art director turned director, who gave movies like 'Butterflies', 'Kashmeeram', 'Guru', 'Pilots', 'Made In USA' etc. This is a heroine oriented musical subject with Meera Jasmin coming in the lead role. Debutant Suresh Manimala is the music director for ONV's lyrics. Balabhaskar has given the background score. Dr.Rajendra Babu, who had written movies like 'Sphadikam' and 'Yuvathurkki', is the script writer.

Veena (Meera Jasmin) is an ambitious girl who wants to sing in movies. She is the favourite disciple of musician Ustad (Nedumudi Venu) and she becomes friendly with Ustad's daughter Raziya (Revathi) soon. She gets in touch with Ameer (Manoj K.Jayan), a business man and started loving him. At one stage, she left with him without informing her father (Jagathi) and other well wishers. Though Ameer allowed her to continue singing in the initial period, slowly she came to know that he is not interested in her passion. She wanted to leave the house, but he is not allowing him. Soon she came to know that she is pregnant. She stays back at one condition. When Raziya comes back from London, she saw a different person in Veena and thus goes the incidents of 'Paattinte Paalaazhi'.

Father buying old pots from market for her daughter to break, is a childish situation. The ambitious father acting against the music director and the daughter keeping silent at that situation are not digestible. Raziya's character coming to the hospital reception at different occasions, felt repetitive, Raziya and Veena praising each other, all things should have been avoided. The actions of new face Balabhaskar does not matches with the dubbing sometimes. The girl escaping with her lover happens on a sudden, it cannot be justified as the romance is not told in detail. The extreme wish of the mother to make her daughter singing at the studio in their house itself cannot be accepted. As the character's instability is showed in the later portions, it is not a big problem. The doctor (Pattanam Rasheed) accepting the identity of Razhia is not realistic. The climax situations had got resemblance with movies like 'Manichitrathazhu', 'Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu', 'Kadaaksham' etc. The climax happenings in the story, written and shown on the screen is a short cut method found by the director for expression. The duet song featuring the marriage party is not treated well.

Since the role demands eccentric behavior, it is suited well for Meera Jasmin. Cinematographer Azhagappan had given some colorful visuals. Songs by Suresh Manimala may not be best enough to be recollected, but it goes well with the movie path. A lullaby song by Chitra can be charted on top. Background score by Balabhaskar is good, being an expert, he did well in the violin bits that comes along with the songs and its bgm in certain situations.

Don't expect much attractive elements necessary for an entertainment from a musical family subject like 'Paattinte Paalaazhi', at the same time it is not too bad to be cornered...


Rating : 5.5 / 10 (revised)