Loud Speaker

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Mammootty, Gracy Singh, jagathi, Suraj Venjarammood
Direction : Jayaraj
Music : Bijibal

Director Jayaraj and Mamootty teamed up again after 'Johny Walker' which happened 17years before. The film scripted and produced also by Jayaraj had got Gracy Singh ('Lagan' fame) as the heroine and Sasikumar (new face and a journalist, also the founder chairman of Asianet) has got an important role to do. Time Ads distributes the film.


The film tells the story of a person (Mammootty) who speaks loudly heance he is nick named "loud speaker". He reaches the city area from the highrange village side. This man is now the companion of an NRI business man (Sasikumar) and lives with him in an appartment in the heart of the city. The latter one who lives lonely had got some health problem and now he is getting good support from the village man. The hero soon became a good friend for the kids and other residents. Some of the members raised voice against his innocent acts, thus he is a nuisance also. At one stage he is being driven away by the master. But it is a fact that his character is loved by the majority. Thus 'Loud Speaker' delivers the innocent face of the villagers and the contrasting attitude of the city men. The real bondage of the friendship is also highlighted. The dialogues used has got some unders current messages.


Mammootty has done his character with ease. His ordinary costumes in dhotis without chappals with a different rendering of the voice is the main attraction. His down to earth charecterisiation has got the style of films like 'Oru Maravathoor Kanavu', 'Udyanapalakan', 'Valsalyam' etc. Sasikumar, who came in an important character here is a good choice. It is once again proved that placing new faces for prominent roles can give a better output sometimes. Jagathi, Suraj Venarammod, Salim Kumar etc are there for the comedy scenes. Gracy Singh has nothing big to do. (i didn't understood the technicality happened in her voice; she being a hindi girl has used the dubbed voice, but the output felt that it is recorded on spot).


On the souding side,'Loud Speaker' is one such film where spot recording has been used. The speciality here is that we don't have to dub the voice of the artists, thus the original sounds at the time of the shooting is used as it is while the mixing is done. This advantage has become the main negative here in the output. In the beginning portions it is evident clearly; it is similar to a drama where we get the lesser sounds of the characters which are far away from the mike. But the hero, who talks loudly does not have that much problem. The director says that he used the spot recording facility to give the identity and uniqueness to the main character clearly. But, in the theater where I watched the film, it was shown a strip in the beginning by the management seeking pardon for the poor audio quality which shows that there is something happened to the sounding side in the first copy.


The script writer should have discussed the sentimental issues more clearly to attract the families; here the end came all on a sudden. Cameraman Gunasekhar has given colorful visuals. Bijibal has given the music. Mammootty gave his voice for two songs. The remix version of the old hit "alliyambal..." is also used here, sung by Vijay Yesudas. The back ground score of the film is also good.


I heard mixed response for this film. Some says it is not good; i can't agree with that. 'Loud Speaker' has got an ordinary character by Mammootty; there human values are represented in a lighter way through him...



Rating : 7.5 / 10 (revised)