Big B is a strange name for a movie. No, this is not a tribute to the Big Bachan. Big B I guess stands for Bilal - the name of the character played by Mamootty in this Amal Neerad directed Malayalam movie.
Mamootty has retained a good physique all through his career and this coupled with his histrionic skills is the reason why he has such a large fan following.
In this movie he plays a gangster who was adopted as a child by Mary teacher (played by a very beautiful Nafisa Ali). Mary teacher is a spinster who has is a do-gooder. She adopted four children from the streets and brought them up as her own sons. The eldest son - Bilal (Mammotty) is estranged from the family following his involvement in a goonda fight.
The second son Eddy (Manoj .K. Jayan) is married to Celia (Lena) and has 2 daughters. The third son Murugan(a very muscular Bala) is a stunt master while the fourth son Bijo (Sumit Naval) is a student. Bijo is a spindly boy and hence all his brothers are very protective of him.
The movie starts off with the murder of Mary teacher by some hooligans. Why they murder such a universally well-loved person is not know? As the family prepares for the burial, Bilal reaches. After the burial it is vendetta time as Bilal and his brothers go after the murderers of his mother.
The rest of the story is strewn with car chases and exotic dances. One of the brothers is killed by the villains who also try to sow seeds of suspicion on the minds of the others. However, all is well when the villain ’Saippu’ Tony (a psychotic Sherveer Vakil) is killed on the very beaches he ruled over.
The story comes a full cycle at the end when an orphaned kid reaches Mary teacher’s home in search of food and shelter. Looks like Mary teacher’s ideals are not dead after all.
What did I like about this story?
Firstly the production quality was amazing, something I have come to expect from most new Malayalam movies. It is a remarkable change from the lacklustre sets and disinterested group dancers that were the blight of the 1990s.
There is some amazing music in this movie. Both the background music/theme as well as the songs are hummable. ’Oh January’ has an Arabic tinge to it and sticks out like a sore thumb in the movie flow, but is definitely a fast dance number. ’Vidaparayugayano’ is a moving song which brings out the pathos in the story. The background score during the car chases or the murders is also a good touch.
I like the fact that the lead hero did not have any heroine to bother him with. Not every hero needs a girl to stick to him like a limpet and I am glad movie makers are realising this.
To the contrary, there is an insipid romance between Murugan and the confusingly named Rimi Tomy(Mamta Mohandass). I did not think this added anything at all to the movie.
Actors
Mamooty is good as the elder brother and the grieving son.
Bala has beefed himself up a lot for this role. Hopefully people will realise his acting potential and give him more substantial roles.
Manoj K Jayan is competent as ever in the complex role of Eddy.
Mamta is better off avoiding such blink and you miss roles. She needs meatier roles and overacts in this movie. What is with the name Rimi Tomy? Is this a way of poking fun at the portly singer Rimy Tomy?
Lena is the typical ’edathi amma’ (sister in law). Nothing special there.
Nafisa Ali is a surprising choice for playing mother to Mamotty. But she pull it off with elan.
All in all, this is a good movie. Watch it with your friends over pathiri to enjoy it completely.