Films are last on my priority list during weekends. I’d better prefer shopping around or dine in a fine restaurant (good food has remained my all time weakness).But this time around, I decided to relax at a neighborhood cinema. Andaaz and Kilichundan Mambazham were the two options for me and I easily chose the latter mainly because I’m a diehard comedy fan and moreover I was sort of attracted by the title song. As usual I arrived at the cinema hall very late, thanx to the traffic and could get only a V.V.I.P seat(read it as the front row please).Nevertheless, I settled for it and held my head high to get a view of the movie( my neck still aches, ouch!)
Kilichundan Mambazham, {translated as totapuri mango in hindi -I know the translated title sounds funny.Even the movie has nothing to do with the title except for a scene.) tells the story of Abdu(Mohan Lal) and Amina(Soundarya). The story takes place a few years ago, we are told and it happens in a remote, yet beautiful village called Koonthalikadavu. So, what’s the movie all about?
Well, the film begins with a marriage party returning home with a very beautiful bride. Moidutty Haji(Srinivasan) , the richest man in the village has married for the third time because his two wives are infertile and he badly needs a child. He listens to a local tantric, (Jagathy) and marries Amina. Enter Abdu, along with his helper cum friend Usman who comes to the village in disguise of doing some business. He enters only Moidutty Haji’s house making different reasons and each time he is thrown off the house by Moidutty Haji. Inspite of that Abdu still wanders around the house keeping an eye on Amina. Amina is Abdu’s childhood sweetheart and he wants her back. But will Moidutty haji, who is totally smitten by Amina’s beauty, let that happen? This forms the rest of the story.
As for the performances, every body has done their part well. The film boasts of a veteran star cast. Mohan Lal has done a very commendable job but its high time he does roles that suits his age. How long will the audience tolerate the “well past middle aged” heroes trying to pass of as young bachelors? Soundarya, even though a bit hefty, looks graceful in the role of Amina. Thilakan makes an impact in the brief role.Srinivasan is his natural self and has done a good job. All the supporting cast like Sukumari, Seema, Kochin haneefa & Salim Kumar have done their job well.
The title song is very melodious and sweet to hear but other songs except for Kasavinte doest leave much of an impact. The cinematography, the costumes and the art-direction are worth mentioning. With all these factors, how could a film go wrong?
The biggest flaw lies in the direction itself. Director Priyadarshan himself has written the script and the dialogues are in colloquial Muslim language of remote villages in Malappuram. This kind of Malayalam is seldom used or understood in any other parts of kerala other than in some regions of Malabar. This is the major draw back as the majority of the audience could find the film very boring for the language they have used.
The script is weak and the movie is dragging at some points. The director has portrayed ‘Talaq’(divorce) as simpler than drinking a cup of tea. It also gives a wrong impression about the marriage system among the muslims. Priyadarshan, who is famous for making good copies(sorry, inspirations) of Hollywood movies, couldn’t do justice to the original story by Srinivasan. He has tried very hard in giving the movie a muslim ambience, but fails to impress.
Overall, it’ll find the going tough. The film may appeal to certain people but not to all. You may like it if you are from the northern parts of Kerala but for the rest, i’m doubtful.I definitely won’t recommend you to spend your precious 3 hours on this.