Not what we want
Movie: Chandrolsavam
Banner: Damor films/ Santosh damodaran
Script, direction: Ranjith
Cast: Mohanlal, Meena, Sreeraman, Augustine, Jagadeesh, Sphadikam George, Bheeman Raghu, Oduvil unnikrishnan, Dakshinamoorthy, Khushboo, Saikumar, Jayakrishnan,
Sujatha, Samvrutha, Maniyanpilla Raju......
Lyrics: Gireesh Puthenchery
Music: Vidyasagar
Camera: Azhagappan
Editor: Bhoominathan
VERDICT-
Definitely not what we want. Ace director Ranjith, who has penned umpteen other success stories, falters at his own homeground.
His try at something different, (a mix of cliched heroics, classical music, love and some philosophy), fall flat.
There is nothing noteworthy in the movie save the man who looks very much back in form, Mohanlal. He is brilliant, as always, expressing the myriad emotions that the protagonist, Chirakkal Sreehari, has been made to undergo by the screenplaywright, the director Ranjith himself. Apart from this character, the rest are familiar faces, routine emotions, even the actors are the very same.
Sphadikam George as the ruthless cop, Bheeman Raghu as the the villain’s sidekick, Sreeraman, Augustine, Jagadeesh, as the hero’s pals, and you know the scenario at once, b’cos you’ve seen it in thousand other Shaji kailas movies. But Mohanlal literally steals the show, with his screen prescence, the french beard, the earlocks, the trendy costumes, stylised dialogues, the punchline ’’ best kanna, best’’ delivered when necessary (not overdone), and predictably, no one else has a say in the proceedings.
Ranjith tried to add some grandeur by casting the great musician Dakshinamoorthy (as lal’s music teacher), but gives him only two or three scenes which does nothing to save his cause. The scenes between the great man and mohanlal, which involve a lot of complex conversations on the essence of life, music and love, serve as pure waste-of-time to the average theatre-goer. He expects a good story, fun, some sane comedy, some sentiments, catchy songs, their favourite actors doing what they do best. Except the last one, this film offers nothing. There was a lot of hype about this movie, after mohanlal announced turning selective, and Ranjith-Lal
combinations have never failed. That the film grossed 1.5 crores in the opening two days is enough proof of this. But the audience have been on the decline since.
STORYLINE-
Mohanlal, meena, and the two villains are childhood friends, and the three boys are equally in love with the girl. But she returns the love, obviously to lal, and the other guys abhor this. There thus evolves a hatred in the minds of the villains towards Sreehari. All grow up. Meena’s mother hates her husband (oduvil unnikrishnan) and his family, to which Sreehari belongs. So she decides to wed meena to one of the other two friends, Balachandran. Meena, after a lot of tears, agrees to it. Meanwhile Ramanunni, the other friend hatches a plan to get rid of both his competitors. He hires Peethambaran (raghu), to kill balachandran on the wedding day,
and tell the public that Sreehari made him do this. Balachandran survives with serious injuries and is bed-ridden forever. Sreehari goes to jail for an offence he didn’t commit (deja vu, narasimham?), and on return meets meena, who tells him she hates him more than anything, and is not willing to trust him. Aghast, Lal leaves India.
Jagadeesh, the caretaker of the lal’s house and a novelist, tells this story to a group of teens who want to know their folklore hero’s lovestory. This group has Samvrutha (rasikan fame), jayakrishnan (manju pol fame), and two newcomers (i guess). They all wait for Lal’s return. And it happens, complete with fireworks, literally. This is one of the few humorous scenes in the film.
Lal, back from Paris, is here to relive all his childhood memories and to settle old scores (inevitable!!!). He brings home his dad’s old girlfriend (sujatha) as his mother, thrashes the hell out of peethambaran, and makes him spill out the truth in front of meena and her crippled husband Balachandran, and locks horns with Ramanunni and his uncle, Saikumar. Then Ramanunni, after a lot of failed plans, accidently kills balachandran, and appoints one of his bullys as the culprit, with the help of sphadikam george, the officer in charge. Lal takes meena home and augustine transfers george, replaces him with Maniyanpilla Raju, the friendly cop (narasimham again?).
Lal helps Raju in finding Ramanunni, and all’s fine. Then, behold, comes in the ravishing Khushboo who behaves freely to lal, much to the anxiety of his friends and meena. She has come to take Lal back to Delhi. Why? to marry him? (This is what the director wants the viewers to presume). And presto, the dessert of the feast. Lal is a chronic cancer patient and she is his doctor (kal ho na ho, anyone?)
He thinks his days are numbered and doesn’t want to die, seeks solace with his teacher, who tells him there’s music in his veins, and he can’t die just like that with all those love around him. On this note, he leaves for Delhi with meena and khushboo, with a promise of coming back. And there are enough implications that he will.
MUSIC-
Vidyasagar has composed music for 4 major vishu releases including this. Out of which only rajni’s Chandramukhi has fared well.
One song in this movie stands out, ’’aaraarum kaanathe’’ (jayachandran’s voice). It is well shot and is melodious to the ears.
And there is one song with meena, in which she sings, smiles, and goes around in complete merriment. Back home, her husband can’t walk, her father is ill and mother gone. And she is portrayed as a sensitive, naive living being. Contradictions, huh?
UPSIDES-
Mohanlal, and his new look.
Exceptional camerawork.
The dialogues are fresh and witty.
Casting is rich.
FLIPSIDES-
Weak, much heard story.
Dakshinamoorthy, Khushboo, Oduvil, Raju, Jagadeesh wasted.
Too slow, especially towards intermission.
First half cluttered with songs.
OVERALL-
Not bad for a family outing. But avoid going for it with friends, especially if you are the avid mohanlal fan in the group !!!