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Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum (2023)
Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum (2023) - Feel-good, happy-end Dramedy with a heart
If Fahadh Faasil is in it, I watch the movie because I know it won't be that bad of a script. Found Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum on Amazon Prime and started watching it.
It's a 2.5-hour-long movie, but you won't be disappointed at the end. A very simple narrative of a Malayali guy living in Mumbai who wants to make it big. Things change when he accidentally returns to Kerala, and the story unfolds.
The first half was quite slow, but it had some beautiful comic relief. Fahadh portrayed these roles remarkably, where he acts a bit dumb but tries to be smart to get what he wants.
The movie's length is long because there are too many characters, and everyone has a story to tell. So at times, it does get a bit convoluted. However, the second half was definitely more enjoyable, and you really want to see what happens at the climax.
It's definitely a film you can watch with your family. There's a beautiful message about female education and dealing with personal losses, except it ends on a positive note.
Honestly, the Malayalam industry has made too many comedy-dramas like this too often. In fact, it reminded me of Fahadh's previous film "Njan Prakashan," which also follows the same recipe of some comedy, a bit of tragedy, but a happy ending.
If you can spare 2.5 hours for a film, Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum is worth a watch. 7/10 for me.
Malayankunju (2022)
Malayankunju (2022) - Tearjerker survival thriller of redemption
I am still trying to wrap my thoughts around it. I started watching Malayankunju knowing it's a survival thriller, except I was unaware of the humane side to the story.
I guess it's really redundant at this point to talk about Fahadh Faasil's acting or his range. He was simply the show-runner in Malayankunju.
Many films have been made about India's caste system, but most of them are primarily politically driven. They have action and drama. Malayalam cinema deviates in this aspect, as it sensibly portrays many political topics, and this film is no different.
Anikuttan (Fahadh Faasil) is an enraged, casteist man who is also dealing with his own trauma. The movie equally humanizes why Anikuttan is the person that he is today, and you empathize with his side of the story too.
Anikuttan's life changes when a newborn baby next door, from a "lower caste," brings back memories of his past traumas. Anikuttan has to reconcile with his views when a sudden landslide and the newborn's cry for help haunt him for who he is.
Jaya Kurup, who plays Anikuttan's mother, reminds us of our own mothers too. Helpless at times, trying to mend fragile relations.
I highly recommend using headphones throughout the movie because of the background scores! It made sense why they are so moving when I saw that it's by our God of Music, A. R. Rahman! <3 It's all in the background music that turned a "tense drama" into an actual "thriller." After Tumbbad, Malayankunju is the only movie for which I actively searched for the background music jukebox because it's that good! (Even the songs in the movie are equally amazing, although I couldn't understand the lyrics without subtitles.)
There are some small technical flaws with the set design, but you won't notice them unless you really look for it.
Watch Malayankunju (2022) with an open heart, not merely through the lens of a survival thriller, and you won't be disappointed.
I hope I someday stumble upon Fahadh Faasil, so I get to tell him about all the intricate things that I notice about his acting! <3
Malayankunju (2022) is an 9/10 for me, and it's available on Amazon Prime!
Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery (2023)
An honest attempt at comedy-drama but fails gracefully
Kathal is basically taking a dig at India's caste system, government inefficacies, and social misogyny. But its nothing extraordinary.
Always appreciate Sanya Malhotra for trying different characters and experimenting with it. But there was fairly nothing in the script to make her stand out.
Rajpal Yadav's comic relief saved the grace to some extent. Brijendra Kala, Raghubir Yadav all seasoned actors as cast which prolly made an otherwise okayish drama bearable.
Very generic making. It tries to spoon feed you as much as possible.
Between the action scenes at climax, it also tries to make you laugh but falls short.
Kathal is probably a good one time watch for fun or maybe in a flight.
Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022)
Basil Joseph nails it again, this time as an actor.
If you watched Minnal Murali, you prolly know about Basil Joseph.
JJJH is a movie about domestic violence in simple terms. BUT it's unlike your sob story kind of movie where you simply feel pity for the main character.
JJJH is witty, funny, and at times a little sad. But never for once will it make you settle down. You will notice all the ironical details about patriarchy in society and how domestic violence has been normalized for years. But all of these have been done in a not-preachy way.
There's this hilarious scene with a woman clad in Burqa and she is asking the other character to ask her husband how much freedom she enjoys...with the context of the film, it just gets absolutely hilarious. JJJH is phenomenally well-written.
And my word who knew Basil Joseph could portray a negative character in such a beautiful manner.
8.5/10 for me.
It was well worth the trouble of going to cinemas for a night show.
Do watch it folks if it eventually comes to cinemas or OTT.
More power to Malayalam films. At this point my expectations are too high for whatever they make.
Unda (2019)
Unda (2019) - A No-Purpose Take on Indian Elections
Started watching this movie partly because of Mammotty who is a big star in the South. The plot revolves around elections in the Naxalite-prone areas of Chattisgarh where a team of policemen are assigned on election duty.
The entire time, you anticipate something to happen in the film but nothing ever does until the climax. But the climax absolutely reminds you of those typical south films where the protagonist makes all the calls.
Fairly sad that Newton - the 2017 bollywood movie was made on the same topic but was such a well-made film where Unda absolutely fails.
First half of the movie is literally bunch of unnecessary scenes that serve no purpose in the actual plot as if they were written to fill pages and to drag the duration to make it a 2-hour long film.
The IMDB rating of this film is 7.8! Thanks to typical South movie fans who would rate any movie 10/10 as long as there is a star (Mammotty in this case).
Very disappointed that all the build up and thriller-like look ended with nothing because of a poorly written script.
5/10 for me. Please dont bother.
Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana (2021)
"Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana" - Raj Shetty delivers a gritty, grippy crime drama.
"Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana" - Raj Shetty delivers a gritty, grippy crime drama.
My word! I haven't seen something as dark and grippy since Pataal Lok. Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana literally translates as "one sits on Garuda and other one Vrishabha" - both mythical creatures in Hindu Mythology.
GGVV is a crime drama revolving around "Hari" and his soulmate "Shiva" again two Hindu Gods. Without giving away much, the film is very grey and the violence depicted is very much "then and there". Not for a moment are the filmmakers apologetic about it.
And yet, the picturization and the cinematography is absolutely captivating.
For the first part of the movie, violence is very much celebrated where as the second part, ends by questioning the men's greed, ego, and how futile this cycle of violence is.
Raj Shetty's character of "Shiva" is so convincing that you feel the grim reality the movie tries to portray.
Sharing some beautiful scene from the film to show how artistic they are. Same goes for the background score, phenomenal stuff.
8/10 for me. If you are okay with violence on the screen, if you liked Pataal Lok before, GGVV is definitely worth a watch.
The White Tiger (2021)
It is indeed the century of the brown and yellow men. May God save the rest.
"It is the century of the brown men and the yellow men. And may God save everyone else."
You know how they say if you want to win elections in India, its the perception that will win it. Development never won election. You take caste, religion, and social class out of it, there is no election agenda at all. Look at Bihar, UP, MP its everywhere.
I read the White Tiger back in 2014. It was such an amazing book. I am surprised that it took them almost a decade to make a film out of this.
Absolutely well-made. Adarsh Gourav just proved how amazing of an actor he is! Glad the picturization was done in the context of early 20007 when Pajero Jeeps were a big deal. A sign of upper class who indeed owns the rest.
The subtle gestures of two people from the two divided classes making donations to God. One with a coin and the other with a 500 rupee note! Just goes to show the class divide in India.
Have things changed since? It perhaps did a bit. But now we have society polarised over ideologies. Caste is still the ever existing dilemma. Except, Indian middle class has grown.
Just how Arvind showed in his book. You either go up or you get eaten up. You thrive or you die.
White Tiger is a beautifully picturized movie. Apart from Priyanka Chopra's fake accent, everything else was just how it should have been. The movie and the book is still as relevant as it ever was.
Sharing a very old quote from the book itself which still stayed with me:
"Do you know about Hanuman, sir? He was the faithful servant of the god Rama, and we worship him in our temples because he is a shining example of how to serve your masters with absolute fidelity, love, and devotion.
These are the kinds of gods they have foisted on us Mr. Jiabao. Understand, now, how hard it is for a man to win his freedom in India."
Please read the book if you have not. And ofc watch the movie.
A review from another privileged guy who would not leave the privileges. But someone who also enjoys pondering over the social divide, caste, and religion. Because, the rich are born with advantages they can waste. But that is not the case for the poor.
Manmarziyaan (2018)
Anurag Kashyap kind of Love Story
Didn't have high hopes for the film because of Imdb reviews. But was completely surprised by how good the movie turned out to be. Its a musical romance kind of movie. Kashyap didn't disappoint even in a genre that is not so his style. Loved how logically was movie was written and ending made sense.
Its a good one time watchable movie. If you loved someone, you will prolly relate to it as well.
Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017)
Good enough for Indian Audience
A movie worth watching with family in a cinema hall. nothing great with story. Second half at one point, you can guess the ending. One reason why it was a success at box office. Not boring, not excellent. Enough for the average Indian audience.