Review By: Sreejith; Text: Soumya

Dileep’s Vishu-Summer release, Sound Thoma directed by hit maker Vysakh targets family audience, and have all the integredints to make them stick to this film. Dileep’s expriement with roles continues and this time he experiments with cleft lip. But was let down with a poor script penned by Benny P Nayarambalam.

Story of the film revolves around Thoma, the younger son of Pala Parambil Paulo a miser. Paulo wanted his boys to marry from rich families and get a huge dowry. His last hope was Thoma, as his other two sons had went against his wish and married a Muslim girl and an orphan. Meanwhile, Thoma is in love with Lakshmi and film is about his attempt too woo her.

After Spanish Masala this is the latest script from Benny P Nayarambalam has written for Dileep. Sadly other than offering him (Dileep) a role of cleft lipped guy, its seems that Benny was not interested in putting some effort in writing a good story or interesting sequence that matches the story line. Comedy sequences of this filk seems to be out of place. The next thing is the predictability that gives even obviousness a bad name.

The role of cleft lipped Thoma was safe with Dileep and the way he enacts the role, one would feel that no actor in Malayalam can do this character. Another highlight of Sound Thoma is Sai Kumar. Namita Pramod, who was earlier seen in movies like Traffic and Putiya Theerangal has nothing much to do.

Vysakh succeded in getting back to back hits with Pokkiri Raja, Seniors and Mallu Singh. But here Vysakh got it all wrong. Except some good music and Dileep, nothing is impressive for audience.

Visuals and songs of the film are appreciative. Cameraman Shaji does a good job and the songs from Gopi Sundar are hummable.

This financially sound Thoma being poorly written is a let down, even sincere performace from Dileep could make it interesting. Being the vacation season, the film will get a good run at the box office as it will leave the targetted audience (kids) happy.

Rating: 1.5 /4

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1. Tell us about your first step into the film industry.?

KNS : My film career started in Pune on the day the interview – board of FTII, comprising two great film directors Mr. Mrinal Sen and Mr. Hrishikesh Mukherjee cleared my admission to the three year’s film direction course at FTII, Pune. That was my stepping stone into the film industry.

2. Its being 28 years, your first multi starer film Akkare had been released. How do you feel taking a movie after a long gap.?

KNS : Actually, there was no gap professionally in my film career. I was fully engaged in making other kinds of films, fictional and non fictional, like short-films, documentaries, and TV commercials etc.

3. About the moive Nayana

KNS : Nayana is about hopes and necessary losses in life.

The wonderful world of a child, even if it is bereft of colours, has a happiness so infectious that it is able to cut through the thick barrier that the stiff upper lipped ex-civil service officer built around himself. Diseases, personal tragedies and the generation gap, all take a back seat as the sweet friendship of Nayana and Kamal Swaroop grows.

4. Nayana means eyes, how is the title resembels the theme of the film.?

KNS : Nayana has a theme connected with vision.

5. what inspired you to choose such a subject?

KNS : Experience

6. Anupam Kher is back in Malayalam with Nayana… can you speak about the experience directing such a great actor?

KNS : Anupam Kher is a versatile artist. He doesn’t act, only performs, with his psyche to merge with the personality of the character. He expectss detailed analysis of the character from the director before portrayal. I was successful in delivering it. As soon as ‘action’ is ordered, ‘Anupam Kher’ will vanish and the character will take over with full positive charge. Hardly, there will be any retakes.

7. What is the role of Anupam Kher…

KNS : Anupam Kher plays the role of a retired IAS official, a loner in life, having vision –disability

8. how do you feel about the lead actors in this film

KNS : All the lead actors have done their part extremely well and within the ambit of expected requirements.

9. Can you share the experience of scripting Nayana.

KNS : he scripting of Nayana has taken six months. Every day, morning, from 5 am to 7 am, I used to write. The scenes were written as they came to my mind. There was an idea already formed before I wrote the script. The scenes, dialogues, visuals and other details emerged at the time of actual scripting. There was no editing during the creative process. It was done after the finale of the flow.

10. How do you got the thread for Nayana.

KNS : From life around.

11. Can you talk about the songs in Nayana.

KNS : There are two songs in Nayana. One sung by Mrs. K.S. .Chithra and the other one by Mr. Jassi Gift, composed by Mr. Mohan Sithara and the lyrics by me. Both songs have come out good and mellifluous. Writing lyrics is a different experience.

12. How is the shoot progressing and When are you planning to release the movie…

KNS : Shoot is over and the film is now in the last stages of post-production. Film will be released soon.

13. Tell us about your next film?

KNS : Next film is in the scripting stage. Production will be taken after the release of Nayana.

14. Besides a director what are you?

KNS : Besides Director, I am interested production of all types of films – feature, documentaries, short films, ad-films and TV commercials. I am also interested in designing homes.

15. Few words about your family?

KNS : My father is Mr. K. Narayanan, a retired headmaster and mother Smt. M.R. Kamaladevi. I have 5 brothers and two sisters, I am the 2nd. I have a wife, Smt. Veena Sasidharan and two sons, Rithu, an engineer and Mukil, doing MBA.

16. Any closing words?

KNS : Kindly see NAYANA and get back to me – sooryarekha@gmail.com

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Review By: Parvathy Nair

It’s not always that a movie which one treasures and would want to relive happens. Amen is one of those magical, feel-good gems of a movie with so many interesting tales stitched together into a very beautiful frame.

Lijo Jose Pellissery’s new film is a delight from start to finish. Just like his first two movies, this one too is molded unique- a particular mix that could either be called a romantic musical drama or a classical period comedy. The movie revolves around an ancient Church in Kumaramkari during early 80’s.  The prime thread is a romeo-juliet love story between shy n’ somewhat nerd Solomon (Fahadh Faasil) and witty n’ wealthy Sosanna (Swathi Reddy). Many layers of interesting tales and characters intertwine with the base thread in the right proportion. Let it be the history of the church, the story of rise and fall of the mighty GeeVarghese band, the ideological misunderstandings between Fr. Ottaplackan (Joy Mathew) and Fr. Vattoli (Indrajith Sukumaran) or the platonic relationship between Fr.Vattoli and Michelle (Natasha Sehgal), not a single tale fails in amazing the viewers.

The movie screams the dedication of the entire cast and crew. Amen is loaded with lot of story branches and characters, yet each one of them have been carved out with such precision, Kudos to P S Rafeeque. All tales and characters fits in so tuneful, nothing looks out of place or too much to be talked about. The story do have ‘shitty’ and fart jokes, but in bearable quantity.

The movie claims brilliant performances of all the actors. Charming Fr.Vattoli is yet another masterpiece from Indrajith. With nothing short of excellence to be claimed from Fahadh, he delivers the same. Both the protagonists live their characters to the core and make us crave for more. Joy Mathew fits perfect in the shoes of senior priest Fr. Ottaplackal. Kalabhavan Mani shines in his veteran avatar. Casting is perfect from Protagonists to every single junior artist. Nandu, Rachana, Sudheer Karamana, Anil Murali, Sandra Thomas, Sunil Sugatha, Sasi Kalinga, Kulappulli Leela and others strike the right chords in their respective roles.

Abhinandan Ramanujam and his camera is everywhere, literally! It zooms in and out of everything that tells a story. Clearly this is the best cinematography seen in a very long time. Special mention of the brilliant art direction by Bava- Kumaramkari never seemed this much out of a fairy tale before. The songs set by Prashant Pillai are soulful, vibrant and keeps up with the wholesome spirit of the movie. Other than for a minor glitch with the dubbing for non-keralite cast, the background works for Amen is just perfect.

Final Verdict: Extra ordinary storytelling, brilliant performances, awesome cinematography – Amen! is a masterpiece in all departments.

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Review By: Sreejith 

Ladies & Gentleman, one of the most anticipated film of the season that bring hit maker Siddique and Mohanlal together after a long gap of 20 years. Reported to be the most expensive movie of the year, Ladies and Gentleman is produced by C J Roy of Confident Group and Antony Perumbavoor of Aashirvad Cinemas.

The movie penned by the director himself is about how the Chandrabose played by Mohanlal influences and changes the life of four people (Anu, Jyothi, Chinnu, and Sharath). Mamta Mohandas, Padmapriya, Mithra Kurian, and Krish. J. Sathaar playes these characters respectively. Mohanlal plays Chandrabose a drunkard who lives separate from his wife Aswathy played by Mohanlal.

The main problem with Ladies and Gentleman is its half baked and disconnected script written by the director himself that fails to keep the audience engaged. The film lack a good story line and an interesting screenplay. With predictable twists and boring sequences, one would wonder whether the movie is actually directed by the master director himself.

The characterization of Mohanlal itself is a big let down, as we have seen the drunken act by the actor in many of films and this Chandrabose looks like a rehearsal of few of them.

Cinematography of Satish Kurup is one of good elements in this otherwise boring film. Hit music was always there in Siddique movies but not this time. Music by Ratheesh Vega is a big let down. Lyrics were penned by Rafeeq Ahmed. Background score of Deepak Dev suits the mood of the file while there is nothing worth mentioning about the editing done by Gauri Shankar.

If the film is worth a watch it is because of the legendary actor Mohanlal. He tries to carries this poorly written and executed movie in his own shoulders. New comer Krish badly needs some acting lessons. Amoung the heriones, Mamata Mohandas impress while Padmapriya, and Mithra Kurian did their part well. Meera Jasmine tend to be over acting at places.

If the director had put some thought and commitment while writing the script, Ladies & Gentleman would have turned out to be different experiece for the viewers. At the end Ladies & Gentleman is a wasted attempt and can easily called as the worst film by Siddique. One would feel even the Hindi version of Body Guard is much better than this.

 Star: 1.5 / 4

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Outside Kerala, the film is released in all the major cities including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Mysore, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Pune, Surat, Vadodara, Bharuch, Bhopal, Mangalore, Coimbatore, and Nashik.

Ladies and Gentleman marked as the costliest film of the year with a budget of around 10.5 crore, brings hit maker Siddique and Mohanlal together after 20 years. Earlier they  were seen together with 1992 comedy flick Vietnam Colony.

Mohanlal after the dismal show of his recent films (Karmayodha, Lokpal and Red Wine) is badly in need of a hit.

Ladies and Gentleman enjoyed house full shows in the evening at most of the places but the film has to face stiff competition from other biggies including Sound Thoma and Emmanuel. With Fahadh Fazil’s Amen still manages to draw crowd even in its fourth week, the box office battle is getting tougher.

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From the official movie website.

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Emmanuel also features Fahadh Fazil, Mukesh, Reenu Mathews, Aparna Nair, Salim Kumar and Guinness Pakru.  

Lal Jose joins with Mammootty after a gap of 10 years with Emmanuel. The film is produced by S George and is distributed by Mammootty’s Play House

Emmanuel carries positive response from audience, early reports suggest that the film is on its way to conquer box office.

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Expectation are high with the film as Dileep who is riding on high joins with hit maker Vyshakh. Dileep who is known for experimenting with his looks, will be seen as cleft lipped in Sound Thoma.

Sound Thoma, with a tag line, “Financially sound but..” tells the story of Thoma , who have to live as a cleft lipped because his father didn’t do the surgeory when he was a child.

Namitha Pramod plays the love interest of Dileep.

Film carries mixed to negative response from the first day audience and will interesting to see how the financially sound Thoma is going to fare at the box office. Last year, Dileep’s Mayamohini opened to extreme negative response, but went on to become one of the biggest hit in Malayalam.

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Review By Sreejith

Gunniess Pakru have a lot of records in him name, and with Kuttiyum Kolum he becomes the shortest director in the world.

Kuttiyum Kolum tells the stroy of Vinayakan played by Pakru and his struggle to get his lady love. Sanusha plays the role of Indu the love interest of Vinayakan.

The films have a simple story penned by the director himself and have nothing much to offer. The films fails in all the department starting from the characterisation. With Gunniess Pakru in the lead, one expect a comedy chapter. Instead what we get to see is an action hero avatar of Pakru with lengthy dialogues and action sequences. He plays the local goon in the film.

The films cast include Sanusha, Aditya, Saiju Kurup, Vijaya Raghavan, Nelson, Sona Nair have nothing much to do in the film. Sanusha as a heroine had nothing much to do.

With not so impressive story and plain direction, only thing that is wroth mentioning are the songs. The songs in the film are hummable, and is picturized nicely.

Kuttiyum Kolum is yet other boring film, which will be remembered only for the record as it was made by worlds shortest director.

 Stars: 1.5 / 4

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Honey Bee marks the directorial debut of Jean Paul, son of actor-director-producer Lal. The film is penned by the director himself have an ensemble cast including Bhavana, Archana Kavi, Lal, Siddhique, and Babu Raj.

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