Tag Archives: Anaswara Rajan

Rekhachithram

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Vampire Owl: We will never have enough murder mysteries.

Vampire Bat: There is no limit to investigations on the unsolved.

Vampire Owl: This one has gained some fine reviews.

Vampire Bat: Anand Sreebala seems to have provided a similar feeling.

Vampire Owl: And that Anveshippin Kandethum feeling of last year.

Vampire Bat: And that of Ozler with the same actress.

Vampire Owl: We wonder how many mysteries are yet to be solved.

Vampire Bat: We have missed too many thrillers in between.

Vampire Owl: We now have the best thrillers in Malayalam.

Vampire Bat: We continue to believe in such smooth investigations.

Vampire Owl: And we need more serial killers.

Vampire Bat: The best thrillers surely can use a few.

Vampire Owl: We know that the best thrillers are coming.

Vampire Bat: Well, we have listed a few.

Vampire Owl: A little more darkness could have been fine.

Vampire Bat: Darker the movie, better its world.

Vampire Owl: This movie seems to be not that dark.

Vampire Bat: There is some nostalgia though.

Vampire Owl: The journey to the past never gets old.

Vampire Bat: Especially when it is related to movies.

Vampire Owl: We have seen Malayalam films using the same in the best way.

Vampire Bat: I would let the nostalgia run wild in fear.

Vampire Owl: Horror and a memorable past combine well.

Vampire Bat: Like a shake, biryani and tea.

[Gets a box with cheese popcorn and three cups of ginger tea and moves into theatre].

Vampire Owl: This was such a well-made journey.

Vampire Bat: The combination of nostalgia and mystery of the past and the investigation with its thrills in the present.

Vampire Owl: It provides us a past which is memorable.

Vampire Bat: Yes, the golden age of Malayalam cinema.

Vampire Owl: The 1980s and 1990s. Fifteen years of 1985 to 1999, right?

Vampire Bat: The age of Nadodikkaattu, Utharam and others on one side.

Vampire Owl: The age of Spadikam, Summer in Bethlehem and others on the other. The connections to Mutharamkunnu P O and Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam are nicely created.

Vampire Bat: The movie then refers to Kathodu Kathoram, another one we remember.

Vampire Owl: Who would not remember the song “Devadoothar paadi”?

Vampire Bat: And we were reminded of the same in Nna Thaan Case Kodu, shown here too.

Vampire Owl: This also reminds me of Cold Case.

Vampire Bat: The discovery of a skull, yes – but not as old as this one.

Vampire Owl: The mystery of the skull still impresses, doesn’t it?

Vampire Bat: Well, we just have the full skeleton this time.

Vampire Owl: A disgraced police officer investigating the case, and that’s something which keeps us interested in the same.

Vampire Bat: Discovery of the skull, finding its origin, but nobody knowing the person except for the face and name, then the difficulty to prove who died even when there is the idea that it is known that who really committed the murder.

Vampire Owl: It is once against Asif Ali in the role of a police officer that steals the show – we remember that Thalavan was so good.

Vampire Bat: Anaswara Rajan and nostalgia has become a fine combination too, and it is indeed great to see.

Vampire Owl: The other leading actress, Bhama Arun has done a fine job in between too. It is a role similar to what the leading actress of Anand Sreebala was doing.

Vampire Bat: The other two main actresses, Zarin Shihab and Megha Thomas have blended into their respective roles so well as we look at them.

Vampire Owl: Siddique, Saikumar and Indrans once against impresses in the serious roles which seem to suit them better than ever these days.

Vampire Bat: This one movie that provides the satisfaction not just as a thriller, but also as a near complete film.

Vampire Owl: Nishanth Sagar is one actor whom we need to see more and suits the cop role like never before.

Vampire Bat: Manoj K Jayan plays too big a villain and Saleema becomes the pair in has been through with the villainy for too long. It was rather too direct though.

Vampire Owl: In the end, we have another murder mystery that we love. This is another one of those movies that keeps us in a world of investigation that thrills.

[Disappears into the darkness of the day during twilight and awaits the darkest bloody night of that particular week].

The YouTube video features the same version captured through mobile. As the writing mode continues to play a significant role, the visual presentation does take on an increasingly prominent position. The YouTube channel Scholar Nomads seeks to expand the horizons, exploring diverse areas of interest. Both the blog and vlog will feature film reviews and explore fresh styles, offering even more intriguing content to viewers and readers alike.

Release date: 9th January 2025
Running time: 140 minutes
Directed by: Jofin T Chacko
Starring: Asif Ali, Anaswara Rajan, Manoj K Jayan, Harisree Ashokan, Sai Kumar, Bhama Arun, Nishanth Sagar, Zarin Shihab, Saleema, Megha Thomas, Srikant Murali, Priyanka Nair, Nandu, Sudhi Koppa, Vijay Shaju Sreedhar, Sanju Sanichen, Anuroop P Jayashankar, Dileep Menon, Arun Sankaran Pavumba, Pauly Valsan, Akhil Shylaja Sasidharan

<<< Click here to go to the previous film review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous Malayalam film review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Abraham Ozler

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What is the movie about? :: ACP Abraham Ozler (Jayaram) spends most of his time hallucinating and has sleepless nights after his wife Maneesha Ozler (Anju Kurian) along with their daughter are kidnapped and brutally murdered by a drug addict named Vineeth Ram (Arjun Ashokan), whom he had earlier apprehended in a narcotics case. Vineeth does not hesitate to reiterate the fact that he was under the influence of drugs and killed both of them. Yet, he does not reveal where he buried the bodies and keeps saying that he is not able to remember as he had a heavy dose of drugs. Ozler still continues to be in the police force even though he is not of the same strength and sanity that he used to be. Counsellor Varghese Uthup (Sai Kumar) asks him to get himself busy or the hallucination and insomnia will only get worse. It is then that a young man working in the IT field, Naveen Sivakumar (Harikrishnan) is brutally murdered in the hospital after being hit by a pick-up truck. Maya Naveen (Darshana S Nair), his wife, finds him dead in the hospital room with a note saying Happy Birthday and a note.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Ozler, supported by SI Divya Sreedharan (Aryam Salim) and SI Sijo Venu (Senthil Krishna) takes over the case. They understand that this hospital was the only place where the victim would have ended up after the accident, and it was really the day on which he was born. As they start with the investigation, another man is murdered in a similar pattern in another hospital, but this time it is a thug who usually gets into fights. He is also left with a similar note where he was murdered. The third murder also takes place without delay, and this time, it is someone who runs a successful restaurant business – the hospital chosen here is different, but the pattern remains the same. The media calls the murderer by the name birthday killer, as Ozler and his team continue to search for possible answers. Whenever they seem to come very close to finding the answer, they realize that it is a dead end.

And what more is there to be seen here with a killer on the loose? :: They understand that the quotes which are given by the killer are from a Latin phrase related to medicine which could be seen in only one area in Kerala, and they reach the Kozhikode Medical College. There is also the understanding that the murders were committed by someone who had medical skills, but not someone who has been practicing regularly as asserted by Dr. Satheesh Madhavan (Anoop Menon). Everything seems to point to the medical college and a number of students there, among which Suja Jayadev (Anaswara Rajan) had committed suicide. From all of these, they find Dr. Sevi Punnoose (Jagadish) as the next potential victim, and he seems to be least bothered about it. A man who underwent surgery at the same hospital, Krishna Das (Saiju Kurup) seems to be missing, and they feel that he might have a role in the murders. But he is not a man who is capable of doing all of these, and the police officers know that death awaits more people and they have no time to waste. Can they finish the investigation in time and bring and end to this sensitive case with no more lives lost?

The defence of Abraham Ozler :: Our world of thrillers is strong, as proven by Drishyam and its powerful sequel, and Abraham Ozler gets a chance to be part of that list. This movie’s ability to keep the audience so interested and engaged from the beginning to end needs to be appreciated – it never asks for the unrealistic from its main characters either. The dark shades are used to its advantage, and the power going off becomes the foreshadowing with ease. Even with many things tried by the same director in Anjaam Pathiraa, this movie is a clear improvement from that one which had a struggling flashback and weaker ending in comparison to Abraham Ozler. The visuals are very good with a dark and gory feeling provided all the time – there are almost no moments of positivity in this one. This movie is also an improvement on the struggle for heroism that the earlier thriller Garudan seemed to possess. The background music further powers our movie here so well – it keeps us immersed in the overall mood of the film, and we are left excited all the time. The emotional side has the power to keep the interesting going too.

Positives and negatives :: The movie could have released during the Christmas holidays, and if that happened, it could have given Neru a challenge which would have helped the audience to be in a full celebration mood, but surprisingly this one backed out despite having everything to make that challenge which would mean healthy competition. This feels like the right holiday movie with all the thrills that it provides. The characters of Anju Kurian and Darshana S Nair gets too less presence in the movie, and we hope that the former can come back for more in a possible sequel. The same can be said about the big names, Sai Kumar and Anoop Menon. The extended cameo becomes the big thing in the movie, even though one would not have wanted the secret to be out too soon. A little bit of predictability comes in with the flashback, and it should not have been this long or detailed, as we have an idea about it from the present situation itself. The serial killer motive remains similar this time too.

The performers of the soul :: This movie means that Jayaram’s run without making impression in new releases have come to an end, for his last best movies were Lonappante Mamodeesa and Panchavarnathatha, both of them not having the quality to live up to the actor who made our childhood awesome. If I have to go back to a movie with him as the solo hero which I really liked, that would be a long way back in the form of Nadan which released in 2013, even though Makal did make some impact in old style. This time, he is just brilliant in this role, as we see the character of the trouble police officer safe with him, and we know that there is more to come in a possible sequel. Mammootty’s extended cameo makes the movie feel even bigger, even though the big revelation should have come only in the later stages. Anaswara Rajan shines in the flashback scenes, and there seems to be no going back for her. Arya Salim whom we remember the most from Minnal Murali, plays her police character incredibly well, and we have the best lady police officer in some time. Senthil Krishna does the same in another way, while Arjun Ashokan seems to promise to bring an even more interesting character in a possible sequel. Jagadish’s serious character once again has our attention here. Saiju Kurup scores well in between.

How it finishes :: Abraham Ozler is surely a better movie than Anjaam Pathiraa and somewhat ahead of the other thrillers like Forensic and John Luther. The last one might still have more similarities with this one than the rest, as in both cases, we have a troubled police officer tracing the murders back to medical students. Memories had the police officer who lost his wife and daughter, and could seek out the serial killer looking for vengeance, and the similarities end there, with this movie coming up with a twist in the end and setting up things for a sequel. Most people would feel that the sequel would do even better, as the film seems to end to point to its beginning, and has everyone thinking deeper. Abraham Ozler never hestitates to bring that mood of investigation with a serial killer lurking in the shadows – the feeling of danger is always there, and even when looking for revenge, there is always the indirect way of going through the same, leaving the red herrings further away. As the predictability only comes late, and with new twists to come, the movie remains engaging from the beginning to end, and we do not feel it to be long.

Release date: 11 January 2024
Running time: 144 minutes
Directed by: Midhun Manuel Thomas
Starring: Jayaram, Mammootty, Anoop Menon, Anaswara Rajan, Arjun Ashokan, Jagadish, Senthil Krishna, Arya Salim, Dileesh Pothan, Sai Kumar, Harikrishnan, Assim Jamal, Arjun Nandhakumar, Aneesh Gopal, Sreeram Ramachandran, Boban Alummoodan, Benyamin (cameo)

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Neru

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What is the movie about? :: CI Paul Varghese (K B Ganesh Kumar) finds himself with a case with which clues are almost impossible to get, as a blind girl is assaulted in her home. The victim, Sara (Anaswara Rajan) who is blind sculptor is surprisingly able to create the image of the assaulter with her skills as a sculptor as she felt his face with her hands. As her mother had left her home to live with someone non-Muslim, they were left to live their lives by themselves on their own by the extended families, and her father had died some time ago. She was living with their stepfather Mohammed (Jagadish), who had also left his own family behind to live with this new one. This leads to his former family and his sons trying to take revenge on him, making use of this situation. CI Paul Varghese manages to find the person whose face was created by Sara, and manages to catch him. The person is identified by Sara using her hands in an identification parade as a young man named Mikhael (Sankar Induchoodan), son of a famous business magnate based out of Mumbai, with the power to buy most of the things placed in front of him.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Mikhael’s mother is adamant that he should save their son from trouble one more time, even though his father feels that he is done with the son who has created nothing more than continuous troubles for him. The highly distinguished lawyer, Advocate Rajashekhar (Siddique) takes over the case, and his daughter Poornima (Priyamani) would assist him, coming right out of their busy schedule in Supreme Court. The Public Prosecutor appointed in favour of Sara fails in bringing strength to their case, and the bail application of Mikhael is accepted due to absence of any real proof. The remaining proofs also go missing as Baby Varghese is removed from the case, and other police officers in charge of the case supports the other side. Baby is desperate to bring justice to Sara and he searches for any other lawyer who can make the difference. But Rajasekhar makes sure that no experienced lawyer agrees to take up Sara’s case, as one after the other, everyone keeps away from going against the biggest name among lawyers.

And what more would follow here in the journey towards serving justice? :: It is then that Baby Varghese finds Ahaana (Santhi Mayadevi), an old friend and lawyer who found herself on the wrong side against Rajasekhar and Poornima some years ago. They decide that the only who might be able to go against Rajasekhar would be Vijayamohan (Mohanlal) who was forced to leave his profession by Rajasekhar. Vjayamohan feels that he would be no match for someone like Rajasekhar and Poornima is someone with whom he was in love with. Seeing the plight of Sara, he finally decides to take up the case, but not without his doubts about a possible win. Yet, Sara is confident about him, and so are her parents. But Rajasekhar is someone who knows the weaknesses of Vijayamohan, and he is that kind of a lawyer who does not wish to lose any legal battle, and will go to any extend to make about a triumph. Even the daughter of Director General of Police in the state Niharika Jayachandran (Aditi Ravi) is ready to testify for the accused. Can Vijayamohan, Baby Varghese and Ahaan go against all odds and make sure that justice is served for Sara even though the chances are so low? How far would they have to go to reach a level from where victory can be ascertained?

The defence of Neru :: One can feel that the movie is dauntless at times, and clarity is a quality that it seems to rely on. The cast seems to have been perfectly chosen, without any space left for questions. The writing by Santhi Mayadevi and Jeethu Joseph got the nice flow reminding one of Drishyam, and the latter once again has the director’s chair safely put down there. The emotional side remains strong, and Anaswara Rajan’s performance plays a major role in getting the required strength on that side. The relevant issues about the bourgeoisie control over the system is talked about, even though the movie has conveniently left behind the most common influences from outside, the political saga of changing the course of an investigation – in between all of these, the film chooses to be safe in that case. But the feeling about the extra-rich remains the same. The way in which the movie decides not to overdo anything with the heroism is to be appreciated. The realistic side never makes way for the special and the strange to glorify the heroes here. The flaws and weaknesses of humans do find a place here as the movie progresses towards the end.

The claws of flaw :: It is not a case of surprise that Neru is not without its inherent weaknesses. Sometimes, one feels that the movie shows the need to thrive on its weaknesses to get the support of the masses. The final moments of asking people to remember clothing just because they remember the cars and dates is pretty dumb, as I do not even know what people whom I meet have been remembering; clothing might have been of concern of certain groups of people – if courts would work based on such memories, we are surely in trouble. The final moments are also over-dramatized, just like how Jana Gana Mana tried to make a mess out of any realistic element which was left in the movie. In that case, Vaashi felt more real in a court and Melvilasom was the best. The predictability factor is also too much, and final moments are too predictable, as the film chooses the safe path yet again with ease. Despite having this much of quality ideas to go through, the movie still makes us feel a certain amount of stretching in between. The film should have also focused more on the investigation and the actions of the police officer in charge dealing with it. Having a discredited lawyer instead of the discredited police officer in Memories has lesser effect in comparison.

The performers of the soul :: Mohanlal, with his screen presence runs effectively throughout this movie, as there is another strong performance from him, even though this will not stand the test of time if placed against Stephen Nedumpilly or Georgekutty of Lucifer and Drishyam. The wreath for performances would be shared among the cast, out of which, almost everyone seems to stand apart. Anaswara Rajan comes up with her greatest performance ever, and that drives the tale from underneath. Siddique is very much menacing as the lawyer who goes to any extent to win, much unlike the lawyer he played in Garudan, where he feels that he could also make mistakes – the two types of roles have been eternally safe with the veteran. Jagadish plays one more emotional role with effectiveness. It is good to see Priyamani back here, and she remains power-packed as the lawyer. K B Ganesh Kumar plays the righteous police man here, and he plays the man who makes all the difference by bringing the turning point – it is his character that really sets things going forward. Santhi Mayadevi, Sreedhanya, Haritha G Nair and Sankar Induchoodan provides some good support.

How it finishes :: Neru could have been something bigger, but on many occasions, it takes the safe route and the usually travelled path despite taking a fine diversion in the beginning itself. The movie has no shortage of thrilling moments in the court, but it does not use much of the twists which were there to be taken. The entertainment is always there, but predictability is also there to mark the safe zone. The emotional side remains strong, and we go through the journey with similar feelings as displayed in the movie. The lack of stunts and the absence of too much heroism makes sure that this one has an advantage for those who do not go for the usual mindless films. This makes another movie of poetic justice as evil goes on gaining victories through its path, but as it reached the end, there will only be the triumph for goodness. The message goes well for Christmas this year, as there is only this film in Malayalam to go for full triumph. I take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.

Release date: 21st December 2023
Running time: 152 minutes
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Priyamani, Siddique, Anaswara Rajan, K B Ganesh Kumar, Jagadish, Santhi Mayadevi, Sreedhanya, Haritha G Nair, Sankar Induchoodan, Harikrishnan, Aditi Ravi, Nandhu, Mathew Varghese, Dinesh Prabhakar, Krishna Prabha, Kalesh Ramanand, Poojappura Radhakrishnan, Prashant Nair, Ramadevi, Resmi Anil, Antony Perumbavoor, Kalabhavan Jinto, Chef Pillai

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous Malayalam thriller review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Aadhyarathri

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What is the movie about? :: Manoharan (Biju Menon) never really had the best of times during his childhood and youth, with everything reaching the worst situation, having his elder sister eloping with someone in the village, and his father having a cardiac arrest at the same time. Even though the marriage at his home didn’t happen, he take the profession of a marriage broker after he fixes a wedding ceremony and saves the bride’s family from humiliation. For two decades, he continues in the same profession, and there is no wedding ceremony in the area happening without him playing a part in it. He is the first person who comes to anyone’s mind when they think about wedding, and sometimes even other significant functions which are part of people’s life. Along with the same, he also runs a tutorial college for the local students.

So, what happens with the events to follow? :: Manoharan is that kind of a person who has everything planned as far as relationships are concerned. He knows which boy will be suitable for which girl, and for the same, he supports only arranged marriage. Any case of falling in love is strictly opposed by him, and all the youth from the area are afraid of his interventions in their possible love affairs. It is during these times when he gets a chance to arrange the marriage of Kunjumon (Aju Varghese), the richest man in the village, and Aswathy (Anaswara Rajan), a modern, educated girl of the village who lives in Bangalore – the combination was always a risky one, but as Manoharan was always a godfather-like figure to Aswathy, he takes the risk. But it is not that easy to get this one done, and the question arises if he will fail in arranging a marriage for the first time.

The defence of Aadhyarathri :: The humour used in this movie is simple, and the message is indeed to ask the girl’s consent before fixing marriage, a case which would have worked better if it had released about ten to twenty years ago. The movie has its own feel-good factor to add to the same, and it is a simple movie with no pretensions, going through everything directly. The visuals are nice, and the setting contributes to the same very well. The nicely created situations make sure about it, and we have another movie for the family audience with jokes that can be accepted by everyone. During these Pooja holidays, you need a movie to look forward to with family, and this might be the right one, staying above the bigger hyped Onam releases like Love Action Drama and Ittymaani too. Also, look out for the Kuttanadan Baahubali dream song which is really attractive.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does feel a little outdated, as these are those days when the youth takes their own decisions with ease, and parents are on the backfoot in almost everything. These are also those days when parents keep agreeing to what the children want because there is just one kid or two, and they want to get them all that they wish for. With a new generation of children and youth, this movie might not serve much, and can focus on only a small number of people in need in a world when people fall in love indiscriminately and set their former lovers on fire. The movie has to work in a world in which almost everyone of the generation has a boyfriend or girlfriend, and therefore struggles. It also feels incomplete with some characters being lost and others serving no purpose. There is also the lack of focus on the progress of the narrative. Sometimes, it feels that parts of it is just forced.

The performers of the soul :: Biju Menon is once again at ease playing this kind of a role. Vellimoonga, Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu, Swarna Kaduva, Anakkallan, Salt Mango Tree – all these had him playing the commoner’s role and handling the light-hearted humour in the leading role with ease. Here too, the movie is dependent on him to do what he has been doing the best, and the same is handled with the skill that he possesses, and has once again displayed without stepping back. Anaswara Rajan, after Udaharanam Sujatha, Evidey and Thanneer Mathan Dinangal makes fine impact, even thought not that much as we have seen in the two previous movies. Other than that song on the ship, she doesn’t have really have much of memorable moments in the movie, and someone elder would have been the best for this role. At the same time, it is to be noted that there is no romantic angle to the main character, which is to be appreciated.

Further performers of the soul :: Anu Sithara’s cameo seems totally unnecessary, and that is one scene added to prove a point in an easy way instead of proving it through the progress of the story itself, and it seems that she was chosen to assert the same in an even bigger manner. Aju Varghese does a nice job in the movie, and does the exact amount of comedy as it was needed – there is no overdose here even though the tendency was always there. Manoj Guinness is the one who plays the sidekick role here, and he is fine at most parts of the movie, even though some of the comedy is surely lost. Sarjano Khalid of June fame has a dull character to play here, and does less. Biju Sopanam has some funny moments to add, and Pauly Valsan does the job well as expected while Vijayaraghavan does another interesting role to fine impact. But it is to be noted that not all characters get their due.

How it finishes :: Coming from the director of the much appreciated Vellimoonga, and having the same leading actor, the expectations were very high, and this one does come close on many occasions. Still, it does fall short in comparison, and is no match for that movie which had everyone in love with the flick. Vellimoonga had set things in motion enough to make way for a good number of movies with similar theme, and Biju Menon himself had played so many of such roles. This one won’t have that much of an impact, but with Pooja holidays around, the family audience might be very much interested in this particular flick. It doesn’t seem to attract that many people right now, but in the next two days, that number should increase, and the movie should do well enough, even though not like its earlier superior relative, Vellimoonga.

Release date: 4th October 2019
Running time: 130 minutes
Directed by: Jibu Jacob
Starring: Biju Menon, Aju Varghese, Anaswara Rajan, Sneha Babu, Manoj Guiness, Ashwin Jose, Vinod Kedamangalam, Sarjano Khalid, Sree Lakshmy, Prasad Muhamma, Shiny T Rajan, Naseer Sankranthy, Biju Sopanam, Pauly Valsan, Vijayaraghavan, Anu Sithara (cameo)

<— Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Thanneermathan Dinangal

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What is the movie about? :: Jason (Mathew Thomas) is a student in plus one humanities, who manages to get to science stream as one of the students in the class wished to escape from the baffling science, thus exchanging their places. He joins the science batch, but doesn’t really manage to pick up the pace, even though he is able to get into the school cricket team as a medium pace bowler and play frequently in tournaments. Despite being branded as the studious boy in the early stages as he came from a reputed central syllabus school, he soon proved to be below average or sometimes even worse in his studies. He finds some new friends who are like him, and also falls in love with Keerthy (Anaswara Rajan), a girl from the same class, a relationship which stays one-sided, much to his dismay, as he hopes to make some progress in it. There is another girl named Steffy (Gopika Ramesh), but he feels that Keerthy is his true love.

So, what happens with the events to follow? :: But this is the least of his problems as he has problems with another student from the nearby class room. Still, the biggest of his problems is something else, the new Malayalam teacher who comes in the place of the teacher on leave – Ravi Padmanabhan (Vineeth Sreenivasan) is the new teacher whom everyone loves. He keeps teaching in an interesting manner, with stories and even stops other teachers from punishing students. He gets a heroic image in the eyes of the students, and is appreciated by the Principal who considers Ravi to be of the same wavelength as he is. Jason feels that he is a fraud as Ravi doesn’t teach much in the class, and everything that he does is more or less attention-seeking. Keerthy as well as his best friends admires Ravi too, and he has a cold war against the new teacher who seems to have a prejudice against him too. How will his school life progress now?

The defence of Thannermathan Dinangal :: It can be seen that Thannermathan Dinangal doesn’t deviate from its focus at any moment, and this focus is the main things that leads to its success. The movie feels realistic and funny throughout its run, and it also does come up with some nostalgia. We remember how June did the same effectively some time back, and here we are there again. It feels close to life with ease, and the kids of the school are all too good – we notice most of them and we remember them with ease, as they keep coming up with something to memorize. The music is really good, and the song “Ee Jaathikka Thottam, Ee Jaathi Ninte Nottam” stands out with ease, not just with the lyrics and music, but with what we see on the screen with the two youngsters doing a fantastic job. It is one song which can go on to become the song of the year along with a few others.

The claws of flaw :: Some parts of the movie does go a little too much, especially with Vineeth’s teacher character. There is the feeling that this kind of teacher is rather unrealistic, and we are immediately reaching for our dose of willing suspension of disbelief, but in a realistic movie, it is not that easy to use and work on our imagination. The movie could have also shortened the time spent outside the school, and some of the outside characters make less or no impact at all. There are also those extra moments which could have been added, as we look back to our school days. But considered the movies like Oru Adaar Love dealing with plus two life, we understand how difficult it is to come up with a movie like Thannermathan Dinangal – it is even more difficult to have these work for all kinds of audience, and as it seems to be achieved, there is no more searching through the flaws.

The performers of the soul :: Mathew Thomas of the Kumbalangi Nights fame plays the main character in this movie, and he excels as the protagonist. His expressions and dialogues are all too good, and he keeps on impressing us throughout he movie with realistic performance. There is no moment when you feel that he is not living through that school kid. There is the certainty of a lot more coming up as far as this youngster is concerned. We remember him having played a perfect role in his previous movie, and we are always ready to wait for his next movie. Anaswara Rajan of Udaharanam Sujatha fame plays the female lead, and after the recently released Evidey, she has another role in uniform, this time in plus two. She is also natural with her performance here, and the emotional moments are also handled with a certain amount of maturity.

Further performers of the soul :: Then you see Vineeth Sreenivasan doing the teacher character in style – the character might look a little bit strange, but he gives life and energy to that one in an admirable way. We don’t see him in movies that often these days, and we always need a little bit of him at regular intervals – this movie has him back. We had Aravindante Athidhikal last year with the feel-good, and here he has the humour in his hands. Irshad plays the principal of the school nicely. Nisha Sarangh of Uppum Mulakum fame is left to do nothing much here. All the kids here also come up with impressive performances, especially the one who played the main characters’ best friend and the one who has a problem with our protagonist. The watermelon juice from the shop outside the gates of the school and the nutmeg garden contributes as characters in a special way – we see them, and we remember them later, like William Wordsworth would, with the daffodils.

How it finishes :: This kind of a feeling was earlier achieved only with something like Philips and the Monkey Pen, but that was with smaller kids – June had gone beyond the school days as it progressed. Thannermathan Dinangal comes up with the journey that everyone can enjoy, which is the reason why it is still running with housefull shows, something which bigger superstar movies struggle to achieve. It has been a difficult job to find tickets for this movie during this weekend too, and we can be certain that the movie is here to stay. If after watching this movie, you feel the need to go back to your school again, there is no real surprise about it. Thannermathan Dinangal is not a movie of one generation, but of more than one, and you avoid the use of mobile phones, and change the drinks – you get back to the eighties or nineties with ease – well, after all, the 1990s kids nostalgia which have been circulating on the internet has been clearly applicable to the 1980s kids! This one is universal too! I leave you with this beautiful song from the movie.

Release date: 26th July 2019
Running time: 136 minutes
Directed by: Girish AD
Starring: Mathew Thomas, Anaswara Rajan, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Sajin Cherukayil, Irshad, Nisha Sarangh, Kichu Tellus, Shabareesh Varma, Gopika Ramesh

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Evidey

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What is the movie about? :: Symphony Zachariah (Manoj K Jayan) is a busy, but not so rich musician who keeps traveling all the time, not caring much for his wife and children. Jessy Zachariah (Asha Sharath) is left to care for the family which consists of her father-in-law, Kuttichan (Prem Prakash) and two children. When one day, Zachariah goes missing, Jessy is determined to find out what happened to him. Police Inspector Simon Tharakan (Baiju Santhosh) is the one in charge of the case, and it seems that the case is solved when a letter from Zachariah reaches them. But there is something strange about the letter – Jessy doesn’t believe that it was written by Zachariah. A man named Kabir (Kunchan) who comes to see them makes things even more complicated. Jessy even begins to doubt that Zachariah has another wife and kids.

So, what happens with the events to follow? :: Their son Leen (Shebin Benson), a college student is in love with Shahana (Anaswara Rajan), a girl whose life he saved when she was drowning, an incident which fetched him a bravery award. But it seems that he is no longer the person that he used to be. Studying at a college far away from home, he seems to be having more opportunities to go divergent from the studies rather than be the student who used to be the face of the college earlier. He doesn’t come home much, and has been a difficult person to find even for his family. This, along with the missing husband is breaking the family apart, but Jessy is determined to find Zachariah. For that, she would have to take more than one journey, through Mangalore and Goa, as he was supposed to perform at one of the events there.

The defence of Evidey :: The movie belongs to the genre of a family thriller rather than anything else, and the approach also seems to suggest a journey through such a path. The short length makes sure that there is no dull moment in the movie, and there is no drag, even when it seems to be trying to be preachy. The issues that are shown in the movie are genuine, with messages against drug abuse, and the parents’ failure to guide children along with the inability to become good role models. This is the time when students need to be told about the terrible effects of drugs and alcohol more, and with parents having no time to take care of their children, along with everything negative influencing them better, the movie has becoming very relevant. There has been too much of such things in the news, and this is a movie which can be shown in schools and colleges.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s songs are all very much interesting, and such a thing does no good to a family thriller – a good family song or even a song on friendship and love if done well enough can lift a movie of the genre and provide it with a boost, covering its faults up to an extent. Evidey doesn’t have that, and it also doesn’t seem to try too hard with its thriller side which was to serve as its stronger point. The investigative side could have also been done in a more interesting way, and a better backstory was needed with the family members – it would have worked well with a good song, and that much time could have been enough to have the characters settled, especially the two pairs. Even the sequences at Goa could have taken a boost, with some more wandering around the major areas of the state which is not short of providing some good visuals at any point.

The performers of the soul :: The movie remains mostly centered on Asha Sharath, who once again plays the mother of a son gone the wrong way, like in Drishyam. It is once again the duty to save him, but the task remains difficult as it is too late – the tormented mother continues to be on the spotlight. Prem Prakash, at the same time, brings some very emotional and controlled moments to remember, as he has done before on many occasions. Manoj K Jayan is not there for much time, as he is the missing character who can only be there with some small flashbacks. One would feel the need for more of such flashbacks to get a better idea of the character. Baiju plays the police officer who is working on the case, and he makes one believable cop. Kunchan has shorter presence too, and Shivaji Guruvayoor as well as Sunil Sukhada got even lesser time on the big screen.

Further performers of the soul :: Suraj Venjaramoodu makes his appearance in the later stages of the movie, and has some of the best dialogues in the whole film. He becomes an integral part of the movie in the second half, and continues to assert his presence until the end. Even though some part of it seems forced, the character sticks on well. Shebin Benson shows some skills in this role, and the emotional sequences are handled very well. We see how the changes occur with the character, and how the same has been portrayed in a believable manner. Anaswara Rajan of Udaharanam Sujatha fame does a wonderful job here, as her character is a well-written and well-performed one without pretensions. From the early happy mood to those emotional sequences, she shows a controlled, realistic version, and tranquility when needed is a skill that we rarely see on the younger stars these days.

How it finishes :: Evidey easily takes its message against drug abuse to the next level, even though it does take some time to be there. With clubs like SADA (Students Against Drug Abuse) being formed in colleges to provide awareness regarding the same, we are slowly, but steadily realizing the fact that the drug menace can’t be left unchecked. Evidey will surely help to bring the awareness, as did Kerala Excise Department with the Vimukthi Short Film Competition and its winning entry “Midhya” by Mar Baselios Institute of Technology and Science, Kothamangalam. After so many short-films tried to make the point in that certain competition, and a number of them winning runner-up and consolation prizes, we now have a full-length movie which doesn’t glorify the evil at any point, and scores with an emotional climax and message against it.

Release date: 4th July 2019
Running time: 122 minutes
Directed by: KK Rajeev
Starring: Shebin Benson, Asha Sharath, Anaswara Rajan, Prem Prakash, Manoj K Jayan, Baiju Santhosh, Shivaji Guruvayoor, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Kunchan, Sunil Sukhada

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@ Cemetery Watch
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Udaharanam Sujatha

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What is the movie about? :: Sujatha Krishnan (Manju Warrier), who stopped school at ninth standard, hopes to provide good education to her daughter Athira Krishnan (Anaswara Rajan) who is no mood to study, and despite considered smart, raises questions about how she has reached so far with her studies. The Trivandrum district collector (Mamta Mohandas) is Sujatha’s role model, but Athira has no such plans as to getting close to even trying for civil service examinations – Mathematics of tenth standard is terror enough for her. Athira enjoys her life watching television and playing with her friends, doing not much of reading, even telling her mother that she only wants to be a servant like her, and work at households, giving the excuse that it is the children of engineers who become engineers, and kids of doctors become doctors. This worries Sujatha who has been looking for better education for her daughter, and complains to Paul George (Nedumudi Venu) who owns the house where she mainly works.

So, what happens with the events to follow? :: Paul asks her to get her daughter to the famous institution which trains the students so well that they can be nothing less than highly successful in their lives. Cherian (Alencier Ley Lopez) who runs the institution tells her to have her daughter score at least fifty percent marks in the examination, and he will be ready to give them a big discount in fees. But Athira’s skill lies in becoming first from behind, as her scores are always in single digits, never really getting past what batsmen get from a lofted shot over the boundary during a game of cricket. So, Sujatha decides to join school too, and with the help of Sreekumar (Joju George), the most feared Mathematics teacher and headmaster of the school who is persuaded by Paul, she gets special permission and joins the tenth standard of the institution, much to the dismay of Athira who feels ashamed by the same. Now, the question remains about what change it can make.

The defence of Udaharanam Sujatha :: We will find the movie’s main character as someone who the common man can relate to, with ease. There is always the presence of those parents who dreams for their children, and there are always those kids who don’t want to do anything with their lives. We have the simple moments that touch us, and then there is the moment of final realization that helps the movie to rise further. There is the reflection of the difficulties that a mother has to undergo for the child, and we see the new generation who has no awareness, or doesn’t want to think more about the same. We also find the focus being made on the importance of education, and on being thankful to our own people, our family, especially our parents. Yes, along with some humour as well as emotional moments, Udaharanam Sujatha is that kind of a movie which would catch the attention of family audience more than any other, no matter what superstar it would have.

The claws of flaw :: Seemingly having two movies as its base for the story, Nil Battey Sannata and Amma Kanakku, in Hindi and Tamil respectively, one would expect more from this particular tale, with Manju Warrier right there in the lead. You will also find that the movie is an overreacher with what its characters achieve. There is no Doctor Faustus, but one has to feel that a simple movie like this would have had simple steps steadily moving towards glory. We feel that it is too quick to get there, using that cliched twist to make the child understand the significance of her mother and the dreams – maybe the other movies which came earlier had similar things, but there has been enough time to re-organize things. Well, we are pretty much confident that not that many people have watched or even heard about those other flicks; that much was certain from the audience watching this movie. There was also chance for more humour, and the emotional side could have been stronger.

Performers of the soul :: Manju Warrier handles another movie with care, and she has this character in full control. She is here after that wonderful movie which was C/O Saira Banu, and the inspirational sports movie, Karinkunnam 6s; the thriller Vettah also showed a certain divergence, and here she is now, being part of another one of those interesting women-centric movies that has more than what you would think from outside. She has the funny side as well as the emotional one working well here. One has to feel that there will be no replacement for her for a long time. Supporting her very well is Anaswara Rajan as the daughter who has her own way of living her life. She rightly joins in to play her role, and only gets better as the movie progresses. Her combination with Manju Warrier had moments that will immediately catch our attention, more on the emotional side rather than with the funny part.

Further performers of the soul :: Regarding the funny side, we leave that to Joju George who excels with the comedy, and it is him whom we can hundred percent depend to make us laugh here. There are so many moments of laughter being generated in the class room, thanks to him who is also one of the producers of this movie. It is that kind of a character who can be used for a full movie based inside a school. Meanwhile, Alencier Ley Lopez only has a small role to play in this one, appearing twice to be noted. Mamta Mohandas also has a little role to play in this one, as we remember seeing her last in Thoppil Joppan and Two Countries. It is always a pleasure to see her, and there are lots of movies in which we had wished for her to be a part of, as we watch them on the big screen, and see someone missing from its soul. Then there is Nedumudi Venu who plays the inspirational role, as he keeps motivating like no other in this movie.

How it finishes :: There is the certainty of existence of two movies which have dealt with the same thing, and Udaharanam Sujatha also comes in there as the third of them. I wouldn’t be able to comment on Nil Battey Sannata or Amma Kanakku, but Udaharanam Sujatha has its heart at the right place. You might need to think not that much about the transformation and those final moments which go a little too ambitious, but Udaharanam Sujatha is a movie that will attract family audience like a strong magnet, as it has that feel-good factor with positive messages in favour of education, and dreaming high. Well, there might be so many other inspirational movies, but Udaharanam Sujatha goes more family-oriented than any other. So, the question remains if you are ready to be inspired by Sujatha’s example? Do you know someone who has gone through a similar example of a path?

Release date: 28th September 2017
Running time: 127 minutes
Directed by: Phantom Praveen
Starring: Manju Warrier, Anaswara Rajan, Nedumudi Venu, Mamta Mohandas, Joju George, V Suresh Thampanoor, Alencier Ley Lopez

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.