Tag Archives: Kalyani Priyadarshan

Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira

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Vampire Owl: So, the third movie of the Onam Holidays also need to be watched.

Vampire Bat: On another day, this would have been our first choice to watch.

Vampire Owl: Yes, with a team having Fahadh Faasil and Kalyani Priyadarshan.

Vampire Bat: There was so much scope with this overall cast.

Vampire Owl: This should have surely done more in the theatres.

Vampire Bat: Yes, there is some magical feeling here right from the title.

Vampire Owl: That itself is a sign that everyone might not like the movie.

Vampire Bat: Well, you cannot please everybody all the time.

Vampire Owl: But there will be some point when everyone is pleased.

Vampire Bat: Not for vampires; not for an eternity or two.

[Gets a kadai chicken puffs and three cups of Darjeeling tea].

What is the movie about? :: Aby Mathew (Fahadh Faasil) is a youngster who has been running a furniture company in Cochin. His brother Siby Mathew (Vinay Forrt) who lives in Bangalore is known only for taking loans and wasting money, while his father Mathew Thalachirayil (Lal) is known to be not normal due to his eccentric behaviour coming out at times. Mathew has been in a state of depression for the last ten years since the death of his wife, but the father and the son share a fine bond, like good friends. Siby rarely comes home unless he needs money from Mathew or Aby. Mathew hopes to reunite with his wife after most of his responsibilities to his children are done, and keeps a rope for suicide by hanging. One day, while at work, Aby meets a girl named Nidhi Sudhish (Kalyani Priyadarshan), and their first meeting is not really a happy one. Nidhi had just gone through a breakup, and even slaps Aby, but a series of events including her demanding a return slap, changes things between them.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Nidhi always talks about the dreams that she has, and even acts according to the same. Both Aby and Nidhi are not sure, but due to talks between Mathew and Nidhi’s father Sudhish Menon (Suresh Krishna), the date for wedding is quickly fixed. It is then that Nidhi has a dream and asks Aby to come to the wedding ceremony on a while horse, for which arrangements are quickly made, but the horse which gets irritated by the camera flash, throws Aby away, landing him in a coma, which makes Mathew leave his decision to commit suicide and take care of his son. Nidhi also waits for his comeback from coma, but days pass, and nothing happens. But one day, there is a twist, and Aby shows movement. Now, it is to be seen if he can get his lost love back when Nidhi’s family do not have anything to do with Aby again and wishes her to get married to someone else. Mathew will go to any extent to keep his son happy, and Aby still loves Nidhi, but is there a future for them again?

The defence of Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira :: This movie is indeed the second best among the Malayalam film releases of the Onam season, which means that it deserves better at least in the OTT platform. The visuals are stunning, and there are moments which would stay just for the beauty of what is shown on the screen. There is a certain amount of cuteness which is there to be taken in relation with the romance of the leading pair. The dupatta song shows the same, and we keep feeling the need to watch the same again and again, once again showing us that romance only needs the sweetness and nothing more – it should be a revelation for some other industries which depends on getting intimate to show love, and some nepo kids of other industries can realize that they could do without doing absurd acting in the name of love and devastate other cultures. The movie will remain technically sound and it is one true good movie, and we will get that feeling because of the lighter mood and no real darkness present to give a bad feeling at any point. The emotions also work in a positive way, and performances strike gold.

The claws of flaw :: The reception that this movie received at the theatre might keep the OTT audience of this part of the world in doubt, as it struggled to score during the Onam season even with Fahadh Faasil and the possibility of connecting with all kinds of audience – this one was removed from the theatres rather too early. The movie’s loss of momentum happens in the second half, especially with the subplot involving another girl in an apartment, but the whole story could have actually done without detailing this particular tale that much, as the length of the movie is also increased due to the same. When trying too many things and as so many elements try to come together in a tale which has the absurd and extra amount of silliness, the crash is somewhat certain. The middle portion, due to the same reason does not hold into the second half. The narrative should have held together in a better way, as the coherence seems to leave the movie. Absurdism with some black humour was just enough, but this one just tries too much.

The performers of the soul :: Fahadh Faasil adds a lot of power to this movie, which does not work as much as director’s more appreciated Njandukalude Veettil Oridavela, and as he gets in to make it better, he starts off well, and maintains that strength. The energy that he displays here is a lot more than one usually sees on the screen. But the one who scores the most is Lal, as the father figure with his strange activities, and dialogues that evoke the most laughter. This is revealed early with his talks with his son and those dialogues about sportsman spirit, wedding of his son and of HD Tharakan are indeed hilarious. He breathes fresh humour into moments which would have otherwise been dull, and he also makes sure that the light tone of the movie never gets to a darker one – it is even revealed on the writing on the clothing chosen by the character. Kalyani Priyadarshan was so different in Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, and here we see something similar to what we had seen in Bro Daddy – she is too good here and perfects the mannerisms of the character. Suresh Krishna and Vinay Forrt adds extra fun, while Revathi Pillai and Dhyan Sreenivasan manage their work in less important subplots fine.

How it finishes :: Unlike the director’s Njandukalude Naattil Oridavela, Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira tries to do too many things at the same time. That debut movie of one of the best actresses who have been less recognized, Aishwarya Lekshmi, was a direct family entertainer with humour and messages at the right portions. That movie served so well that even those who did not appreciate it then are not doing the same in a much better way. It is also one of those movies which are watched on any day or event associated with cancer as a disease, implying the need for survival. This movie is surely not going in that direction, and it will not be something that we will remember for too long with its content, except for certain moments of humour which are definitely there to stay. The movie surely had a lot of potential on paper with its actors, humour and theme which could have been more meaningful even in the absurd. For now, it is still an interesting movie with a divergence, and has the emotional as well as humour running through it – the film surely deserved a better reception in the theatres.

Release date: 29th August 2025
Running time: 151 minutes
Directed by: Althaf Salim
Starring: Fahadh Faasil, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Revathi Pillai, Vinay Forrt, Dhyan Sreenivasan, Idavela Babu, Niranjana Anoop, Lal, Vinay Forrt, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Anuraj O B, Noby Marcose, Vineeth Vasudevan, Suresh Krishna, Vineeth Thattil David, Gopu Kesav, Stephen Samuel, Sreekanth Vettiyar, Athira Niranjana, Varsha Ramesh, Riyas Narmakala, Renjini George, Sreeja Ajith

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Lokah: Chapter I

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“Lokah Chapter I: Chandra” with Kalyani Priyadarshan in the lead, is the latest superhero movie in this part of the world, and is based on the myths, legends and folklore which had been spreading through the state of Kerala in the distant past and are loved by people of the state. It is the first of a planned cinematic universe. Watch a quicker opinion in the form of video here:

For the detailed written review, please continue below:

Entry of a superhero universe blended with myth and legends :: Among the superhero movies of India, Minnal Murali has been a game changer, and four years later, another film, this time produced by Dulquer Salmaan and directed by Dominic Arun, which brings back the genre to life has released for Onam in the form of Lokah Chapter: 1 Chandra. With we all waiting for Kathanar: The Wild Sorcerer coming back to life with a work of fantasy and folklore, this one comes into the picture, taking the myths and legends into its wings. We had ARM dealing with a folklore depiction, but this one is different, as it establishes a universe. It serves as the origin story for a character that becomes a superhero with a dark side. But it is not the tale of one such a being with superpowers, for it introduces many more. There are characters who make the presence felt here, and we know that we will see them again. We see that a lot of skill is displayed in working with this tale, which would offer more. You know that there is no life in a folklore without the yakshi myth, and that would stay not that distant from the vampire legend from Eastern Europe, through the literary vampire and to the present friendly neighbourhood vampire due to the popular culture effect.

What is the movie about? :: Chandra (Kalyani Priyadarshan) is a mysterious woman who have come to live in the city of Bangalore, and works night shift in a popular café. Her friend and seemingly a mentor Prakash (Nishanth Sagar) keeps asking her to stay low, without letting many people know about her presence, and she makes minimum contact with people. Meanwhile, opposite to her apartment, lives Sunny (Naslen K Gafoor), Venu (Chandu Salimkumar) and Naijil (Arun Kurian), three best friends who have nothing much to do with their lives, and pretend to be still students, even though they are not that much into gaining knowledge or going for a job. While Naijil stays nearby, Sunny and Venu share the same apartment. One day, Sunny comes across this new unfamiliar face living opposite to him. He becomes more and more interested in her, and after he feels that he was saved from an accident as Chandra pushed him away, his infatuation grows.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: But there is something more serious going on in the city, in the darkness of the night. A group of criminals is conducting kidnappings and organ trade, and supporting them is the corrupt and arrogant police officer Inspector Nachiyappa Gowda (Sandy) who believes only in having ultimate power and using them on the weak and subaltern. His path would come across that of Chandra, as she beats up one of the goons associated with these criminal activities for trying to throw acid on her co-worker in the café. At the same time, an elderly man named Daniel (Vijayaraghavan) has been writing about supernatural forces that have lived with humans through the ages, and that most of the tales of folklore are true, and real incidents passed on orally by people who witnessed the same. He believes that many people have superpowers and they would be unleashed in time. With the organ trade mafia running through the city, can there be a superhero to stop it?

The defence of Lokah: Chapter I: Chandra :: Dominic Arun has brought a masterpiece on the big screen, a perfect treat for the Onam holidays. His tale with Santhy Balachandran, the Tharangam star also holding a side of the pen, has taken us to a world of magic with the base so well rooted in the folktales that we are familiar with. The movie thrives on this familiarity and builds on those pillars which might be like some of those ruined but strong pillars that archeologists would find in Rome or Egypt during some excavations – the folktales of Kerala that grows on us. What is a folk-tale without the epic saga of Kadamattathu Kathanar and Kaliyankattu Neeli? And the twist that this movie takes is something that could grow further spin-offs, and for now, to rule the box-office, with contrasting moments that we remember, from the protagonist’s first fight to her human appearance in party, and then the violence that follows in the next night and her final preparation for the impossible – all these are sources of contrasting emotions – then there is the cameo appearance of Tovino Thomas that totally changes the mood to even better. The music by Jakes Bejoy is just impeccable in the case of this movie.

Positives and negatives :: The action here is amazingly good choregraphed by Yannick Ben. The final action sequences inside the café are beyond impressive, and the detailing of that world within that place keeps us enchanted. The humour which might have felt as just a side element often makes the movie a lot more enjoyable even when the dark side is on focus. The cinematography by Nimish Ravi and the editing by Chaman Chakko does a magnificent job in keeping this movie strong, and raising it to a level which would make the whole industry proud. The world detail and the colours are too good to escape our attention, while the flashbacks feel so well placed, and there are those scenes that add on in the end like watching those Marvel movies – they work on excellence to make us interested and not with mass appeal, and that would be the feature that keeps our movies apart. The movie uses its complexities like Minnal Murali used its simplicity to its advantage – nobody becomes a superhero by a lightning, for complexity comes in the darkness and not in the light. Some people might find some mixing to be forced with some moments going on as they would expect, but that is to be decided by nature.

The performers of the soul :: Kalyani Priyadarshan comes up with what might be the greatest of her career, not easy to outdo, and working like a dream. She had this so effective that imagining someone else in this particular role would be very difficult. She shines as a superhero who works on another level as an anti-hero with different shades of her character. There is also an emotional side that comes up, and shows further effectiveness. Naslen K Gafoor adds further emotions and a funny side with Chandu Salimkumar and Arun Kurian nicely contributing to the same. The three keeps the humour alive throughout the run, and this different role of Arun is to be noted, as one would not identify him from that work in Aanandam. Meanwhile, Sandy here makes a perfect antagonist, more menacing that him in Leo, a man to be feared, and someone who keeps bringing more than what meets the eye. Nishanth Sagar and Vijayaraghavan plays two characters who nicely add to the mystery of the overall tale. Then we have Tovino Thomas, Sunny Wayne and Dulquer Salmaan in some big cameo roles, and a few more are also shown, Soubin Shahir, Balu Varghese, Ahaana Krishna, Santhy Balachandran and Vijay Menon.

How it finishes :: As the first installment in a new cinematic universe, this one is a classic beginning. If Minnal Murali was a lighter version of a beginning of a possible large cinematic universe like Marvel, this one here is more like that early version of DC Universe with The Flash, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Man of Steel and others. Unlike the Tovino-starrer of 2021, the danger here is more felt, and while the villain there was a man of circumstances, we see antagonists as personification of pure evil. With people more wronged in further violent ways, redemption here is not attained by saving a village. There is no lightning striking people to make people better here, as the superpowers are attained by sacrifices. With all the action, classic flashbacks, visual spectacles and added humour with memorable character ready to spawn more sequels, this is one movie that truly begins a perfect superhero universe in India. This is something I had wished for when I watched the Indonesian superhero movie Gundala which was followed by many sequels to extend it. This Onam, it is an honour to watch this one, our newly found prestige on the big screen.

Release date: 28th August 2025
Running time: 149 minutes
Directed by: Dominic Arun
Starring: Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen K Gafoor, Sandy, Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Vijayaraghavan, Shivajith Padmanabhan, Nithya Shri, Sarath Sabha, Anna Ben, Tovino Thomas (cameo), Sunny Wayne (cameo), Dulquer Salmaan (cameo)

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Thallumaala

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Vampire Owl: I heard that this movie is all about fights.

Vampire Bat: Yes, the title does signify the same.

Vampire Owl: Do you think that there could be more fights in our realm too?

Vampire Bat: We don’t have such small fights. We have only wars.

Vampire Owl: Maybe the wars could be reduced to smaller fights.

Vampire Bat: The smaller fights are not of relevance.

Vampire Owl: They can help stop the bigger wars.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that zombies and werewolves won’t agree to that.

Vampire Owl: Well, Uncle Dracula might agree.

Vampire Bat: For that, he requires a champion. The protagonist of this movie could serve as one in an undead state.

[Gets a marble cake and three cups of mint tea].

What is the movie about? :: There is a fight between Manavaalan Wazim (Tovino Thomas) and SI Reji Mathew (Shine Tom Chacko), and it is a one on one battle while their friends look on. The reason for this fight goes back by a few years, and there is a score to settle. A long time ago, Wazim was someone who usually got into fights, and after the pandemonium was over, he made friends with those who fought with him – the fights develop into a friends ciricle which includes him along with Jamshi (Lukman Avaran), Sathaar (Swathi Das Prabhu), Vikas (Adhri Joe) and Rajesh (Austin Dan). At the same time, he had also fallen in love with Fathima Beevi (Kalyani Priyadarshan), a famous Instagram and Youtube sensation based in UAE, even though she has her roots in Kerala. Despite her early doubts, she soon becomes assured that he could be the one for her, and manages to convince her parents to let her marry the man, even though none of her relatives have a good opinion about her – some of them even think that he is a useless young man who is of no good to the society.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Wazim’s parents (Johny Antony and Neena Kurup) had already ceased having good opinions about him. They want him to go and do some job in Dubai rather than wander around Ponnani town and pick up fights. After starting a fight with Siyad (Noushad Ali), and after they burn down Wazim’s father’s theatre, he is forcibly sent to the Middle East. But when he comes back, he starts another fight, this time with the group led by Reji – it lands them in the hospital, but hopes for revenge. Reji who wants to make up with them is not accepted with them, as everyone other than him and Wazim seems to be upset whenever the other group is seen around. Kalapurakkal David (Binu Pappu) who was part of Reji’s gang had warned against the two groups seeing each other again, but the situation seems to be in favour of both teams fighting each other again. At the same time, there is also a pending fight with Omega Babu (Chemban Vinod Jose) and Jamshi is depressed about it as he often remembers being beaten up by him. So, can Wazim fight these battles along with being able to marry Fathima?

The defence of Thallumaala :: This is the one movie which you might want to watch if there is the need for seeing a lot of fighting on the big screen. The movie also remains colourful throughout its run, and the visuals are really good. The humour works well during most of the time, and they have really added some fine doses of comedy in between to elevate the level of the film. There is the reminder of masculine ego which is hurt, as it was in Maheshinte Prathikaaram, where two women do talk about the madness of the major male characters who decide to go on an unnecessary fight. The audience will keep getting fights over fights, and in the end, they will have the feeling of having watched a big adventure with fists and legs as the main character never stop thinking about fights even if they cease to believe in love and the other common things in a movie. Some of the songs remain very notable, especially for the different kind of treatment. There are those dance moves which were already seen in the released songs. The world becomes different with this movie, and there is no need to have any outside interference related to this.

The claws of flaw :: Thallumaala‘s trailer had already given the feeling that this was going to be about fights, but it takes a lot of steps towards meaningless fights starting out of nowhere. The trailer itself was indeed confusing up to an extent. The first half takes some time get to be interesting, and most of the engaging moments can be seen as happening in the second half. The romantic side is rather strange around here, as there seems to be no real reason for the incidents to happen and turn the hero and heroine to marriage, especially for the lady who is very rich and remains an Instagram sensation who is adored by so many people all around the world. The story is not that strong, with most of the incidents in the film having not much of a meaning. The show of the sequence of events in also everywhere, and we don’t see anything occurring straight enough. In the first half, the tale keeps moving through different timelines as if they have a time machine – everything is basically everywhere to keep the audience confused. There were many things which could be added and also removed around here as there is struggle to be overcome.

The performers of the soul :: It is indeed great to see Tovino Thomas in a different avatar around here. His roles in Vaashi, Naaradan, Minnal Murali, Kaanekkaane, Kilometers and Kilometers and Forensic were all different, as he played superhero, lawyer, journalist, forensic expert and many others in a short period of time, and he has done the same with some fine skills. This role will be something to remember for him, as he also seems to get younger with this one, as this reckless youth is also of variety. Shine Tom Chacko indeed shines in this work, and he seems to perfectly suit the character. It would seem like the right thing to have him Soubin Shahir who dropped out of the film, as a character like this one requires Shine. Kalyani Priyadarshan, even though becomes the leading actress, has much less to do for the progress of the tale, and in between the fights which are supposed to happen at all times, would be happening with or without her presence in Kerala. Among the friends, it is Lukman Avaran who stands out, as he seem to blend in here like no other. In the other gang, Binu Pappu remains notable – in both gangs, all of them are indeed of relevance. Johny Antony’s father role is lovable, and Shafi Kollam of Star Magic fame gets a fine role to perform. Chemban Vinod Jose is there but with not much to do.

How it finishes :: Among the releases set around Independence Day and a week beyond, this particular movie seems to have the advantage over the others. It cannot be considered as the better film among these choices, but is surely the one flick that seems to attract the young audience to the theatres more than any other. The film makes us wonder if the only thing that the new generation does is to fight, and whether everything is solved by fighting with each other, a disappointing trend for a movie which has Mahatma Gandhi as the father of the nation, and after seventy five years post getting independence. Yet, there is the assurance of entertainment, and the funny side often makes sure that the fighting does not feel too cruel around here. It is to be noted that Shine Tom Chacko brings this movie back to life so well, and we end up wanting his character to win in the end. Well, this variety for sure, and it is not in the story, but in what surrounds it, as we are introduced to the one real fight movie in the Malayalam film industry. It is also realistic if we consider the number of random fights which have broken out in the state for no reason, and adorn the news.

Release date: 12th August 2022
Running time: 148 minutes
Directed by: Khalid Rahman
Starring: Tovino Thomas, Shine Tom Chacko, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Chemban Vinod Jose, Lukman Avaran, Binu Pappu, Johny Antony, Neena Kurup, Gokulan, Swathi Das Prabhu, Adhri Joe, Austin Dan, Assim Jamal, Shafi Kollam, VP Khalid, Noushad Ali, Bhanumathi Payyannur, Ann Salim, Mashar Hamsa, James Elia, Unni Raja, Mohammed Eravattoor, Anand Bal, Satheesh Kumar, Balan Parakkal, Babu Annur, Nasar Karutheni, Salim Kumar (cameo)

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Bro Daddy

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Vampire Owl: Do you know that Uncle Dracula used to be called by the same name?

Vampire Bat: As far as I can remember, that was Uncle Bro.

Vampire Owl: Well, I guess it varies by vampire and the century of existence.

Vampire Bat: The existence is the crime. You are not to speak about it.

Vampire Owl: I am talking about the undead existence without the human soul.

Vampire Bat: Well, that should be acceptable, as the absence of the evil human soul is much appreciated in our realm.

Vampire Owl: What do you think about our decision to watch this movie?

Vampire Bat: Well, with the Corona virus at its peak, the fact that they didn’t release this movie in theatres is to be appreciated.

Vampire Owl: Yes, a superstar movie in the theatre means a super spreader.

Vampire Bat: It seems that the producer and director of this movie are sensible people. Let other movies take the credit for being super spreaders.

[Gets a vegetable pizza and three cups of black tea].

What is the movie about? :: Eesho (Prithviraj Sukumaran) and Anna (Kalyani Priyadarshan) have been good friends since childhood, and have carried over the same as a romantic relationship in such a manner that they even started living together in Bangalore without anyone having any clue about it. Their motherly figures Annamma John (Meena) and Elsy Kurian (Kaniha) wish to have the two youngsters married to each other, as they belong to a similar social status, being part of rich and influential families of the area. Even their friends and relatives find the possible marriage alliance to be an interesting one. The fathers John Chacko Kattadi (Mohanlal) and Kurian Maliekkal (Lalu Alex) are not that interested in the same because latter used to be in love with the former’s wife during pre-degree days. But the two remains good friends, and Kurian handles the advertising matters of Kattadi’s business. Kattadi’s fame is rather unmatched, as they have lot of business ventures, mostly focusing on Kattadi TMT steel bars. Kurian is into the advertising business, while Eesho is working at an advertising company in Bangalore.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Everything seems to go smoothly around here. But there are secrets which needs some cover up, as both Anna and Annamma are pregnant, and John and Eesho don’t want anyone to know about it as of now. It seems that now there is the need for a plan, so that the two can get married, and the function can happen smoothly, and later, they can talk about the pregnancies and related stuff. For the same, the two need to get married as soon as possible, with the blessings of Kurian and Elsy. But Kurian is not really fond of Eesho as latter finds the former’s advertising company to a cheap one in comparison to the multi-national company where he has been working. Yet, it seems that Kurian won’t disagree to the words of John, but there is the need for much more of plans to come. Eesho would still need to get into the good books of Kurian, and for the same, he would also need to use more than one of his skills. As Elsy also comes to know about the pregnancy, all of them will have to come together, and make sure that Kurian will be happy about this alliance – will he be the happy one too?

The defence of Bro Daddy :: The movie depends on humour and feel-good, as well as a certain amount of drama to keep itself going. Whenever it seems to go down, the cast nicely lifts it up. There is some nice humour that comes in between, and this one is kept close to family even though there was the opportunity to go for ridiculous jokes like Ittymaani: Made in China. The messages that the movie provide are pretty good too. It shows that family is indeed important, and a small adjustment made in career won’t matter – as long as you have a job at what you are the best at. It is a fine message for a new generation which keeps on changing jobs for better salary, leaving families behind. The movie also keeps the whole thing light-hearted, never choosing to explore the dark side of all of these, and the emotions, even though present are kept in such a way that there is no exaggeration of the emotional side – it just provides what is required with a simple feel-good family movie that keeps one entertained without making one think too much. Well, it was always moving towards the happy ending, we know.

The claws of flaw :: There is a certain amount of predictability in here, as expected from this kind of a movie. There are so many sequences which seem to progress the way we can guess. We also come up against a certain amount of lagging in between. A certain amount of lag can also been seen related to the revelation of things. The length is a little bit more than what was required. If the event management idea was removed, that would have helped the movie further. The beginning hadn’t impressed that much with the common jokes added, and more of life in Bangalore could have only done the movie favours. There is also too much focus on the luxury home visuals, seemingly trying to help an architect or the seller of a house. It does feel like the idea is to go and come up with life of the richest, giving the feeling that almost everyone else do not exist. The world itself is different around here, like being part of an alien planet. Some of the characters whom we see around also feel wasted, as the focus is indeed on the members of two families only.

The performers of the soul :: The movie does have a long list of memorable cast, something which is not often seen related to a family comedy drama. Mohanlal leads, and he does the same with the kind of role which audience has loved him doing. Prithviraj and Kalyani plays the usual youngsters in love, without anything new added around here, except for maybe the cuteness quotient. Lalu Alex is once again the father of the leading lady, and it is something he has done a lot in the past, even though most of similar roles have gone to Renji Panicker following Om Santhi Oshana. He shows that he still maintains the expertise in this kid of roles. Meena is once again looking good with Mohanlal, like it was in Drishyam, Drishyam 2 and Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol. Kaniha is also as notable as the rest as the mother of the leading lady. Jagadish does have a notable role here, while Soubin Shahir’s role to add some quick humour is only partially affective. Mallika Sukumaran once again drops in as the typical old mother figure, a role which would go to her with ease every time. Unni Mukundan, Nikhila Vimal and Kavya Shetty have cameos.

How it finishes :: This is the second directorial venture from Prithviraj Sukumaran after one of the biggest films in Malayalam cinema, Lucifer, which still remains strong in our minds, with the next one coming in 2023 in the form of a sequel. With Mohanlal and Prithviraj joining forces again, this was a movie which was much awaited. It has the skill to deliver as the humorous feel-good movie with effectiveness. There will not be grandeur associated with it, as things are kept simple, keeping it within the predictable lines throughout its run. The cast has elevated the same by adding humour in their own ways, and keeping it close to life. In one way or the other, the movie seems to stand on the exact opposite path of Sara’s which would have dealt the whole episode in a different manner, but Bro Daddy takes the path which the families would to see, and the one which might feel rather selfless in nature. But one can only wonder what it means to be selfless in a chaotic, brutal world? When was the last time we had a society with humans who were not selfish?

Release date: 26th January 2022 (Hotstar)
Running time: 160 minutes
Directed by: Prithviraj Sukumaran
Starring: Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Lalu Alex, Meena, Nikhila Vimal, Kaniha, Soubin Shahir, Jagadish, Kavya Shetty, Unni Mukundan, Mallika Sukumaran, Sijoy Varghese, Antony Perumbavoor, Jaffar Idukki, Joji Mundakayam, Charle

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Varane Avashyamundu

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What is the movie about? :: Neena (Shobhana) is a divorced mother who is living with her daughter Nikitha (Kalyani Priyadarshan) in the busy city of Chennai. As Neena had eloped from home and married, the only relative who comes to see them is her uncle Manuel (Lalu Alex) while her husband lived far away from them. While Neena works as a teacher of French language, Nikitha also supports herself with a job, and is looking for a groom in a matrimonial website all by herself. Those whom she finds as match include Alphonse (Siju Wilson) and Aby (Rahul Rajasekharan), a Motor Vehicle Inspector and an NRI respectively. In the same block of apartments where they are living, Major Unnikrishnan (Suresh Gopi), a retired army officer also lives alone. He is known for his anger management issues due to which he often gets into trouble, and is disliked by the people living near him.

So, what happens with the events here? :: Bipeesh (Dulquer Salmaan) is the new resident at the apartments, beginning his stay with an argument with Nikitha over their two-wheelers. Nikitha is not fond of him as well as Unnikrishnan who also buys a dog which is almost as huge as him. Major Athmaram (Major Ravi) who was also in the army tries to solve Unnikrishnan’s anger management issues by sending him to his friend who is also a doctor – Doctor Bose (Johny Antony). Unnikrishnan is someone who had managed to climb Mount Everest during his youth, and is also someone who participated in the skirmishes at the Indo-Pakistan border. But he finds it difficult to mingle with people, especially with ladies. The kids of the apartments particularly hate him for his rough attitude. As he tries to change his behaviour, he ends up getting closer to Neena, which changes the lives of Nikitha and Bipeesh as well. But what does it mean for his anger?

The defence of Varane Avashyamundu :: The movie runs on its cast which is an enviable one. It has one generation of veteran performers in the form of Suresh Gopi and Shobhana, and another generation with Dulquer Salmaan and Kalyani Priyadarshan, making it something which everyone from more than one generation feeling the need to watch it. The focus being on the elder stars is the best thing about this movie, as it works really well with the tale to connect with everyone. The funny moments work really well, and the credit for the same rests mostly with Suresh Gopi, supported by Johny Antony. The setting of the apartments in the middle of a city, and people going through their flawed, but interesting lives is nicely shown here. There are some messages given, and most of the time, it is about life and relationships. But, it should have had more depth, in more than one way.

The claws of flaw :: One trouble that Varane Avashyamundu seems to face is that it doesn’t have a script to match the cast that it possesses. It had to be better focused on what it was doing, and the same would have allowed us to go beyond that initial drag with ease, and that ending which seemed to be rushed, even though it cannot be termed terrible. The predictability is always there, as we know which direction this is heading – there is no need for any special skill for the same. The need to put the feel-good factor into place would always be a priority, considering the fact that this movie’s competitors were all focused on other genres including the year’s first big hit Anjaam Pathira which is clearly on the other side with the shades. The movie doesn’t have memorable songs or music, and it could have also been shorter, removing some scenes. Even some characters seemed to be rather unnecessary here.

The performers of the soul :: If there is a question about the leading performer in the movie, that is not the leading young pair – it is Suresh Gopi who makes the retired army officer a joy to watch. We had last seen him in My God, and here we have him doing the comedy and emotions exceptionally well, and his character and the changes undergone are too good. Shobana adds to the charm here, and her combination scenes with Suresh Gopi as well as Kalyani. Urvashi also has a memorable role to add here. But at the same time, Dulquer Salmaan doesn’t have much of a screen time – his character is also one which doesn’t suit the overall mood of the movie, and the romance here is also half-baked, seemingly built on fake emotions and therefore lacking in strength. Johny Antony is the next person to bring the comic side alive, while Siju Wilson and Major Ravi also have a few similar moments. Meanwhile, Lalu Alex is there with another usual, but memorable kind of role.

Further performers of the soul :: Kalyani Priyadarshan has her first Malayalam movie, and Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham will be the next. As the daughter of the renowned film director Priyadarshan and the popular actress of her time Lissy Priyadarshan, her debut was long overdue. The other star children had already arrived, and we know what nepotism can do to you, as it was proven with the star kids, even though not that much as it has done with Bollywood. At least in the case of Malayalam movie industry, the sons and daughters can act, and often even excel in what they do, a case which have made the industry rise above the usual brainless acts of Bollywood. Kalyani is no exception either, as she nails her emotional and funny moments. Often reminding one of Bhagyalakshmi Prabhu who plays Meenakshi in Thatteem Mutteem especially with KPAC Lalitha around, she gets to be perfectly fit in this family feel-good stuff.

How it finishes :: Anoop Sathyan, son of the veteran film director Sathyan Anthikad is at the helm of this movie. He is known to have served as assistant director at Malayalam film industry and have also directed independent documentaries. There is a certain Sathyan Anthikad touch that can be seen in this movie, and the same can’t be denied, especially in a feel-good movie directed by his son. It is just with the setting that the difference can be seen – otherwise the model is more or less the same. A shift from the village to the city can be felt more, as it is a change from a very rural setting to a very urban metro setting. But the characters are shown in a simple and lovable manner as we have seen in those rural settings, which make this movie a fine watch for the family audience. There is no question about what the one clean family movie can be, with a modern setting.

Release date: 7th February 2020
Running time: 145 minutes
Directed by: Anoop Sathyan
Starring: Suresh Gopi, Shobana, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Dulquer Salmaan, Urvashi, Lalu Alex, KPAC Lalitha, Johny Antony, Siju Wilson, Major Ravi, Sarvajith Santosh, Meera Krishnan, Sreeja Ravi, Rahul Rajasekharan, Wafa Khatheeja Rahman, Krishna Chandran A Nair, Vidya Menon, Aravind Venugopal, Theni Murugan, K Gopal, Nalsen K Gafoor, Lal Jose (cameo)

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