Bramayugam

 A friend of mine recently asked, why it is that no one is able to dethrone big Ms of the industry. Though I don't agree to a throne concept, there is no denying the fact that they have been a part of our collective consciousness for the past four decades or so. As to why part, it has got to do with the body of their work. Diverse characters and genres of movies they had done so far. And when it comes to choice of characters, none recently has done it better than Mr Mammooty. Bramayugam is one such movie. It is a tale from folklores, and it is in black and white. 

Movies that encapsulate legends from yesteryears is always a captivating watch. Thevan, fleeing from war, unwittingly walks into a ruined house owned by Kudamon Potti, the last surviving member of a bloodline known for dark magic. Trapped within, Thevan's attempt to escape and the supernatural elements he encounters form the crux of the movie. The narrative is also about the hardships faced by the underprivileged and the sufferings they endure at the hands of people in power. Punishments meted out aren't always for wrongdoing but often on whims, as those in power derive pleasure from the sufferings of the underlings. Thevan, who enters the mana, is already submissive; he knows only fear.

There are only minimal set of characters in the movie. Mammooty as Kodumon Potti is excellent. Arjun Ashokan, in the role of Thevan, Sidharth Bharathan as second inhabitant of mana have done a good job. The lack of a backstory for the Yakshi disappointed quite a few viewers.

Bramayugam isn't the kind of movie I expected to draw huge crowds into the theatre. I guess the success has a lot to do with Mammooty. He has shed the stardom, opting for character roles, and people are wholeheartedly accepting the experiments and bold choices he is making. The film is enjoying an excellent run at the theaters. But I do have a feeling it has punched above its weight. Opinions can be biased, often conforming to the popular trends. Don't get me wrong; it's a good movie. However, it might not be the classic some are claiming it to be.

Anveshippin kandethum

 It's relatively easy to write a review on bad movies. Good movies are often hard to write about. The more difficult ones to write about are those that sit somewhere in between, the kind of movies that neither disappoint nor particularly excite. Anveshippin Kandethum falls into that category for me. 

The film feels like the sum of two separate parts. The story of the first half doesn't have much to do with story of the second. They could have both existed on their own. At the end of the first half, I was wondering what's left to investigate. Actually there was none, the second half was totally a new investigation altogether. Movie is about two different investigations done by same team in different circumstances. Connected only by the fact that they were never able to catch the culprit alive. Possibly a first of its kind in that regard. 

As one character (a policeman by profession and chef by hobby) rightly observes, in real life an investigator would probably find the first case easier to solve than the second, were it not for the vested interests of senior officials. Yet, within the film, it is the first half that feels sharper, tighter, and more engaging than the second. 

Other than the one decoy placed in each half, Anveshippin kandethum is lower in the scale of suspenseful elements added, unlike the movies of this genre. One could argue that real life investigations are possibly like this, devoid of cinematic elements. But the movie is not without cinematic moments so to speak. So somewhere I felt it was not consistent. Maybe I have a wrong reference for comparison, Kuttavum Shikshayum. Tone remained consistent throughout that movie. It was non-cinematic from start to end. 

Anveshippin isn't a kind of movie that demands nuanced performances. And most of the actors have done a decent job. 

The movie was good. Just that I would prefer watching it on tv in the comfort of my sofa. And I possibly would have liked it better then.

Valiban

 It has its moments, but Valiban isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Following a string of mediocre movies, there was considerable anticipation for an LJP-Mohanlal collaboration, with expectations running high for the actor to stage a strong comeback. Statements made during the promotions set expectations even higher. It weighed the movie down. People possibly went to the theater expecting a swashbuckling Valiban but didn't get it in adequate quantity. Movies worse than this have garnered better numbers. I am not saying the movie is without its flaws, but it has to be said it received more flak than it deserves.

The movie tells the story of a warrior, drifting from place to place, looking for worthy opponents to fight for both thrill and money. It carries the flavors of old folklore stories we all grew up listening to. The story unfolds in an unknown place and time, vivid with colorful characters, with a blend of Western and Japanese samurai influences, paying homage to those genres. The background music is quite reminiscent of that.

Movies like this, or any movie for that matter, require strong characters, not just the titular character. Each of them should have a character arc, enacted by good performers. It makes the story more convincing. I didn't like a few of the cast choices. Rangapattinam Rangarani and Chamathakan would have done better with fluent Malayalam. Danish Sait, the joker wannabe Chamathakan, both the character and the actor felt equally obnoxious. For Valiban, who ties up a behemoth of a man with a scarf without batting an eyelid, the fighter he encounters next, a supposedly threatening kalaripayattu expert on whom Chamathakan risked half his facial hair, looked hardly an opponent.

The whole sequence in Malaikotta, the fort on top of the hill, has contributed heavily to the criticism the movie received. It was unintentionally comical. Why did the oppressors have to be Portuguese? Mr. and Mrs. Macaulay looked cartoonish. Fight sequences in the fort were subpar. Scenes where people shoot with a rail gun-like device have already reached the saturation point. Arnold did it first (maybe not, just that it is more popular). Kaithi brought it to Indian cinema recently. Animal overdid it. Here, it is a custom-made cannon with arms resembling an octopus, and Mrs. Macaulay is firing aimlessly in all directions, showing no concern whether her shots hit a friend, a foe, or even her husband.

Towards the end, the movie regained some momentum.

Positives: Mohanlal looked every bit the Valiban from Malakottai. Visually beautiful.

Food

 Food is a memory. I am not sure it is the right usage. But food do have some connection with creating good memorable moments in life. Good food or having food with right set up of people is always memorable. Certain foods evoke memories as well. 

I recently had neypathiri and beef stew from Sona restaurant in MG road Cochin. Food was good. it was with right set of people. And it did revoke a sweet childhood memory. 

When I was young, we hardly frequented restaurants like we do these days. It was mostly on occasions like festivals or celebrations. Having food from restaurants was always enjoyable. 

My father and I, normally walked back to our home after buying groceries. On one such occasion, as we were returning home, a sweet aroma from a restaurant made me stop in my tracks. My father noticed me standing infront of the restaurant. Slight tilt of the head and flared nostrils possibly indicated what I wanted. With a smile he took me inside the restaurant. And we continued our journey with an additional purchase of neypathiri and chicken curry. It still remains one of the best dish I had and a fond memory as well.