Prithviraj’s ‘7^th Day’ is a good thriller that keeps viewers engaged

Prithiviraj steps into another cop’s shoes, this time as David Abraham, a suspended IPS officer in ‘7^th Day.’
The film opens on Christmas evening in a disco club where David is sipping  drinks and watching the night go by. On his drive home in his jeep, he accidently knocks a motor-bike. While the rider Shon is not hurt, Vino, his friend on the pillion suffers bruises.
On David’s suggestion, they get into David’s vehicle and reach a hospital for treatment. Vino is taken inside for dressing his bruises.  David and Shon wait outside. A little later, the nurse runs out to inform them that Vino had left the hospital from the rear entrance. Despite searching the neighbourhood, they are unable to find Vino.
After dropping Shon home, David returns to his van, where he notices a wallet on the seat. It belongs to Vino and has his id card inside. David drives to Vino’s house to return the wallet. To his shock, he finds the family mourning. Vino had committed suicide.
This sets rolling a series of investigations for David Abraham.
Who is Vino and why did he take his own life? Divulging beyond this would be a spoiler.
 Debutant director Syam Dhar works on Akhil Paul’s script, another newcomer to Malayalam films and the result is an interesting thriller.
Prithviraj takes measured steps as he plays David Abraham. Soft spoken and his subtle acting lends a cool appeal to his role, besides sustaining the suspense of the story.
Woven in this script is a story of a group of young friends and their bond, of failed love and deceit and how one man’s greed to make quick money lands everyone’s lives in peril.
‘7^th Day’ entertains.

Mr. Fraud’ an out and out Mohan Lal show, yet entertains

Bhaiji (Mohan Lal) is a professional thief known for easily duping his targets and robbing them of their wealth. But that is not his real name. And no one knows what his real name is either. All he shares is a professional relationship with his clients and it ends there.
Bhaiji is known to mastermind his heists smoothly. On one such project Bhaiji poses as a stage singer and performs at a wedding ceremony. (Don’t miss the Jamaican look that Lal sports). While the audience is still in raptures over his music, Bhaiji pulls wool over his hosts’ eyes and walks off with crores of cash. Helping him in his operations are his two accomplices, Abbas (Vijay Babu) and Priya (Manjari Fadnis).
Bhaiji now wants to quit his profession. But before that he is hired to rob a royal treasure that has been kept locked under court’s orders for  four decades and more.
Bhaiji prefers to execute this last project alone. But Abbas and Priya insist on joining him in this heist. They are fond of their mentor and wish to spend some more time with him. And they are not even looking at a share in the profits.
So the trio lands up at this family mansion in Kerala, where the treasure will be unlocked under government supervision. Bhaiji poses as an evaluator, Sivaram who has been appointed by the family to assess the treasure.
Mind you, the treasure is well guarded. Besides gun toting guards keeping vigil round the clock, the security system here boasts of the latest technology.
How will Bhaiji pull off this one successfully?  Not to forget the prying eyes of family members and a police officer, Sajan, who are studiously watching him.

This is Unnikrishnan’s third film with Mohan Lal. From the word go, it is a Lal show all the way. Bhaiji in his salt and pepper looks is quite a stealer and a far cry from George Kutty of ‘Drishyam.’ Lal, the versatile actor that he is, pushes away the hangover of George Kutty from viewers’ minds.
Other actors also deliver a commendable performance. My count begins with Sai Kumar as the corrupt policeman and Siddique as a communist activist. Playing Siddique’s adopted daughter, Saraswati is Mia George, who comes thumbs up too.
After playing mother to two children in the Mammotty starrer, ‘Silence,’ television actress, Pallavi Chandran proves that she can slip into the garb of a sensuous role too. As Damini Varma, a member of the royal family Chandran , in the little time that she is onscreen,  will not be easily forgotten. Her one liner when she meets Bhaiji the first time had viewers hooting.
Manjari Fadnis and Vijay Babu complement Bhaiji’s character well.
There are flash backs into Bhaiji’s  childhood but nothing is clear as to why he chose this path.
Well with a mass entertainer, you don’t ask questions. Predictable? Yes. High action scenes to match Lal's larger than life image? Yes.
But one thing you can be sure of Mr. Fraud,' he does not cheat you of fun and laughter.

‘Gangster’ barely leaves an impact

By Mythily Ramachandran

You kind of know what to expect from a title like this. As far as gore and bullets are concerned they rain in plenty, right from the word go. 
Mammooty plays Akbar Ali, the son of a don who slips into his father’s shoes with ease. 
As a little boy growing in Mumbai, where his father is the undisputed don, Akbar has seen power tussle and the consequences that follow, his father’s murder.
His life is saved thanks to an old faithful servant who rescues him out of Mumbai. Akbar grows into a man and returns to Mumbai to avenge his father’s death. He then settles in Mangalore to head an empire, calling the shots along with two other kingpins, Mani Menon (Kunchan) and Uncle Sam (John Paul). Nothing moves in Mangalapuram without the joint consent of this trio.
Trouble arrives in the form of Anto, Uncle Sam’s nephew, an ambitious young man returned from the US and harbouring dreams of making big money and that too at jet speed. He runs a pharmaceutical company and wants to venture into shipping medicines to India, particularly those that have been rejected abroad.
When he approaches Akbar with this proposal, it is rejected. But Anto is keen on seeing his plans work and the only way to execute that is to wipe off Akbar from the radar. So does Anto succeed in his plan?
‘Gangster’s is all about that.
Director Aashiq Abu relies on a plot that has been done to death several times, especially with a super star and his larger than life image forming the crux of the story. Obviously it couldn’t get more predictable right?  
Mammootty fans probably will love Akbar with his quiet demeanour and few words and of course the slow swagger. Dubai resident and RJ Nyla Usha plays Akbar’s wife, Sana and for the short while that she is around makes her presence felt. One person you will not forget even after you leave the hall is Anto.
Our first introduction to Anto is a towering obese figure under the shower and you can’t miss the tattoo ‘Obey’ on the back of his bald head.  Soon you learn of his sadistic games with women whom he buys for pleasure and you detest the creep.  Shekar Menon as Anto does it really well enough for viewers to hate the character. 
Well, the silver lining of this don tale is cinematographer Alby’s camera that treats you to some unusual frames. 

‘Inam,’ an emotional tale

By Mythily Ramachandran

He is washed ashore and when the children discover him, questions arise in every one’s mind. Who is he? Is he a militant or a government soldier, they wonder on finding a knife in his bag?  And, when they uncover his face, he tells them, he wants to go back to sleep. 
What’s your name? They ask. 
“I am Nandan,’ he mutters before going back to sleep. 
Nandan is given shelter at their orphanage in civil war torn Sri Lanka at the insistence of their caretaker, a mother figure, whom they fondly call tsunami akka (Saritha).
Every child here carries behind him a sad tale, of families lost in war. While tsunami akka tends to their daily needs, it is Stanley (Karunas) who imparts a basic education to the children. Stanley hopes that one day they will all migrate to another land for a better life. And he religiously prepares documents for every child here. Tsunami akka however believes in staying back in their homeland.
‘Inam,’ takes viewers to war torn Sri Lanka where following the departure of UN forces, the government stepped up its war against the Tamil Tigers. And, caught in this indiscriminate shelling were innocent civilians. 
What gives life to this otherwise morbid tale, are little moments of joy stolen from life. Seventeen year-old Rajini falling in love with Ravi, her companion, at the orphanage and growing up into a woman. Then the clandestine midnight meal the children cook after stealing Stanley sir’s rooster. There is more to life besides bullets and war smoke.
Director Santosh Sivan has crafted his characters with great care and their distinguishing traits sets each one apart.
Matched with a laudable performance by the cast ‘Inam,’ keeps the audience engaged. Bollywood actor, Sugandha Ram is brilliant as Rajini, the 17-year-old, who braves all odds to eventually finding refuge in India. Yesteryears Saritha returns with a neat performance.
Playing Nandan, a special child is Karan, a Downs Syndrome person himself. Beating stereotypes, Sivan has portrayed Nandan in a most endearing manner. You will laugh indulgently at Nandan’s antics without ridiculing him and love him for his innocence. His bag of treasures that he closely guards includes a skull, which he calls Mr. Friend. My favourite scene is the one where he lets free the tortoise that he has rescued in the war. Don’t miss the hundred dollar bill sticking to its shell.
With Sivan’s signature on every frame, ‘Inam’ is sheer poetry. Those poignant visuals surrounding animals, be it the little kittens playing or the chickens that scurry as bombs fly, they touch a tender chord in you. 
‘Inam’ takes you to the war zone, where man and animals struggle for survival. 

‘Cuckoo,’ scores with its fresh story borrowed from real life. 

By Mythily Ramachandran

Love is blind is an oft repeated phrase, but in ‘Cuckoo,’ the lovers are blind too. 
Visually impaired Thamizh (Dinesh) is part of an entertainment group and as a singer he is known for his rendition of music maestro Ilayaraja hits. He meets Sudhandhira Kodi, (Malavika Nair) who is also visually impaired. After the initial tiff between the two, Cupid plays matchmaker.  And, as the bond grows, Thamizh and Kodi look forward to their meetings every-day at the railway station. Thamizh recognizes Kodi’s arrival by her voice and her footfalls.

Director Raj Murugan, a former journalist, found inspiration for this script from a real life couple whom he had interviewed for a story. 
Murugan’s hero and heroine are confident individuals who do not wallow in self-pity but look forward to a life together. The story speaks of optimism. 
Lead actors Dinesh and Malavika have put in great effort in understanding the emotions and mannerisms of visually impaired people and that is translated well onscreen. The supporting cast of actors playing Thamizh’s and Kodi’s friends have put in a good show too. Santosh Narayanan’s music is impressive. 
What works against this poignant story is the length of the film that required crisper editing. Besides it gets melodramatic towards the end.  Some scenes lack conviction and raise questions in the minds of the viewers. Why did Thamizh not take a sighted companion with him while carrying a large bundle of cash, which unfortunately gets him into trouble? And is Thamizh so impulsive to travel alone by train from Chennai to Pune and then Mumbai in search of Kodi, without an escort.  Dinesh towards the end of the story tends to go overboard with his performance. 
Yet, this 'Cuckoo' does make itself heard with it’s off- beat tale. 

Abrid Shine bowls the audience over with ‘1983’

By Mythily Ramachandran

In India, cricket is followed with a fervor unlike any other sport. 
This zeal is well reflected in the sports film, ‘1983’ directed by newcomer Abrid Shine. And on opening his innings, Shine clearly hits a sixer as ‘1983’ endears itself to the audience with a simple story told honestly. 
An erstwhile photographer for Malayalam magazine, ‘Vanitha,’ Shine   was inspired from his life and that of his friends, all amateur cricketers like the hero of ‘1983’ Ramesan.
Ramesan (Nivin Pauly) whose love for the game is rooted in the 1983 win of India at the World Cup, is a talented player and never misses out on a game with friends of the local club. His father, (Joy Mathews), who runs a machine repairing unit, dreams of the day when his son would become an engineer. 
With cricket dominating Ramesan’s life, studies obviously takes a back-seat and Ramesan manages to clear his class ten board examinations. Now he is left with no other choice but to help his father in the business. 
This is clearly a landmark film in Nivin Pauly’s career, who goes through different stages of Ramesan’s life: from a school student in love with his classmate Manjula (Niki Galrani) and a crazy cricketer to becoming a father who tries to realize his dreams through his son. As the scenes roll on, Pauly hits a four each time with a spectacular performance. 
Shine’s narration is brilliant. Capturing street cricket in real mode with players attired in mundu, Kerala style, this story immediately connects with his audience.
Clean humour keeps you chuckling now and then. I just loved the scene where Ramesan is dumbfounded when his new bride (essayed excellently by Shrinda Ashab) looks up at Sachin’s poster in the bedroom and in all innocence asks him, “Who is this? And seeing his astonished look, she immediately tells him, “Oh, I don’t watch Hindi films.” That was classic. Shrinda impresses in other scenes too. 
Another remarkable performance is from Jacob Gregory. Calling himself Sachin from Bombay and often peppering his conversations with Hindi, he joins in as a substitute in Ramesan’s team. And, Gregory keeps the audience in splits. Anoop Menon in the role of a coach encouraging Ramesan’s son is a natural.
With a story pegged around cricket, Shine brings about a change in the heart of Ramesan’s father, who lends a hand to Ramesan, who is trying to make a mechanized automatic bowling device for his little son, a cricket lover too.
Besides taking a dig at the present crop of parents, who are ambitious for their off-springs, Shine also points out the flaws in the selection procedure of the sports department. 
Produced by Shamsudheen, '1983' is enriched further by Gopi Sundar’s captivating music and Pradeesh Varma’s dazzling frames.

Nazriya steals the show in ‘Om Shanti Oshaana’ 

By Mythily Ramachandran

A love story usually has the man wooing the woman till he wins her heart. For a change, here is a story where it is the other way around.  
The film opens with a narration by Pooja Mathews, who looks back on her life. 

So we rewind to her school days, when Pooja falls for Giri Madhavan, after he snubs a bunch of guys who eve- teased her at a swimming pool.

But Giri, an idealist and a social activist  is completely oblivious of Pooja’s feelings for him. And, when she does muster up courage, after following him around like a puppy, to reveal her heart, Giri dismisses it and asks her to focus on her studies.
The rejection makes Pooja all the more determined to win his heart, even if it means waiting for him for some years. In the meantime, she completes school and joins medical college, following her father’s footsteps. 
Directed by first time director, Jude Anthony Joseph, a former IT professional, the story of ‘Om Shanti Oshaana,’ is written by Midhun Manuel Thomas.
Told humorously, the narrative keeps viewers often breaking into a loud laugh. Nazriya Nazim is spontaneous as Pooja, the gawky wide-eyed teenager, who sails through school, punctuating this phase of her life with pranks. 

It is a different Nivin Pauly you get to see after the cricket player we saw in ‘1983’ proving his versatility as an actor. Pauly brings out a quiet and practical headed Giri who believes in his principles and has no time  for love. 
Adding to the funny moments is Aju Varghese, playing Pooja’s cousin, David, an irresponsible young man nurturing a grouse for Giri. 
Watch out for Vineeth Srinivasan in a guest role. He plays a doctor in Pooja’s medical college and Srinivasan’s new look is indeed cool. 
Music by Shaan Rahman and Vinod Illampally’s spectacular visuals enhance this delightful romantic comedy in Malayalam.  

‘Salala Mobiles’ an unconvincing love story 

By Mythily Ramachandran

The film opens to introduce us to Afzal, (Dulquer Salman) a young man who is jobless and a cause of anxiety for his mother (Geetha).  Things turn for the better after his maternal uncle working in Salalah (Oman), sets up a mobile store for him. And he names it ‘Salala Mobiles’ after his place of work.
While the store keeps Afzal fruitfully engaged, it also gives him time to eye girls waiting for the bus at the stop across the road.
One day, he notices Sahana, (Nazriya Nazim) a college student standing there and its love at first sight. Sahana is not aware of his feelings though and she often drops in to recharge her mobile account at his store.  
On the business front, Afzal purchases software that can tap into phone calls. What starts as a game for Afzal and his friend, Binoy, turns into a regular indulgence as they tap into his customers’ phones and eves-drop into their conversations. And he also does the same with Sahana, who regularly talks to her father. Through these conversations, Afzal learns about her and her family.
But then, how Afzal’s secret remain hidden? Before he knows it, the police are on his tail.  
Debutant director, Sharath A. Haridasan has explored a new theme in this film but the romantic tale woven into it lacks conviction. With poor characterization, Dulquer Salman looks more like a novice here. Nazriya does not have much to offer either, besides looking beautiful. This is Tamil actor Santhanam’s first film in Malayalam and he plays Azhagarsamy, a Tamilian, who has invented the phone tapping software. Sorry to say that Santhanam’s comedy barely tickles.
Produced by Anto Joseph with music scored by Gopi Sunder, ‘Salala Mobiles,’ fails to ring in the excitement and love of a young pair.