‘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.

‘Pannaiyarum Padminiyum’ a love story on four wheels

By Mythily Ramachandran

Here is a pannaiyar (landlord) who busts stereotypes.
Living in an obscure village of Tamil Nadu, his warm and unassuming nature earns him a special place in the hearts of the villagers. Always ready to help, he is a landlord who enjoys sharing his radio and television with the village folk. Even his landline is open to the public for use during emergencies. In short this pannaiyar is magnanimous to a fault. And who do you think takes advantage of his goodness?
His daughter, who is married now, often visits her parental house with the sole aim of taking back with her something she covets.
When her mother admonishes her for her scheming attitude, the pannaiyar chides his wife reminding her that she was their only child.
The pannaiyar’s life takes a new meaning with the arrival of Padmini, rather a Premier Padmini, a vintage car entrusted to him by his friend, who leaves the village on a holiday. 
Completely smitten by the new car, the pannaiyar behaves like a child with a new toy. And since he cannot drive, he asks Murugesan, a young man from the village to jump into the driver’s seat. For Murugesan too, it is love at first sight.
So when the pannaiyar wishes to learn driving he feels threatened and fears the day when he would become redundant. But all the pannaiyar wants is to drive his wife, Chellamma, to the temple on their wedding day. After that he assures Murugesan that he would not get into the driver’s seat. 
Debutant Arun Kumar’s feature grew from an earlier short film of a simple thread pivoted around a man’s love for a car.  Kumar’s story grows at its own pace like the vintage car, yet holding viewers’ attention with brilliant acting.
Carving his characters with a fondness Kumar has brushed them up with little quirks.  Peedai, the handy man at pannaiyar’s house who is despised for his remarks that always portends bad luck to others. Then there is the little boy who is fascinated by the car, everyday on way to school. He counts money to save Rs. Ten to pay Peedai, for that magical moment when he would get behind the wheels.
For a change, this film does not resort to toilet humour to tickle the funny bone. Situational comedy keeps viewers chuckling.
Kumar lets in a whiff of fresh air as he portrays the love between the pannaiyar and his wife. Teasing each other one moment and squabbling over trivia another time, this elderly couple’s love draws a smile.
Kumar’s players have their failings too. So besotted are the pannaiyar and his driver with Padmini, they start believing that she belongs to them. It is the landlord’s wife, who reminds her husband, that the car was theirs to keep only and ought to be returned to the owner when his daughter visits them.
If Vijay Sethupathy slipped into the role of Murugesan with the ease of a driver, Jaya Prakash played the perfect foil to him as the big hearted and naïve pannaiyar.  Bala Saravanan, who earned praise for playing the pannaiyar in the short film turns a different person altogether as Peedai. Thulasi as the pannaiyar’s wife delivers her character with aplomb and one that cannot be forgotten. And of course the two young women, who in brief significant brief roles, Neelima Rani as the pannaiyar’s daughter and  Aishwarya Rajesh as Malarvizhi, Murugesan’s love interest, leave their mark too.
Just go on this ride that will certainly leave you enthralled and at the end of it, if you are left wondering like the little boy about Padmini, you ought to blame Arun Kumar.

‘Drishyam’ brings back the Mohan Lal we love

By Mythily Ramachandran

Mohan Lal’s films are eagerly awaited and ‘Drishyam,’ is no different. The legendary actor who in his 35 years-old career has explored umpteen roles, gets into the skin of George Kutty, a father to two school going girls and turns this ordinary soul into a romantic hero.
Playing a common man is something that Lal has always done with a natural ease and in ‘Drishyam,’ he wins hands down.
George Kutty manages a cable television business in a small town of Thodupuzha. A film buff, he is forever hooked onto films.  A class four school drop-out, George Kutty is married to Rani who has studied beyond class four, but could not clear class ten. While George Kutty is tight fisted, Rani strikes a contrast with her yearning for the good things of life which apart from shopping and eating biriyani in a hotel includes sending her two daughters to an English convent instead of an ordinary English medium school.
Theirs’ is a happy household with the usual chaos mingled with cackles of laughter, so typical of an Indian middle class home.
But the joy is cut short with the arrival of Varun, a teenager who takes George’s family on an unexpected journey and that becomes a test of their love and commitment towards one another.
Carving each character with great care director Jeethu Joseph orchestrates this saga with a pop rapture.
Little throw away details like Kutty always chiding his family for leaving the lights switched on, adds a realistic touch to the narration.  And when you have comfortably settled down in the Kutty household, Jeethu springs upon viewers a surprise when they least expect it. From surprise to shock, this family drama turns into a gripping thriller.
And, when the law abiding George Kutty is arrested the film surges ahead. As the scenes unfold, you wonder will he and his family ultimately succumb to the pressure of the policemen.
With a brilliant screenplay, Jeethu narration is almost flawless. Abetting him every step of the way is a terrific ensemble cast of actors who shine individually and in tandem. While this film joins the list of Lal’s best performances, Meena after a hiatus, shares a wonderful onscreen chemistry with Lal. The two child actors Ansiba and Esther fit into the Kutty family beautifully. Surprising viewers with an incredible performance is Kalabhavan Sajon as a cop with negative shades. Siddique as the bereaved father of a teenager is at his subtle best.
Without sounding preachy, Jeethu points out the flaws some of us parents make when we decide to compensate money with time for our children. Keeping in tune with today’s times, he rings it clear, how a cell-phone can become an instrument of blackmail.
As the climax scene rolls, George Kutty and Joseph have the last laugh leaving the audience stunned and asking: ‘Why did I not think of that before?’ Because until then without their realizing George Kutty’s problem had become theirs to solve.
‘Drishyam’ is an unforgettable picture, shorn of irrational fight sequences and mindless dance numbers.
This is the Mohan Lal we fell in love with through his earlier films, sans his larger than life images of his subsequent films.
Don’t miss ‘Drishyam.’ Go for it with family and pop corn in hand.