If there were a mediocrity principle in cinema, it would without any doubt apply to Lal Jose's films (except for Puramkazhchakal). There is nothing special about his movies. Yet I must admit he comes up winning because of appealingly packaging the subject. This time, he's picked up the tried and tested formula of a young girl suffering hardships for the sake of her family of siblings and a single mother. Have we not seen it already - think Manju Warrier in Ee puzhayum Kadannu, Kanmadam, and Meera Jasmine in Kasthuriman, Vinodayathra, Swapnakoodu? But, Lal Jose has handled the subject minus over the top emotions that we would associate with such a film. And he has a new face for the overburdened sacrificing elder sister in Ann Augustine. Ann essays the role of Elsamma - the local newspaper girl of BP City who doesn't mind taking on the local liquor baron (Vijayaraghavan) or the corrupt Panchayat member (Jagathy Sreekumar) - quite convincingly. Elsamma has a friend in milk vendor Unni (Kunchako Boban) who is in love with her. There are some genuinely funny moments in the first half where the director spends time establishing the lead characters. Things change for Elsamma with the arrival of city bred Aby (Indrajith) and friends. Aby is the grandson of Paappan (Nedumudi Venu) the neighbor and father-like figure for Elsamma. The narrative lags a little in the second half but for some comic relief by Jagathy. However, Lal Jose has ensured that the audience wouldn't go teary-eyed after watching this one.
Ann is unrefined in her mannerisms as Elsamma and that works well here. Kunchako Boban comes up with a good performance and let's hope he continues to grow beyond the chocolate-boy lover image that he's been stuck with forever. But the pick of the lot would be Jagathy Sreekumar who excels in every shot he's on screen. The rest of the cast too go about their job effortlessly.
The two songs are definitely hummable. But the art direction for the second one left a lot to wish for. And the portrayal of city born young people as rebellious and spoilt is a tad clichéd and overdone. However flawed it may be, this Lal Jose film is definitely worth watching once.
Ann is unrefined in her mannerisms as Elsamma and that works well here. Kunchako Boban comes up with a good performance and let's hope he continues to grow beyond the chocolate-boy lover image that he's been stuck with forever. But the pick of the lot would be Jagathy Sreekumar who excels in every shot he's on screen. The rest of the cast too go about their job effortlessly.
The two songs are definitely hummable. But the art direction for the second one left a lot to wish for. And the portrayal of city born young people as rebellious and spoilt is a tad clichéd and overdone. However flawed it may be, this Lal Jose film is definitely worth watching once.
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