Snehaveedu – Movie Review

Sathyan Anthikkad's name is synonymous with melodrama and village as the backdrop. Snehaveedu, with Mohanlal essaying the lead male role is no different. The story of Snehaveedu is set against the background of village greenery and like all of Sathyan Anthikkad's previous films, the main characters are epitomes of virtue.

While the first half is intriguing and filled with suspense, director Sathyan Anthikkad lets you down completely in the second half as you are thoroughly disappointed with the way the mystery is solved.

Snehaveedu boasts of some well done and memorable emotional scenes though the melodrama and cliched characters gets too much to handle at a point. Sathyan Anthikkad has tried to repeat the success formula of his previous films. However, this time, with a weak and confused script, the director is unable to strike the right chord.

There are also many scenes in the film that raises pertinent questions in the minds of the audiences.

Story

Ajay (Mohanlal) decides to return to his home in Palakkad after having worked for a long time in the Gulf and in Chennai. Ajay is a likeable chronic bachelor and wants to spend the rest of his life with his mother Ammukkutty Amma (Sheela) in his home town.

The plot moves side by side with other characters that are subsequently introduced in the first half. There is Karimkannan Mathai (Innocent) and his wife (KPAC Lalitha) who is not yet ready to forgive their daughter (Lena) for eloping with sub inspector Balan (Biju Menon). Then there is Sunanda (Padmapriya), who works in a soap manufacturing unit.

All goes fine until one fine day a teenager named Karthik (Rahul Pillai) comes from Chennai to the calm and quiet place, claiming to be Ajay's son. The boy soon gets close to Ammukkutty Amma while Ajay desperately tries to prove that Karthik is not his son.

Now, who actually is Karthik? That is what the the climax unfolds.

Performances

Mohanlal's comic time is excellent and gives you ample reasons to laugh. As always, Mohanlal essays his role with perfect ease. His emotional scenes with Sheela is outstanding.

Sheela as always is superb. Debutant Rahul Pillai is a promising actor and does his part well. All other actors have done a decent job.

Sathyan Anthikkad has made great films in the past – Manassinakkare, Achuvinte Amma and Bhagyadevatha. However, Snehaveedu fails terribly. Overall, Snehaveedu is just an ordinary fare.

Cast: Mohanlal, Sheela, Padmapriya, Rahul Pillai (Introducing), Biju Menon, Innocent, Mamukoya, KPAC Lalita, Chembil Asokan, Kalinga Sasi, Praveen, Mallika, Lena, Arundhathi, Urmila Unni, etc.
Director & Writer: Sathyan Anthikad
Producer: Antony Perumbavoor (Aashirvad Films)