Ayudham,
directed
by
Nishad,
is
the
latest
cop
tale
from
action
hero
Sureshgopi,
who
has
already
become
a
'police
icon'
for
his
role
in
khaki
in
an
array
of
successful
investigative
thrillers
in
Malayalam.
Ayudham
has
all
the
ingredients
expected
in
a
typical
Sureshgopi
thriller.
It
begins
with
a
blast
(literally)
and
predictably,
ends
well
after
critically
commenting
upon
the
various
political
and
current
events
(as
usual)
such
as
the
privatisation
of
ports,
the
real
estate
boom
funded
by
capitalists
and
corrupt
politicians.
In
fact,
Ayudham
tries
to
portray
nothing
new!
The
movie
begins
with
a
series
of
bomb
blasts
that
trigger
off
communal
riots
in
a
peaceful
coastal
village,
Vilayam.
The
police,
under
Commissioner
of
Police
Mahendra
Varma
(Anil
Adithyan),
find
a
mobile
phone
from
the
explosion
scene
and
from
this
phone,
he
tracks
a
software
engineer
named
Anwar
Abdullah
(Bala),
son
of
Abdullah
Mukri
(Murali).
Anwar
is
soon
arrested
at
Chennai
only
because
he
got
some
anonymous
calls
on
the
said
date
from
some
strangers,
allegedly
involved
in
the
blast.
However,
the
arrest
turns
into
a
controversy
when
Anwar's
family
and
well-
wishers
go
to
court
to
demand
an
independent
inquiry,
alleging
that
the
investigation
is
not
proceeding
in
the
right
direction.
The
court
orders
the
Government
to
hand
over
the
case
to
the
Crime
Branch
or
the
CBI.
As
directed
by
the
court,
Chief
Minister
Madhavan
(Thilakan)
decides
to
bring
in
the
Crime
Branch
and
appoints
DIG
Rishikesh
IPS
(Sureshgopi)
to
conduct
the
probe.
Rishikesh
ropes
in
the
services
of
two
Police
Officers
-
Hamza
and
Rappai,
after
the
Chief
Minister
assures
him
there
will
be
no
political
interference.
As
the
investigation
progresses,
Rishikesh
and
his
colleagues,
as
usual,
nab
the
culprits.
Suresh
Gopi
as
Rishikesh
repeats
himself
for
the
umpteenth
time
in
this
stereotyped
role
and
acts
in
the
sequences
as
if
he
is
uncomfortable
in
the
police
uniform.
Perhaps
it's
because
of
lack
of
two
vital
elements
in
the
script
by
S.L.
Puram
Jayasoma
--
the
indispensable
punch
lines
and
the
obligatory
plotline.
Thilakan
has
attempted
to
imitate
the
present
Chief
Minister
V.S.
Achuthananthan
quite
convincingly.
His
dialogues
are
written
as
if
the
director
had
studied
recent
newspapers
to
find
quotable
remarks
of
V.S.
Achuthananthan
to
receive
applause
from
the
audience.
Bala,
Anil
Adithyan,
Murali
and
the
rest
of
the
cast,
including
Jagathy
Sreekumar,
Rajan
P.
Dev,
Sadiq,
Nishant
Sagar,
Baburaj,
Mohanraj,
Shammi
Thilakan,
Sudheesh
and
Sivaji
Guruvayoor
have
done
justice
to
their
respective
roles.
The
two
young
heroines,
Bharathi
and
Karthika,
do
not
have
anything
to
impress
the
audience.
Technical
aspects
like
cinematography
and
art
direction
by
Gireesh
Menon
are
in
sync
with
the
mood
while
P.C.
Mohanan's
editing
could
have
been
better.
Sanjeev
Shankar,
who
handles
the
camera,
has
made
visuals
that
aptly
suit
an
action
thriller,
but
with
little
support
from
the
script
lines,
he
can't
make
his
presence
felt.
A
high
point
of
the
film
is
a
lively
song
sung
by
K.J.
Yesudas
and
Manjari
with
a
well-choreographed
dance
sequence.
Ayudham
looks
just
like
any
other
police
story
made
during
the
past
several
years.
Except
for
some
remarkable
resemblance
of
the
characters
played
by
Thilakan
and
Suresh
Gopi
to
some
real
life
personalities,
Ayudham
offers
nothing
new!
Banner
Channel
Entertainments
Cast
Sureshgopi,
Karthika,
Bharathi,
Bala,
Biju
Menon,
Jagathy
Sreekumar,
Jagadeesh,
Suraj
Venjaramood,
Nishanth
Sagar,
Asokan,
Thilakan,
Murali,
Rajeevan,
Suman,
Rajan
P.
Dev,
Shammi
Thilakan
Director
Nishad
Camera
Sanjeev
Shankar
Music
Alphonse
Joseph,
Biji
Pal
Editing
P.C.
Mohanan
Art
Direction
Gireesh
Menon.