Nalpathiyonnu (41) Movie Review: This Biju Menon-Lal Jose Movie Is A One-time Watch!

Nalpathiyonnu is the satirical comedy-drama, which brings back the much-celebrated actor-director duo, Biju Menon and Lal Jose after a long gap. The movie has grabbed the attention of the audiences much before its release, with the appealing teaser and the trailer. Interestingly, the theme of Nalpathiyonnu is based on Sabarimala pilgrimage, which has been a hot topic in Kerala in recent times.

Did the Biju Menon-Lal Jose movie succeed in impressing the audiences? Read Nalpathiyonnu movie review here to know....

Plot

Ullas (Biju Menon) is a college lecturer by profession and also happens to be a loyal follower of the communist party. He is an atheist as well. Ullas's marriage with his love interest, Bhagyam (Nimsha Sajayan) gets cancelled due to the differences in their ideologies. However, Ullas's life changes upside down after he is forced to accompany Vavachi Kannan (Sharanjith), a local goon to Sabarimala. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

Script & Direction

It can be said that director Lal Jose and debutant scriptwriter PG Prageesh have managed to create a watchable entertainer. However, the movie which was promoted as a satirical comedy, doesn't really fall into that category. The writer and the director have tried their level best to be 'politically correct' with a sensitive subject, which has made a negative impact on the narrative. Nalpathiyonnu doesn't take sides and carefully stays neutral, thus making the idea of a satirical comedy fall flat.

Lal Jose has opted for the old-school storytelling for Nalpathiyonnu and the audiences are reminded of some of the popular films of the '90s at certain points. Some of the most overused clichés of Malayalam cinema find its way throughout the narrative, perhaps, in a bid to make it entertaining. However, there are a few elements like some comical situations and the love story of Vavachi Kannan and his wife Suma, which work well. In short, Nalpathiyonnu is a one-time watch but is an unsatisfying experience if you expect a crackling satirical comedy.

Performances

Biju Menon, as expected, has played the character Ullas to near perfection. But the character reminds of some of his earlier roles and doesn't challenge his acting prowess. Sharanjith, the newcomer who plays Vavachi Kannan, has delivered a fantastic performance. The actor steals the show with his matured acting skills and is definitely here to stay.

Nimisha Sajayan is excellent as Ullas's love interest, Bhagyam. But the talented actress is totally wasted in her under-written role, which provides very less scope to perform. Dhanya Ananya, who plays Suma, has wonderfully portrayed her character and her chemistry with Sharanjith is notable. The rest of the star cast, including Indrans, Suresh Krishna, etc., are good in their respective roles.

Technical Aspects

Senior cinematographer S Kumar has done a great job with the exceptional visualisation of the movie. Ranjan Abraham's editing is decent. The songs composed by Bijibal are just fine. However, the National award-winning music director scores with some great background score, which creates the perfect mood throughout the narrative.

Verdict

Nalpathiyonnu might disappoint the audiences who were expecting a well-crafted satirical comedy. This Biju Menon-Lal Jose movie is a one-time watchable family drama with a touch of humour in parts.