Star
Cast:
Jacob
Gregory,
Krishna
Shankar,
Anupama
Parameshwaran,
Dulquer
Salmaan,
Sunny
Wayne
Director:
Shamzu
Zayba
Maniyarayile
Ashokan,
the
maiden
production
venture
of
Dulquer
Salmaan
recently
premiered
on
Netflix
as
an
Onam
2020
special
release.
The
movie,
which
features
Jacob
Gregory
in
the
titular
role
Ashokan,
depicts
the
story
of
a
young
Malayali
and
his
marriage
dreams.
Maniyarayile
Ashokan
is
directed
by
newcomer
Shamzu
Zayba.
Did
the
Dulquer
Salmaan
production
live
up
to
expectations?
Read
Maniyarayile
Ashokan
movie
review
here,
to
know...
Plot
Ashokan
(Jacob
Gregory)
is
a
middle-class
Malayali
youth
who
is
highly
insecure
about
his
height
and
complexion.
Despite
being
a
government
employee,
he
struggles
to
find
the
right
life
partner
due
to
his
looks
and
problematic
horoscope.
After
a
failed
marriage
proposal,
Ashokan
meets
Shyama
(Anupama
Parameshwaran),
who
has
been
secretly
in
love
with
him
all
this
while
and
falls
for
her.
But
the
horoscope
creates
trouble
for
him
once
again.
How
Ashokan
resolves
his
problems
and
settles
down
with
the
girl
of
his
dreams.
What
happens
next
forms
the
crux
of
the
story.
Magesh
Boji
and
Vineeth
Krishnan
have
penned
the
story
and
screenplay
for
this
Shamzu
Zayba
directorial.
The
biggest
strength
of
Maniyarayile
Ashokan
is
its
simple
plot
and
the
highly
relatable
characters.
All
the
characters,
from
the
protagonist
Ashokan
to
the
surprise
cameos
by
some
of
the
most
popular
stars,
instantly
connect
with
the
audiences.
The
story
does
remind
of
yesteryear
films
Vadakkunokki
Yanthram
and
Kadinjool
Kalyanam
at
certain
points,
but
the
similarities
end
right
there.
The
director
and
writers
have
succeeded
in
weaving
a
pretty
engaging
narrative
with
the
right
amount
of
humour
and
wise
placements
of
songs.
The
movie
falls
into
a
slow
pace
at
certain
points,
but
that
doesn't
really
affect
the
entertainment
factor.
The
twits
and
surprise
elements
are
handled
effectively
and
presented
well.
The
beliefs
and
rituals
regarding
the
marriages
in
Kerala
are
narrated
with
absolute
simplicity,
and
this
makes
Maniyarayile
Ashokan
a
total
fun
watch.
Performances
Jacob
Gregory,
who
plays
Ashokan,
steals
the
show
with
his
subtle
yet
matured
performance.
The
actor
has
portrayed
the
inner
turmoil
of
his
character
with
absolute
perfection.
We
wish
to
see
him
in
more
author-backed
roles
like
this.
Krishna
Shankar
delivers
a
decent
performance
as
Ashokan's
best
friend
Ratheesh.
Dulquer
Salmaan
is
at
his
charming
best
in
his
cameo
appearance
as
Ashokan's
childhood
friend
Arjun.
Sunny
Wayne
provides
comic
relief
in
his
cameo
as
Ashokan's
cousin
Ajayan
(his
real-life
wife
Renjini
appeared
as
Ajayan's
wife).
But
the
actor
should
have
toned
down
a
bit
at
certain
points.
Anupama
Parameshwaran
delivers
a
decent
performance
as
Shyama
but
has
nothing
much
to
do
in
her
minimal
role.
Her
character
has
striking
similarities
with
all
the
roles
she
has
played
in
Malayalam
cinema
before.
The
rest
of
the
star
cast,
including
Vijayaraghavan,
Shine
Tom
Chacko,
Sri
Lakshmi,
Nayana
Elsa,
Kunchan,
Sudheesh,
Anu
Sithara,
Shritha
Sivadas,
Al
Sabith
and
so
on
are
perfect
in
their
respective
roles.
Technical
Aspects
Sajad
Kakku,
the
debutant
cinematographer
has
done
an
excellent
job
with
the
amazing
visuals
of
the
movie.
Sreehari
K
Nair,
the
newcomer
has
totally
elevated
the
mood
of
Maniyarayile
Ashokan
with
his
soulful
tunes
and
perfect
background
score.
The
audiography,
art
direction,
and
costume
departments
deserve
special
mentions.
Verdict
Maniyarayile
Ashokan
is
a
simple,
relatable
tale
of
marriage,
which
can
be
enjoyed
with
family
this
Onam
season.
The
simple
theme,
soulful
music,
and
great
performances
make
it
an
entertaining
movie
experience.