These flowers smell the same - Mulla - Malayalam Movie Review

Movie : Mulla (Malayalam)
Credits:
Lal Jose (Direction)
M. Sindhuraj (Story, Screenplay, Dialogues)
Vidyasagar, Sharath Vayalar (Music, Lyrics)
Vipin Mohan (Cinematography)
These flowers smell the same!
Oru Maravathoor Kanavu, Chandranudikkunna Dikhil, Randam Bhavam, Meesha Madhavan, Pattalam, Rasikan, Chanthupottu, Achanurangatha Veedu, Classmates, Arabikkatha – this is what the so-called “only commercially successful director alive in Malayalam tinsel town” has given us so far! You have Rasikan there, and Achanurangaatha veedu as well. Let’s go with a clean slate and see what he has to offer during this summer.

The audience accompanies Latchi (debutant Meera Nandan) in a local train compartment, full of devotees to Pazhani. As she continues her journey accompanied by a devotional song (well led by Rimi Tomy); we are introduced to the story and its lead characters through the memories of a rather tired and worn-out Latchi. In the flashback, you see a smart and bubbly Latchi, well taken care by her parents (Shivaji Guruvayoor, Vanitha). While her father was running around to make money for her marriage, he meets with an accident and passes away. With the help of her uncle Bharathan (Circle Inspector of Police, played by Saiju Kurup) she manages to get a job in a bakery. As she depends on this local train for her daily commutation, she gets a chance to meet a few special people and knows the story of this colony called Karakkadu. This colony is notorious for goondas, beggars, pimps, henchmen and prostitutes. They too commute on the same train and pull the emergency chain and gets down when the train passes by the Karakkadu colony, thus making it an unauthorized station.
Latchi sees Ambi Annan (Biju Menon) who currently is the head and one among the 3 leads of the henchmen gang. Their unwritten rule – all three go together for their “assignments” and if one of gets killed nobody will go claiming his body and someone else from the colony takes that place, keeping the total number of the lead gang always 3. Mulla (Dileep) is the second in line at Karakkadu colony and is Ambi’s right hand. We also meet “Thotti Sasi” (Salim Kumar), who claims to be an entrepreneur as he runs a brothel-cum-arrack shop, J and Idiyappam (Anoop Chandran), yet another goonda for whom food is a weakness!

The story takes a turn as Mulla forcefully hands over to Latchi, an abandoned child from the train compartment. Through this baby boy, Mulla and Latchi get closer, leading to a transformation in Mulla. A rather uneventful and sloppy first half ends here. Latchi’s family objects their relationship and even try to get the baby out of their way, but Ambi Annan and his wife Malathi (Reena Bashir) offers their full support to Mulla getting married to Latchi and leading a normal life. What happens next is quite predictable. How does Mulla-Latchi affair become a reason for changing the life of Ambi Annan, Malathi and the entire colony is shown in a racy latter half and an overly melodramatic climax of the movie, which ends with a message “crime never pays”.

The movie stands way high on characterization. Sindhuraj can be proud of it. Lal Jose has also done a director’s justice to a mediocre script that he got. The art direction by Gokul Das that has transformed the Palakkad fort to Karakkad colony and cinematography by Vipin Mohan are good. The stunt master deserves a special mention for a couple of fights, especially the one in the train.

Talking about performances, Dileep does a good job as Mulla – a character which has fewer dialogues, and is quite unconventional in the actor’s career. Meera Nandan is good; considering that it is her first film. Little more grooming, homework and some dancing can make her a better heroine. Biju Menon gives full life to one of the well portrayed characters Ambi Annan - a henchman with a heart and carries a special love towards his family. Reena Basheer (Vanitha Ratnam fame) has done an incredible debut. I hope the Mollywood promote this talent and bring it up further. Saiju Kurup does a brilliant job in a villain role. Salim Kumar Anoop Chandran adds a bit of comedy in their usual way. Bhavana in a cameo appearance looks stunning.

Vidyasagar and Sharat Vayalar have put 2 good numbers – Kannil vaathil chaarathe, and Kanalukalaadiya. The Tamil song is forgettable, while the song which tries to capture the sensual side of the lead pair is a counterproductive attempt in all respects.

The biggest negative of this movie is that there is zero innovation. Almost everything is predictable. At many points in the first half, the script is goofed up by sudden returns from the flashback, and fails to glue the audience on to the screen. theme. If you are venturing with your children for this movie, be careful that there is violation of language content at a couple of places.

Verdict: It is a pretty serious movie. You don’t see the Lal Jose touch of humor in this. If you love to read/listen to a story that is told like a story, go for it. Missing this movie wouldn’t be a big miss, and at the same time, it is not bad.