Producer- Manianpilla Raju
Director- T.K.Rajeev Kumar
Cast- Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Sameera Reddy, Devayani, Suraaj Venjaramoodu etc.
Music- M.G.Sreekumar
Lyrics- Murugan Kattakada
Story, Screenplay, dialogues- Sreenivasan
Review by – Unni / www.Kerala9.com
T.K.Rajeev Kumar delivers in ‘Oru Naal Varum’ a movie that you can watch and enjoy, maybe alone or maybe with your family. But whether the film has what you call ‘substance’ is worth discussing. And the film doesn’t appeal as much as did the earlier Mohanlal-Sreenivasan films. Yet, ‘Oru Naal Varum’ is no trash.
Gopi Krishnan (Sreenivasan) is an Assistant Town planning officer and is steeped in corruption. He never feels qualms of any kind in receiving bribes; in fact he won’t ever do his work without being bribed. But he manages to make his naïve and loyal wife Rajalakshmi (Devayani) believe that he is not corrupt at all. (Well, does that seem a bit over-exaggerated?).
Well, what is the film all about? Is it about the corrupt government official and what all happens to him and his family? Or is it about Sukumaran and his problems? Well, it’s mainly about the corrupt Gopi Krishnan and corruption and related issues. The other things simply prop it all up. There are of course places where it seems to go all wrong. There are times where things seem to be blown out of proportion. There are bits of fantasy it seems, in contrast to the rather unpleasant realities that the film attempts to discuss. There are minuses and minuses if you set out to point out. But ‘Oru Naal Varum’ has got its share of pluses too. The film’s major highlight is that it’s a good intentioned one, one that has a message to convey. And that’s done in a commendable way too. There are things that would appeal to you. In total, there is no point in saying that the film is not at all worth watching; on the contrary I’d like to say that go, watch the film, at least for goodness’ sake.
Performances
There is no denying the fact that Mohanlal has done justice to his role and that Sreenivasan has played his role in his characteristic style, with ease. All the same, it has to be noted that the kind of chemistry that worked out with the Mohanlal-Sreenivasan combo earlier doesn’t seem to work out now. And Sreenivasan seems to be still caught up in his mannerisms and a stereotyped kind of acting style and dialogue delivery, which of course we still love to watch. Sameera Reddy is good as Meera, but she has not got much to do, performance-wise. She does justice to whatever she gets to do in the film. Devayani is her usual self while Suraaj Venjaramoodu performs in his typical style and elicits quite a laugh. Nedumudi Venu delivers a real good performance, as the retired hawildar who refuses to bribe Gopi Krishnan and is hence forced to undergo all kinds of hardships.
Technical aspects
Technical aspects are all in sync with the mood of the film.
Music
M.G.Sreekumar has done a rather good work of the music direction. The songs have come off much better than what he had done earlier in ‘Thandavam’ and ‘Chathurangam’.
Script
Sreenivasan has done a fairly good work of the script, with his usual kind of wit and humour being there all through. He has dealt some of the sequences with a stroke of satire, which makes it good. But on the whole, it has to be said that the script is nowhere near the best of what has been penned by Sreenivasan. There are some scenes that even seem illogical and improbable. Sreenivasan definitely could have delivered a much better script.
Direction
There may not be too many negatives to be mentioned against T.K.Rajeev Kumar and his direction, but there aren’t too many positives either. It’s good, much better than some of the director’s earlier films, but not as good as his ‘Chanakyan’ or ‘Pavithram’. There is nothing too unusual or out of the ordinary about the movie, but it definitely is a feel-good one, which would go down well with the family audience.
Overall verdict- Good, but not outstanding! Feel good stuff!!
Rating: 2.5/5