Amar Akbar Anthony (2015)

“Ditto What One Would Expect When Nadhirshah Weilds The Megaphone”

Mimicry artist turned actor,anchor and singer Nadhirshah's directorial debut Amar Akbar Anthony managed to generate huge pre-release buzz because it marked the comeback of Classmates trio of Prithviraj,Indrajith & Jayasurya after a long gap of 9 years.Keeping the expectations intact and playing it safe,Amar Akbar Anthony is a delightful entertainer packed with lots of laughs,hilarious one-liners,good performances,peppy songs & a notable message towards the society.

The narration of AAA reminded me of good old days of 90's that produced numerous successful comedy entertainers without much importance to the storyline,but managed to satisfy the viewer inside with impressively intertwined elements of unadulterated humor and masala.Most of the comedies worked out well on screen even though a small share of lengthy sequences gave the feeling of some stage skit been presented on the televison screens.Side-splitting conversations involving the lead trio was the best part of the movie and succeeded in tickling the fun bones at numerous situations in the movie.

The screenplay by newcomers Bipin George and Vishnu Unnikrishnan had its share of flaws which are negligible considering this as a festival entertainer.Well-utilized humor element takes care of glitches in the screenplay and manages to engage the audience till the climax that puts forward a really worthy message to the society.The issue that the movie handles has huge social relevance in the wake of numerous such instances been and is being reported even the second I'm penning this line.

The success of the movie lies in the fact that Nadhirshah could blend the elements of humor and social awareness convincingly, resulting in a neat entertainer that could satisfy all the sections of the audience.The climax even though looked fast-paced and forced holds an impactful twist which was presented really well.

Prithviraj continues his purple patch at the boxoffice and gives an impressive performance alongside Jayasurya and Indrajith who excelled with their funny mannerisms and instant counters.The suprise cameo by Asif Ali was really interesting.Siddhiq made his presence felt with a remarkable performance towards the end portions.Ramesh Pisharadi,Saju Navodaya,Kalabhavan Shajon,Srinda Ashab etc too gave notable support.

Music by Nadhirshah himself was perfect for the atmosphere and the two pulstating numbers 'Manjaadum' & 'Premamennal' were colorfully presented at proper situations in the movie.The poetic solo rendered by Baby Sreya was lovable.Backgroundscore by BijiBal was energetic.The technical department did their part well and good.

Overall,Amar Akbar Anthony is a neat comedy entertainer that's sure to taste success at the box-office.

Verdict::With super-hit written all over it,Nadhirshah's debut flick Amar Akbar anthony is a pretty decent entertainer packed with gratifying element of humor and masala that's sure to win the hearts of the viewers.Go for it!

Rating  : 7 / 10

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Pathemari (2015)

“Sheer Brilliance That Combination Of Talents Can Offer”

When half a dozen of national award winners meet,one will not expect anything short of a memorable experience and Pathemari is nevertheless a truly remarkable piece of film-making that brims with grandeur from acting,directorial and technical brilliance.

Undoubtedly among the best films to come out this year,Pathemari is a heartfelt tribute to all those expatriates who struggled & is struggling hard for their loved ones without expecting anything in return.Director Salim Ahammed solidifies his position in Malayalam Cinema with yet another striking movie after critically acclaimed Adaminte Makan Abu & Kunjananthante Kada.

There's something masked behind the Yardley perfumes and colorfully covered chocolates that we correlate with a gulf returnee and Pathemari throws light on those numerous souls who had strong belief that the most important achievement in one’s life is the betterment of his loved ones rather than his personal well-being-A hearty tribute in all means!

For someone like me who has dealt with and known people like Pallikkal Narayanan in person,Pathemari gave a feeling as if I'm a part of the narration with a major share of hard-hitting dilaogues and situations experienced before or heard of.

The climax portions were simply outstanding and Mammookka nailed it with his brilliant act that made it diffcult to control tears rolling down the cheeks.If someone ask me the most touching movie of 2015 I watched from theaters ,my immediate answer will be Pathemari.Period.

Hats off to our pride Mammookka for the touching portrayal of Pallikkal Narayanan who reminded me of few I know in person. Megastar enacted various transformations in the life of protagonist excellently ith necessary variations and perfection. A class apart you are,Mammookka, Siddique and Sreenivasan were impressive in their respective roles as Launch Velayudhan and Moideen respectively.Jewel Mary made her debut performance memorable.Saleem Kumar,Joy Mathew,Santhosh Keezhattoor etc come in supporting roles and did their part well.

Music & score by BijiBal was soulful and calls for repeated hearing.The title song in Shahabaz Aman's vocals was the best part of the album and blessed with thoughtfullyrics by Rafeeque Ahammed.Oscar winner Rasool Pookkutty did his best part with sound design.

This review will be incomplete if I left out veteran Madhu Ambaat who captured the visuals brilliantly.Another name to be noted is of Pattanam Rasheed who did a commentable job in the makeup department producing convincing make-ups for various transformations of Narayanan.

Overall,Pathemari is a must watch film for all those who love good films that reflects life as it is.

Verdict::Salim Ahammed's Pathemari is a fitting tribute to all those selfless expatriates who work hard for their close ones without demanding anything in return.Watchout for the climax which is sure to bring tears to your eyes ! Go for it!

 Rating  : 8 / 10

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