Much like the first part, director and actor Prithviraj Sukumaran creates an intricate world gradually revealing the various layers. The movie beats are familiar to part 1: at the same time he is successful in building fresh socio-political scenarios particularly the angle of religious propaganda
Production Companies: Lyca Productions, Aashirvad Cinemas etc.
Running time: 2 hours and 59 minutes
Lucifer 1 directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and featuring the legendary Mohanlal was a good mixture of fan service and a turbulent political landscape. The movie focused on the huge vacuum left by the death of Sachin Khedekar’s PK Ramdas. The power dynamics, particularly who would become the next leader formed the central plot of the movie. Mohanlal’s Stephen Nedumpally is a powerful and mysterious man changing the course of the story. Initially not much is known about him but slowly viewers come to know about the influence he yields. He plays a significant role in the ensuing political drama.
A major strength of Lucifer 1 was the grey shades of not just Mohanlal but also the other important players, specifically Vivek Oberoi who nailed his negative role. The biblical references also gave the movie a certain gravitas. With Lucifer part 1 Prithviraj Sukumaran showcased a different side to Malayalam cinema. The second part of Lucifer comes after a significant gap of six years. Part two of Lucifer/ Empuraan has clearly upped the scale in terms of presenting a larger-than-life cinema while retaining the political undertones.
Lucifer part 1 image
The second part of Lucifer begins with a disturbing incident of communal violence. Hindu pilgrims are killed in a burning train leading to an absolute mayhem (we are reminded of Godhra). There is a lot of bloodshed with a small Muslim community being butchered, raped and killed by Balraj (Abhimanyu Singh) and his men. The lone survivor is Zayed Masood (Prithviraj Sukumaran). These beginning portions set the political undertones of part two. From here the focus shifts to God’s own country Kerala. Jathin Ramdas (Tovino Thomas) son of late PK Ramdas blinded by hatred towards his late father makes the decision of joining a party which is both extremist as well as communalist. Abhimanyu Singh’s Balraj is the head of this one. The subtle political subtext of the plot can be easily understood if the viewers scratch beneath the surface. Running parallel to this, an international conflict between two crime syndicates unfolds. At this juncture Stephen Nedumpally also known as Abraham Quereshi makes a comeback to the state of Kerala.
As already mentioned, Lucifer 2 has an intricate plot gradually revealing the various layers. The first half has a slow build up as it juggles between various tracks. This can be a patience tester for a section. Also, Mohanlal’s entry much like the first part takes its own sweet time but the slow build up is worth the wait in the eventual scheme of things.
The delicate balance between fan appeasement and the social commentary is a sheer delight to watch. At the beginning of the movie there is a quote “Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This angle comes out strongly in the character sketch of Tovino Thomas whose personality has undergone 360 degrees turn. The creeping ideological differences between Jathin Ramdas and the sister Priyadarshini played by Manju Warrier give the movie some of its best moments.
One of the major themes in Lucifer 2 is the angle of religious extremism and the terrible effect it has on humanity. There is an important dialogue delivered by Nikhat Khan in an extended special appearance regarding how the future generation shouldn’t get caught in the trap of religious propaganda and the dangers of religion as a tool in politics.
Mohanlal as Stephan Nedumpally also known as Abraham Quereshi/Lucifer once again delivers a strong act in spite of having a late entry. Mohanlal brings in the right amount of charisma and mystery making Stephen a very enigmatic person much like his other popular character George Kutty from the Drishyam films. The actor conveys a lot with his subtle expressions. A particular mention must be made of Mohanlal’s performance in the scenes where he meets Indrajit Sukumaran’s Govardhan and a pastor cum father figure. There is a visible political and religious subtext giving the viewers goosebumps.
Manju Warrier’s character has a different arc this time and the actress does a very good job in showcasing the evolution of Priyadarshini. The way she portrays the strong inner strength in a nuanced manner makes for a wonderful watch.
Prithviraj Sukumaran as Zaya Masood much like the first part has limited screen time, still he makes his presence amply felt. The backstory gives a certain emotional heft which Prithviraj makes complete use of. Of course, the dynamics between Stephan and Zaya could have done with more exploration, still the back story gives an emotional insight into why Zaya is a trusted aid of the titular protagonist.
Prithviraj and Mohanlal from a song in Lucifer/ Empuraan 2
Abhimanyu Singh as Balraj also makes a significant impact, although his character arc lacks the nuances of what Vivek Oberoi played in the first one. Tovino Thomas also shows his versatility with his excellent portrayal of a changed man.
Tovino Thomas also shows his versatility with his excellent portrayal of a changed man
Technically speaking Lucifer2 / Empuraan is a visual feast with its grand scale. The cinematography of Sujith Vasudev enhances the movies visual appeal. The background music is also of a very high standard particularly in the combination scenes of Mohanlal and Prithviraj.
Final word: Lucifer 2/ Empuraan is a worthy follow up. It treads on familiar lines while giving something new.
Just like the previous years 2024 has also seen a huge range of stories from Malayalam and Tamil across different genres. For example both Adujeevitham : Goat Life and Manjummel boys were excellently made survival dramas/thrillers keeping the viewers on the edge. In case of Adujeevitham the movie also made a strong statement on the plight of not so educated men going to the gulf and becoming slaves. Adujeevitham was based on the very successful novel Goat Days and director Blessy did a wonderful job in capturing the soul of the novel while giving it his own touches. Prithviraj Sukumaran in the title role of Najeeb delivered a life changing performance perfectly capturing the emotional trauma of the protagonist. Manjummel Boys was also based on a real life story a group of friends going on a vacation in Kodaikanal, there one of them gets trapped in the Guna Caves leading to numerous tension filled moments. Manjummel Boys was made on a mere budget of 20 crores with not so known faces but the film turned out to be major blockbuster. The movie was vastly appreciated for its technical aspects in particular. Apart from Adujeevitham Prithviraj was also seen in the comedy Gurvayoor Amabalanadayil. The movie was a breezy watch majorly bolstered by Prithiviraj’s act of a comic villain.
On the other hand there was the romantic comedy Premalu again starring not so known faces. It was a breezy rom- com focusing on the lives of young adults getting into their first jobs and enjoying a newly found freedom away from their homes. On the surface the storyline is simple but director Girish AD did a fine job in engaging the audiences. The performances of the lead cast also made the movie enjoyable. One of Malayalam’s major actors Fahadh Faasil was one of its producers. As an actor too Fahadh had a very good year with the action comedy Aavesham. Aavesham focused on a bunch of engineering students taking the help of a gangster for taking revenge on seniors leading to a drastic change in their lives. Aavesham was a major success on the account of its whacky characters and a wonderfully eccentric Fahadh Faasil. The crackling dialogues were another huge asset particularly the interactions between Fahadh’s Ranga and Sajjin Gopu in the role of Ranga’s go to man.
Premalu and Aavesham
Noted Hindi director Abhishek Chaubey joined hands with Ronnie Screwvala with the hugely poignant Ullozhukku. This Christo Tomy directorial was a gripping emotional drama on human frailties. Urvasi and Parvathy Thiruvothu were simply fantastic in their respective parts perfectly embodying the story’s complex dynamics.
legendary actor Mammootty had a pretty good year this time too though not on par with 2023. Among the three releases Rahul Sadhasivan’s Bramayugam turned out to be the best one. In this movie Mammootty played the enigmatic Kodumon Poti. Mammooty simply chewed the scenery coming up with a terrific act. He terrified the viewers with just his body language. In spite of the flaws Bramayugam was an engrossing watch particularly the dialogues related to oppression of lower caste and the desire for power corrupting everyone irrespective of whether you are rich or poor. Midhun Manuel Thomas’s Abraham Ozler saw Mammooty in an extended special appearance, in spite of the less screen time the legendary actor made his presence amply felt. Turbo directed by Vysakh was a typical commercial entertainer with Mammooty having a blast. Mention must also be made of Jayaram who scored a commercial hit with the medical thriller/drama Abraham Ozler. Jayaram was mighty effective as the cop who is in a relentless pursuit of a serial killer while battling his own personal tragedies.
As far as Tamil movies go Vijay Sethupati had a very good year with Maharaja and the second part of Viduthalai. Maharaja saw Vijay Sethupati as a desperate father, Viduthalai 2 on the other hand showcased him as a social crusader. Vijay Sethupati nailed both the roles with charismatic ease. Sivakarthikeyan also hit the big league with the war drama Amaran. Based on the life of major Mukund Sivakarthikeyan seamlessly transformed from a boy next door to a brave army man.
96 Director C Prem Kumar once again explored the theme of nostalgia in a different setting. The movie Meiyazhagan with wonderful performances by Karthi and Aarvind Swamy was a big breadth of fresh air amidst larger than life heroes. The movie was a heartwarming emotional drama on self discovery and the importance of moving on. Lastly PS Vinothraj’s Kottukaali (The Adamant Girl) was a powerful take on silent rebellion. A strong aspect of Kottukaali was the fantastic use of visual metaphors. Through the visual metaphors PS Vinothraj did a wonderful job in showcasing the defiance of Anna Ben’s Meena
Some of the best Tamil movies
Maharaja and Viduthalai Part 2
Amaran
Meiyazhagan
Kottukaali
Now let’s take a dive into the best of Malayalam and Tamil movies in 2024
Malayalam
1 Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life)
Blessey’s Aadujeevitham centered on the life of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Najeeb. The movie focused on how Najeeb’s life takes a very dark turn upon taking the decision of going to the gulf in order to give a better life to his family by earning more money. However a series of events leads to Najeeb becoming a goat herder in a hot desert with no hopes of coming back. The movie showcased the emotional and physical hardships and how he eventually returns back to his native place after a long ordeal. The best part of Aadujeevitham was how Blessy juxtaposed the flashback portions of Najeeb’s happy life in Kerala and his present wretchedness. The movie takes its own sweet time in showing the transformation of Najeeb but this gradual process helped the movie making the viewers strongly root for the protagonist. The film also benefited from the top notch technical team with particular mention to Sunil K’s cinematography. He did a splendid job in capturing both the beautiful Kerala back waters along with portions showcasing the numerous hardships that Najeeb and co face in the hot desert. In spite of an overindulgent second half Aadujeevitham was an heart wrenching survival drama. In the title role Prithviraj came up with a superlative performance. His physical transformation into a thin and unkempt man is on par with the best of international actors. Mention must also be made of KR Gokul who also stood out with his heart touching portrayal of Hakim. Amala Paul as Najeeb’s wife also shined in her brief role.
2 Manjummel Boys
Manjummel Boys directed by Chidambaram was a chilling survival drama. The story was set in the year 2006 focusing on a group of friends heading to Kodaikanal. Upon going to Kodaikanal they visit Guna Cave. Guna Cave comes with a certain history, one of the friends fall into a pit famously known as Devil’s kitchen. The rest of the story looked at how the group of friends known as Manjummel boys saved their friend.
A strong aspect of Manjummel Boys was how Chidambaram depicted the theme of friendship. The movie has a slow start but majorly picks up pace when the group of friends reach Kodaikanal. Chidambaram’s juxtaposition of an important childhood portion with the main incident was also superbly done. The production design also enhanced the drama with its realisticness. Particular mention must be made of the pit where the friend falls. Apart from the stellar production design Shusin Shyam’s background score also deserves a major appreciation for a job very well done. Among the actors Soubin Shahir and Sreenath Bhasi stood out with impactful performances.
3 Ullozhukku
Ullozhukku directed by Christo Tomy is a heartfelt emotional drama set amidst the backdrop of a funeral. The movie focused on the complex dynamics between Urvashi’s leelamma and Parvathy Thirovutu’s Anju. Anju is married to Leelamma’s son Thomaskutty but is still in touch with her lover Rajeev (Arjun Radhakrishnan). They are having an affair behind Leelamma’s back. Things take a drastic turn with the death of Thomaskutty. Upon the death of Thomaskutty Anju finds out that she is pregnant with Rajeev’s child leading to a complex chain of events.
The best part of Ullozhukku were the flawed human characters. Through these flawed characters Christo Tomy touched upon the themes of grief, desire, honor, and freedom among others. The layered characterizations of both Urvasi and Parvathy also enhanced the drama. Traditionalists would have a tough time in digesting Anju’s serious relationship with her boyfriend while being a married woman however Christo Tomy did a wonderful job in etching out Anju’s love. At one point she even tries to elope with her boyfriend while Leelamma’s family is still grieving. On the surface her actions will come across as selfish but at the same time viewers also understand her desperation. Even Urvasi’s Leelamma comes with her own weaknesses. She has abundant love towards Anju at the same time she is unable to see the struggles of her daughter in law. The movie also subtly touched upon the theme of class divide in the scenes where Leelamma vents out her anger.
4 Bramayugam
Rahul Sadhasivan’s Bramayugam was an engaging period horror movie with elements of fantasy, folklore and religion. The movie’s timeline is 17th century Kerala. A Dalit singer Thevan (Arjun Ashokan) loses his way in the forest and comes across a dilapidated mansion, in this dilapidated mansion only two people stay. One is Kodumon Poti (Mammootty) and the cook played by Siddarth Bharatan.
Bramayugam lacks the overall compactness of Rahul Sadhasivan’s earlier movie Bhoothakaalam, however Bramayugam is still very much worth a watch particularly the portions where the movie gets into a political zone. How the desire for power is extremely dangerous came out brilliantly in the form of some impactful dialogues. The black and white cinematography of Shehnad Jalal perfectly enhanced the horror elements. As the enigmatic Kodumon Poti Mammootty once again showcased a different facet of him with his impactful act.
5 Aavesham
Aavesham directed by Jithu Madhavan was an thoroughly entertaining ride with its goof ball characters and a fabulous Fahadh Faasil. The movie focused on a group of freshers wanting to take revenge on seniors. A chance meeting with Fahadh Faasil’s Ranga leads to a dramatic change in their lives.
A strong aspect of Aavesham were the interactions of Ranga with the three college students. How Ranga delivers a bond with the three showcasing a different side was both well written and enacted. The movie also benefitted immensely from the quirky characterization of Fahadh coupled with his delicious performance.
Now to the best of Tamil movies in 2024
1 and 2 Maharaja and Viduthalai 2
Maharaja directed and written by Nithilan Swaminathan on surface is a standard revenge story elevated by the non- linear storytelling and the intricate world building. In the beginning portions Vijay Sethupati’s character is seen filling a case about a missing dustbin. The cops headed by Natajaran take him for a crazy guy throwing him out of the police station but Vijay Sethupati’s character doesn’t budge eventually forcing the police to take up the case. This is the story in brief. A strong aspect of Maharaja are its police station scenes bordering on ridiculousness. The earnestness with which Vijay Sethupati repeats the story about the missing dustbin is both amusing and moving at the same time. While the investigation is going on a new character is introduced parallelly. Anurag Kashyap played the role of Selvam a loving father to his daughter Ammu with an unknown dark side to the wife. Nithilan Swaminathan did a wonderful job in connecting the dots and how Selvam is connected to the protagonist’s life. The police characters were also written well, they start off as a bunch of opportunistic cops but end up developing a conscience. The movie also deserves appreciation for how it portrayed a rape survivor. There is a very significant portion in the pre- climax where the rape survivor confronts her attacker telling in very clear terms on how she isn’t going to live with shame. Apart from Vijay Sethupati’s powerful act Anurag Kashyap also shined with an impactful performance. A particular mention must be made of his act in a crucial break down scene.
Viduthalai 2 directed by Vetrimaaran was a powerful conclusion with themes of oppression, the division of human beings on the basis of caste and the need to question the flaws in the system. The movie takes the viewers back to the times of monstrous zamindars and the struggles of peasants. The movie also touched upon the origin of communism. On more than one occasion the movie feels like a lecture with an overload of dialogues, still it is a must watch for those like Vetrimaaran’s storytelling. A major highlight of Viduthalai 2 was the origin story, a normal school teacher Perumal aka Vaathiyar transforming into a school crusader brilliantly portrayed by Vijay Sethupati. Soori this time around was mostly relegated to the sidelines, nevertheless he did make his presence amply felt.
3 Amaran
Rajkumar Periyaswamy’s Amaran ticks all the boxes of a traditional war drama. As viewers you know where the proceedings are headed, still the tight writing coupled with the performances made it an engaging watch. At its core Amaran is a love story. The life of Major Mukund is told from the perspective of his wife Indu Rebecca Varghese (an excellent Sai Pallavi). Rajkumar Periyaswamy did a very fine job in showcasing the various stages of their relationship making the viewers wish that the real life story panned out differently.
The director’s portrayal of Kashmir’s political insurgency had its share of problems still the numerous battles of CRPF were well documented. Sivakarthikeyan sprung a very pleasant surprise with his outstanding portrayal perfectly capturing the various shades of Mukund. Sai Pallavi’s character is mostly one note still she brought in a lot of emotional depth.
4 Meiyazhagan
C Prem Kumar’s Meiyazhagan was a heartwarming movie about self discovery and the importance of moving on. The core plot of Meiyazhagan was about the main character’s inability in remembering the name of other person. Arvind Swamy was seen as Satyam. Satyam was forced to leave both his house and hometown due to a family dispute. After many years he comes back to his native village for an important family wedding. Satyam bumps into Karthi’s Sundaram. Sundaram treats Satyam with lot of affection but the latter has no memory of how Sundaram is related to him. This is the story in brief.
Meiyazhagan had a slow beginning but picked up huge momentum with the entry of Karthi. Karthi raised many chuckles with his witty dialogues proving to be a perfect catalyst. He did a very fine job in embodying the idealistic and selfless nature of Sundaram. A particular mention must be made of the scenes where Satyam tries hard to recollect the name and puts up act of remembering him. A lot of situational humor is generated through this. Aravind Swamy as the brooding Satyam proved to be the perfect antithesis. He did a very fine job in portraying Satyam’s trauma making the viewers feel his pain. The characters of the greedy relatives is strictly one note still through this subplot C Prem Kumar gave an important message about forgiving people and in the process overcoming bitterness
5 Kottukaali
PS Vinothraj’s Kottukaali was a powerful movie on rebellion through silences. Backed by Sivakarthikeyan the film focused on the themes of caste, patriarchy and tradition. The story primarily focused on Anna Ben’s Meena and Soori’s Pandi. Meena is apparently possessed by a dangerous spirit. So the families of Meena and Pandi take her first to a local goddess and then a local seer.
The best part of Kottukkaali was the use of visual metaphors. For example there is a scene where the men have to carry an auto rickshaw on their shoulders with Meena still inside. The act of Meena refusing to come out can be interpretated as her way of rebellion.
Similarly the latter portion also features a hugely volatile scene when Meena quietly hums the song ‘Othyadi Padhaiyila’, playing in the background of a puberty ceremony. Pandi gets into a huge frenzy as the tune reminds him of her lover. He starts thrashing everyone around but Meena doesn’t say a single word.
The cinematography of B Shaktivel was also top notch. He perfectly captured the rustic surroundings. Both Anna Ben and Soori did a fantastic job in their respective characters. Anna Ben mostly conveyed the myriad emotions through her body language. Soori on the other hand invoked terror whenever he appears on screen this in spite of the hoarse voice. The one slight flaw of Kottukkaali was the ending which needed more cohesiveness.
Goat Days written by Benyamin and the movie based on that Adujeevitham (The Goat Life) directed by Blessey complement well with each other. There are definitely more details and nuances in the book but at the same time the movie brings both the protagonist’s family life in Kerala and the drudgery of the desert in Saudi Arabia visually more alive.
One of the best aspects of the book for me was the crisp writing of Benyamin. The life of Najeeb in the desert is narrated in a racy manner making it a very easy read. Even slow readers can finish the book very fast. Najeeb’s struggles with rearing the goats and how he formed a bond is sketched in greater detail here in comparison with the movie.
For example in the novel there is a portion where a goat gives birth to its child right in the hands of Najeeb. Najeeb considers the baby goat as his son and names it Nabeel. Nabeel was the name he considered for his actual child if his wife had given birth to a male. She was pregnant when he left. Now he doesn’t know whom his wife delivered boy or girl. Still he believes it is a boy and proceeds to look after the baby goat as his own offspring.
He pampers the animal a lot. He even allows Nabeel to drink milk from his mother now and then which is a taboo in that place. If the owner of the goats comes to know of it Najeeb will have to face his wrath in the form of lashings and deprivation of food.
There is also a hugely disturbing portion in the book where Nabeel’s genitals are cut off. In the place Najeeb worked only a few male goats are allowed to have their genitals intact. It might be a universal practice with all goat rearers in the world but Najeeb finds it hard to accept it for his little one.
He tries his level best to save Nabeel by picking up some other goat for castration. But the Arab, his master, is a shrewd man with a great memory. He loses his patience and gives a tight kick to Najeeb. Najeeb begs the Arab not to cause any harm to that goat but in vain. The heartbreak of Najeeb is palpable.
The movie Aadujeevitham would have been even more engaging if director Blessey had included these scenes. However one area where the movie scores over the book is the Juxtaposition of Nabeel’s past life in Kerala backwaters and his present status of a wretched life. This juxtaposition added a lot to the movie because we get a thorough idea of how happy his earlier life was. In the book we do not see Najeeb remembering his wife so much.
The book also gives more clarity on why preservation of water is considered so important in that desert area. In the movie there is a scene where Prithviraj’s character uses water to clean himself after going to the toilet but his master kicks him for doing it, telling him to use stones instead of water. We feel it is so inhuman.
But while watching the movie we don’t initially understand why the Arab objected for the use of water for such a basic need. Book gives more clarity on this. Similarly we also don’t understand why the goats are taken for a walk every day in that scorching heat in spite of no grassland anywhere nearby. Actually this goat walking is meant to keep the animals active and healthy. If they are lazy their meat doesn’t taste good is something we come to know only after reading the book.
The escape scenes of Najeeb, Hakim and his co worker Ibrahim Khadiri in the desert come much later in the book unlike the movie where it occupies almost the entire second half. Though this journey of theirs is heartbreaking it felt a little dragged in the movie. The space given to it in the book seemed right because after a point it gets repetitive.
Both the film and the book have their own advantages and disadvantages. Keeping aside the stretched second half in the movie, director Blessey and actor Prithviraj Sukumaran deserve a huge appreciation for a gritty survival drama that makes you think about the plight of so many not so educated men and women who become easy target in those unknown lands.
If no other man or woman is fooled to slavery in this way ever again, the purpose of both the book and the movie will be served. Hope the Governments of both lands take notice. The movie should have come much earlier considering the huge success of the novel (more than 100 reprints in the Malayalam original). Thanks Najeeb, Thanks Benyamin, Thanks Blessey and Thanks Prithviraj Sukumaran.
Main Cast: Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Ronit Roy, Alaya F, Manushi Chillar, and Sonakshi Sinha
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Producer: Vaau Bhagnani, Jacky Bhagnani, and Himanshu Kishan Mehra
Music Director: Vishal Mishra
Cinematography: Marcin Laskawiec
Rating: 2.5/5
Published in: Southfirst
Action-based movies with patriotism are one of the favourite themes of mainstream Indian directors.
The storylines are simple, there is a deadly enemy who wants to cause harm to the nation and brave-hearted soldiers have to tackle him with lots of action-packed sequences.
Director Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bade Miyan Chote Miyan follows this formula to the hilt. the first half has some minor suspense regarding Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Kabir. But the rest of it is utterly formulaic.
Synopsis
A poster of ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’. (X)
Both Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff haven’t had the best time since the pandemic and the movie isn’t likely to change that although Tiger comes off much better here than his last two ventures.
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan focuses on two ex-soldiers — Rakesh aka Rocky (Akshay Kumar) and Firoz aka Freddy (Tiger Shroff). They are court-martialed for not following orders. However, they have the reputation of being the bravest officers.
Eight years later, Rocky and Firoz get back to tackle an enemy who wants to cause mayhem in the country with the help of AL.
This tech-savvy villain aims to create a situation where India will find itself in a war-like situation with its volatile neighbours. This is the story in brief.
Analysis
The first half of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan keeps you guessing about the antagonist’s motivations and why Kabir has so much anger towards Rakesh and Firoz. It also helps that the pace in this half is frantic with a lot of action thrown in.
Marcin Laskawiec’s cinematography goes well with the scale of the movie and the cinematographer deserves distinction marks for capturing the scale of a war-like situation.
The action sequences are also of a good standard, particularly for those who enjoy hand-to-hand combats and cars and choppers crashing in Rohit Shetty style.
The banter between Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff does have some funny moments, thanks to the one-liners of Tiger. For instance, Tiger gets the most fun repartees like the scene where he says, “Yeh aadmi hai ya dandruff, jaata hi nahi!”
The back story of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Kabir and the reason behind his angst has been well-written and enacted.
After playing a victim who undergoes a lot of suffering in Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), the actor has a ball playing to the gallery in this one.
A major problem with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is the portions after the flashback of Kabir, a certain monotonousness creeps in.
The complex geo-political situation of India with Pakistan and China is merely used as a background with oversimplified solutions.
The film also suffers from a lack of strong female characters. The absence of an unnecessary romantic track is welcome but the female characters in Sultan (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) were far better written.
Performances
Prithviraj Sukumaran plays the antagonist in ‘Bade Miyan Chota Miyan’. (X)
Tiger does a good job of portraying the suave and charming nature of Firoz.
Akshay Kumar, on the other hand, is mostly wasted except for the action bits.
Prithviraj Sukumaran makes for a delightful psychopath who has ambitious dreams.
Rakesh’s serious nature feels like an extension of Neeraj Pandey’s Baby (2015).
Manushi Chhillar lands lethal blows on her enemies, but beyond action, there isn’t much.
Alaya F irritates the audience with her comic timing.
Sonakshi Sinha repeats her “damsel in distress” act with a one-tone expression.
Verdict
Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is strictly for those who like seeing larger-than-life stunts with a predictable storyline.
An overindulgent second half does test the viewer’s patience but still there is a lot to savour
Aadujeevitam
Rating 3.5 out of 5
Starcast: Prithviraj Sukumran, KR Gokul, Amala Paul, Talib Al Balushi and others
Direction and Screenplay: Blessy
Based on: Book Aadujeevitam by Benyamin
Producers: Blessey, Jimmy Jean Louis and Steve Adams
Production Companies: Visual Romance, Jet Media Production and Alta Global Media
Music: AR Rahman
Genre: Survival drama
Running time: 2 hours and 52 minutes
Not so educated men going to gulf countries and working as labourers is a wide spread phenomenon. Their lack of education makes these men easy target and they often end up being slaves. Director Blessy has taken one such story from the novel Goat Days written by Benyamin. Survival dramas when done well make for gripping cinema and Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) is a good example of that. It makes you feel strongly for the protagonist Najeeb and want him to come out safe.
Najeeb (Prithviraj Sukumaran) is a man living happily with his wife Sainu (a charming Amala Paul) when the movie starts. He is from Kerala. In order to earn more money and give a better life to his family Najeeb decides to go to the gulf with his friend Hakim (K R Gokul). Upon reaching Saudi Arabia they find themselves in a clueless situation without knowing who their boss is.
Suddenly a local Arab approaches them. Najeeb and Hakim think that this Arab is their boss. Najeeb’s dreams of a better future come crashing down when he is dropped off in the middle of a desert to look after goats and camels. Najeeb knows only Malayalam but that is of no use to him there. He struggles to communicate with the owner of that place known as Kafeel.
He eventually becomes a goat herder with days turning into weeks, months and even years. Hope comes in the form of another immigrant an African by name Ibraham Khadiri (Jimmy Jean Lousis). Ibraham Khadiri promises to help Najeeb and Hakim to escape. The rest of the story is about the various hardships that they face and how Najeeb finally manages to get out of the desert and is able to reconnect with his family.
At audio launch with AR Rehman
A strong aspect of Aadujeevitham is how Blessy has presented the life of Najeeb in detail without any hurry. The flashback portions of Najeeb’s happy life in Kerala and his present situation has been well juxtaposed. Najeeb’s scenes with his wife give much needed relief in an otherwise heavy drama, the transformation of Najeeb from a healthy man swimming with abandon in the Kerala backwaters to someone who becomes very thin and unkempt gives Goosebumps to the viewers. A scene which deserves a particular mention here is the one when Najeeb checks himself in the mirror of a van after a long time and is astonished on how much his body has changed.
Najeeb’s struggles in rearing the goats and how he develops a bond with them later has also been well depicted, there is a wonderful scene in the post interval portion where Najeeb breaks down while bidding goodbye to the goats and the camels. It is a heart touching scene.
Sunil K’s cinematography is another big highlight of Aadujeevitham. He does a splendid job in capturing both the beautiful back waters of Kerala and also the vast desert where Najeeb and Co undergo many hardships. His cinematography particularly stands out in the scenes of sand storm.
A.R Rahman’s songs and the background score also add much to the film. The BGM is a mixture of Arabic, Indian, Islamic etc. The songs come at the right juncture whether it is the romantic one with Amala Paul or the most intense theme song.
What pulls down Aadujeevitham though are the dragged post interval portions. The various hardships that Najeeb faces in going back home needed more trimming. While it is understandable that Blessy wants the viewers to empathise with the plight of Najeeb but a certain boredom creeps in making the audiences impatient. The character of Ibrahim is a little vague. We don’t understand why he is not tired, not thirsty like the other two.
Prithviraj, a superlative performance, with Amala Paul
A lot has been already said about Prithviraj Sukumaran’s performance and how he has gotten into the skin of the character. It is definitely a life changing performance for the actor. His physical transformation into a thin and unkempt man is on par with the best of international actors like Tom Hanks.
K R Gokul is another actor who stands out with his heart touching portrayal. Talib as Kafeel is successful in making the audiences hate him. Amala Paul does not have any heavy lifting but still she made her presence amply felt.
The film can be described as Kannada’s Game of Thrones with the ambience of KGF films. Prithviraj Sukumaran makes his presence amply felt as the parallel hero
Dialogues: Sandeep Reddy Bandala, Hanumaan Choudary, Dr. Suri and others
Producer: Vijay Kiragandur
Production Company: Homabale Films
Based on: Ugram ( Kannada movie) by Prashant Neel
Genre: Action drama
Running time: 2 hours and 58 minutes
Published in: Primepost
Not much was expected from Prashanth Neel when the first KGF released but the action drama surprised one and all with its box office numbers. Originally made in Kannada, the film also released in Hindi clashing with Anand L Rai’s Zero and completely outsold the SRK starrer. The raw action and Yash’s swag coupled with the backdrop of Kolar Gold Fields made it a huge success.
The second part of KGF went on to do even bigger business. The buzz around Salaar has been huge since its inception, this in spite of Prabhas’s lackluster form in the recent past. A lot of hopes were pinned on Salaar and thankfully the director has given the perfect mass treat that rewinds memories of Chatrapathi. However Salaar isn’t for those who despise macho heroes and are not huge fans of the KGF films.
Shruti Haasan, Prashanth Neel and Prabhas
Salaar begins with establishing the ultra strong friendship of Deva (Prabhas) and Vardha (Prithviraj Sukumran). They have each other’s back in both good and bad times. The very first scene of Salaar has Deva fighting a seasoned wrestler just to get Vardha’s nathooni back (a particular nose ring that the clan wears). Later on we see Vardha saving Deva and his mother (Easwari Rao) from his father’s men. In this process Vardha also sacrifices a major part of the territory his clan owns. That night Deva and his mother vanish. But before going Deva takes a promise from Vardha that he should not hesitate in reaching out for his help in times of distress.
From here the story goes into a flash forward where Deva and his mother are living in Assam. Through some vague hints we understand that Deva has sworn to his mother to never touch a weapon again. The mother in fact is so touchy even when she sees a plastic knife. All this changes with the entry of Aadhya Krishnakanth (Shruti Hassan with a heavy American accent); her life is in danger for reasons that will become more clear in the second part. Things take a turn when Deva’s mother frees Deva from his promise, in order to save Aadhya. This results in Deva smashing a lot of people to pulp.
Shriya Reddy makes a solid impression
The second half is entirely devoted to a dystopian city of Khansar that has several tribes with distinct characteristics. The politics and the character dynamics of this dystopian city are similar to the popular web show Game of Thrones.
Not surprisingly the biggest strength of Salaar is the strong brotherhood showcased between its two main leads. Deva’s intense affection for his friend is reminiscent of Ranbir Kapoor’s character in Animal. There is also a Mahabharata touch in how they are shown to be fierce warriors.
Easwari Rao plays Prabhas’ mother
Prabhas shares most sparks with Prithviraj and that is clearly visible on more than one occasion. For example there is a scene where both of them take on some drug infested zombies. It is a sequence that enthralls the masses. The two actors are also seen indulging in banter amidst the fight and have some hilarious punch lines.
The world building of Khansar has also been done well. Bhuvan Gowda’s cinematography is top notch. He effectively captures the tumultuous atmosphere of this fictional city. Some of the themes explored in the second half are right to leadership and loyalty among others. Prashanth Neel has done a good job in exploring these themes. Ravi Basur’s soundtrack goes well with the mood of the film. Thankfully there is no forced romantic subplot between Prabhas and Shruti.
Shruti Haasan’s American accent is irritating
Shruti Hassan’s put on American accent is irritating to say the least. In fact most of the women characters in Salaar are relegated to the background (of late most big action movies are doing the same). The only actress who makes a solid impression is Sriya Reddy. She plays the firebrand daughter of Jagapathi Babu’s Raja Mannar.
The second half has an overdose of violence which will be off putting for a section of audiences. The film’s runtime is almost three hours; some portions of the film could have been trimmed or chopped.
Prabhas plays a mostly brooding character who does not even break into a smile. The actor has not got many dialogues but he is successful in portraying the raw aggression. Prabhas particularly shines in the scenes with Prithviraj.
Prithviraj Sukumaran as a parallel lead more than makes his presence felt
Prithviraj Sukumaran as a parallel lead more than makes his presence felt. The actor does a solid job in portraying both the vulnerability and the determination of a future successor caught in the power struggle. The actor’s own dubbing of Telugu does take some time in getting used to but it is not a major hindrance.
Salaar part 1 ends on a cliffhanger that sets a good base for the second part, there are indications that this brotherhood may turn into enmity.
Prithviraj Sukumaran’s first directorial debut Lucifer was a well made political drama within the commercial framework but it wasn’t a film that stayed with you. With Bro Daddy the director attempts a comedy. Just like Lucifer, Bro Daddy also relies heavily on the screen presence of the legendary Mohanlal to make it work. Although Prithviraj has casted himself as the second lead it is Mohanlal who runs away with the show most of the time.
Prithviraj takes the conflict point from the film Badhaai Ho. Just like Neena Gupta’s character in Badhaai Ho here too Meena who plays Mohanlal’s onscreen wife gets pregnant at a late age, the sons in both the films aren’t happy with their mother getting pregnant at that age. However, director /actor Prithviraj Sukumaran doesn’t fully dwell into this topic, he treats it as a mere side plot as the proceedings unfold.
Bro Daddy begins off with a short animation clip. This clip gives the audience a good idea about what to expect from the film. Constant jokes are made about the age gap between father John Kattadi (Mohanlal) and son Eesho John (Prithviraj Sukumraran). The age gap jokes just don’t end here; the audiences are reminded of it at frequent intervals. The reason for the age gap between the father and son is that John and Anna (Meena) had married quite young.
They are waiting for their son Eesho (Prithviraj) to marry. Eesho works as an advertising professional. He is in a relationship with a girl who is also Anna (Kalyani Priydarshni). This Anna is the daughter of John’s best friend Kurian (Lalu Alex). The reason for Kurian naming his daughter Anna too is that once upon a time he wanted to marry Meena’s Anna. However, it wasn’t possible due to certain circumstances. But Kurian’s love for her is still there. Whenever Kurian meets or talks to her soothing background music starts playing.
Coming back to the plot, the parents of both the parties don’t know that their children are having a live in a relationship in Bangalore. Things take a turn when Kalyani Priyadarshini’s Anna gets pregnant and she decides to go ahead with the baby. Eesho isn’t happy with her decision but there is nothing much he can do. Another shock awaits Eesho when his father calls and says that he needs to discuss something important with him in person. What follows are a bunch of comic set pieces, some of them definitely land but there are also certain episodes that leave you with a bitter taste.
One of the things that Prithviraj gets right is the characters of John and Kurian, as John Kattadi Mohanlal oozes charm and vitality in every frame. His comic timing feels absolutely effortless, at no point you feel that the actor is trying too hard. His comic timing and expressions play a major role in some of the jokes really landing well.
Kurian’s Lalu Alex is another character which is worth mentioning here. The core of Kurian is his caged anger management issues. As Kurian Lalu Alex not only displays wonderful comic timing but he also gives a strong performance in the emotional bits.
For example, there is a key scene in the second half involving the big reveal. His hurt at being kept in the dark by his best friend and also his daughter is wonderfully brought out by the actor.
The father and the son equation also gives the film some lovely moments. John Kattadi comes across as more of a friend than dad to Eesho.
The biggest downer of Bro Daddy is the lack of strong emotional connect. This can be particularly seen in the characters of Meena and Kalyani Priyadarshini. Both the Anna’s start off strongly but they are left midway. The character of Esho is also something which leaves a lot to be desired.
The frustrations of Esho are understandable but there is not much development in the character that you see. Before the pre- climax there is a scene where John makes his son understand Kurian’s point of view. However, the transformation feels very abrupt and doesn’t give a complete sense of him having changed.
Some of the comedy bits are too annoying to say the least. Soubin Shahir’s event manager is meant to be a spoof but instead of being amused you feel like fast forwarding.
There is a serious hangover of Priyadarshan’s Hindi fims that you find in the comic style adopted by Prithviraj Sukumaran. This method doesn’t really pay dividends here as the humor hasn’t got that rip roaring quality to it. It is another matter that Priyadarshan himself has become a stale filmmaker over the years.
Watch Bro Daddy if you are in the mood for some light hearted fun but don’t expect too much.
Before going into the film Kuruthi (burnt offering) it is necessary to applaud Prithviraj Sukumaran for producing a film of this sort. It is a brave film which talks about how our country is fast slipping into divisiveness. Apart from dealing with religious bigotry it also talks about a kind of humanism where communities help each other to survive.
The film starts with a shot of a goat which is about to be ritually sacrificed by a plantation worker Ibrahim played by Roshan Mathew, his young daughter who has grown fond of the goat implores her dad to not kill him. It is not clear whether Ibrahim ultimately kills the goat but nevertheless the scene gives us an idea into his character. We see that he has a sense of kindness and consideration.
The background story of Roshan Mathew’s character is that a terrible landslide killed his wife. He lives with his child along with an aged father and a younger brother. The Hindu neighbour Sumathi played by Srindaa cooks for them and takes care of the family. Sumathi is the only woman in the ensemble of men.
One night as Ibrahim and his family are waiting for Sumathi and the dinner there is a knock on the door. An inspector (Mural Gopi) barges in with a Hindu prisoner. The prisoner is accused of accidentally killing a Muslim in the chaos which followed the desecration of a temple. Later when things get tense Sumathi asks Ibrahim if he would stay quiet if a mosque was to be ravished.
What follows is a cat and mouse game when Liaq (Prithviraj Sukumaran) along with his friend try to get into the house and kill the prisoner. This is the synopsis.
One of the highlights of Kuruthi is the characterization of Roshan Mathew’s Ibrahim. He is someone who is torn between the religious fanaticism and a sense of humanism. The way the character has been built up and how he goes to his maximum level of saving the Hindu boy has been portrayed with lot of finesse. A scene which deserves a particular mention is the one between the character of Srinaada and the family in the context of the prisoner.
In this scene she gives an important message on peaceful co existence and it is something which feels very relevant particularly in today’s times.
Director Manu Warrier uses the set up of a home invasion thriller to talk about many issues. Apart from the already mentioned ones you have the growing fear of the majoritarian sentiment, alienation of minorities etc. To pack these many things is a difficult task and in the hands of a less skilled director it would have fallen flat, however thanks to Manu Warrier’s skilled direction the film never gets dreary and works perfectly as microcosm of our society.
The ultimate message is that the violence committed in the name of a god is a vicious cycle and is never going to stop until the individual takes one for the greater good of human civilization.
Besides the political aspect of the film Kuruthi also works as a nerve wracking thriller. The set of the home invasion has been well used and the director skillfully builds up the suspense. He is aided well by the cinematography and the overall technical department.
The performances of all the actors add more magic to this film. But the ones who stand out are Roshan Mathew, Prithviraj Sukumaran and Srinaada.
