Originally Posted at PFC - http://passionforcinema.com/puthiya-mugham-movie-review/PUTHIYA MUGHAM (Malayalam Movie)
Malayalam cinema is going through a phase of exploring a complete change over in the story telling, searching a new experience to attain the lost era of golden cinema which carried the legacy in late 80's and early 90's. Going by the records of recent malayalam cinema, it was clear of the fact that today's malayalam cinema is running on two 'M' shoulder(s) i.e. Mohanlal and Mammooty. They have proved it most of the times, which kept me puzzling who will be the next genuine actor after Mohanlal, the response was NONE.
Then I came to know of a movie called 'Puthiya Mugham' via Television. The rushes were cool, very good music and moreoever it had PrithviRaj in it. The media claimed PrithviRaj as the next superstar in Malayalam cinema. I wasn't happy for this, as I wanted PrithviRaj to be the next best actor representing Malayalam cinema like Mohanlal is doing now. But the media created an undying anxiety in me to watch this movie only on theatres. As I reside out of Kerala, I had to wait for a long time to see the small poster in our national newspaper about the scheduling of this movie. I jumped on it, rescheduled my office priorites to make sure that I watch this one. The songs were constantly running on the Music channels which was just adding the vigour to the undying anxiety in me.
The day arrived, I was at the cinema hall, the cinema was delayed by half an hour, after half an hour we got seated in the halls, advertisements was shown like a goods trains passing by. I thought they have lost the reel of this movie and were just fooling around with the ads. Then after a while, the movie started. Bang on! the movie started with the theme song sung by PrithviRaj 'Puthiya Mugham', the start credits were cool and the song geled well with the credits. Expectations raised a level above, hoping that the golden era of malayalam cinema is right here.
Unfortunately it is not, the start was very fast as if the director was in no mood to treat a scene as a scene. He was running from one visual to another leaving zero connect to the drama, not assuring any emotion to get registered in viewers mind. He has used many unnecessary dissolve(s) (dissolves mean to transit from one scene to other) in the first half which was disturbing. I was shattered by the way the filmmaker has handled the first half, it would have been a great opportunity for the filmmaker to use the talents like Nedumudi Venu to the extreme in these segments.
The second half delves with only action. Action for what? There was no logical plot, as I was really not into it why these guys are fighting for? There were many questions running behind my mind like
1) Why Bala behaves politely with Priya Mani in the first half, as he is a womaniser, he could have done his deed to Priya Mani in no time.
2) PrithviRaj bashing the police officer like anything in the police station, surprisingly Kerala Police were getting beated left right and no officer dared to carry gun/revolver. Why?
3) Why NeduMudi Venu hides the fact to PrithviRaj that he has lost his mental balance. Whereas it felt to me that PrithviRaj was behaving normal when he comes to know about this.
4) The ending was disgusting, Bala choses not to live and throws his life when PrithviRaj tries to save him by lending his hand, then in the next frame PrithviRaj is shown in the college with his new girlfriend Priya Mani, so what about his mental imbalance. No police case, no medication, WOW that's a good treatment. Isn't it?
And many more...........
To be honest, the action scenes were also cliche, we have seen it many a times in southern cinema. The sad thing about these stunt sequences were, one can see the carpet lied on the ground when anyone falls down on the ground. The camera work is nothing exceptional. The editing is disturbing and the background score is irritating. The technical aspects of this movie is really below par. The direction is very pathetic, one wonders how this movie gained such respect to the filmmaker.
The only saviour for this film is PrithviRaj, he is certainly the next big thing in Malayalam cinema and the director Diphan understands this and is exploiting Prithvi for his next disaster errr ... I mean film. Hope this time Diphan works on the characters and comes with a sensible plot.
Acting wise PrithviRaj has very limited scope. In the second half he just beats up everyone and stares while he moves. As far as I feel, PrithviRaj is wasted, he can do a better job if he is provided some meaty roles rather just hitting people left right. Priya Mani is decent with her role. Bala does justice to his character. NeduMudi Venu, Sai Kumar (he was just destined to get thrashed by PrithviRaj) are wasted. Shammi Thilakan impresses with his very small role. Meera Nandan looks overweight, she looks below moderate on screen.
In all, because of PrithviRaj; director Diphan will stay in Malayalam Cinema for years to come. Let's pray Almighty that he works on the script rather stunts, camera movements and pathetic editing pattern. Am not sure about the future of this filmmaker, but one thing is for sure, Puthiya Mugham fails to provide a new face in Malayalam Cinema. The search for good cinema is still ON. Are you hearing Diphan?
Rating : 1.5/5 (0.5 - Starting credits, 0.5 - NeduMudi Venu/PrithviRaj, 0.5 - End credits)
Then I came to know of a movie called 'Puthiya Mugham' via Television. The rushes were cool, very good music and moreoever it had PrithviRaj in it. The media claimed PrithviRaj as the next superstar in Malayalam cinema. I wasn't happy for this, as I wanted PrithviRaj to be the next best actor representing Malayalam cinema like Mohanlal is doing now. But the media created an undying anxiety in me to watch this movie only on theatres. As I reside out of Kerala, I had to wait for a long time to see the small poster in our national newspaper about the scheduling of this movie. I jumped on it, rescheduled my office priorites to make sure that I watch this one. The songs were constantly running on the Music channels which was just adding the vigour to the undying anxiety in me.
The day arrived, I was at the cinema hall, the cinema was delayed by half an hour, after half an hour we got seated in the halls, advertisements was shown like a goods trains passing by. I thought they have lost the reel of this movie and were just fooling around with the ads. Then after a while, the movie started. Bang on! the movie started with the theme song sung by PrithviRaj 'Puthiya Mugham', the start credits were cool and the song geled well with the credits. Expectations raised a level above, hoping that the golden era of malayalam cinema is right here.
Unfortunately it is not, the start was very fast as if the director was in no mood to treat a scene as a scene. He was running from one visual to another leaving zero connect to the drama, not assuring any emotion to get registered in viewers mind. He has used many unnecessary dissolve(s) (dissolves mean to transit from one scene to other) in the first half which was disturbing. I was shattered by the way the filmmaker has handled the first half, it would have been a great opportunity for the filmmaker to use the talents like Nedumudi Venu to the extreme in these segments.
The second half delves with only action. Action for what? There was no logical plot, as I was really not into it why these guys are fighting for? There were many questions running behind my mind like
1) Why Bala behaves politely with Priya Mani in the first half, as he is a womaniser, he could have done his deed to Priya Mani in no time.
2) PrithviRaj bashing the police officer like anything in the police station, surprisingly Kerala Police were getting beated left right and no officer dared to carry gun/revolver. Why?
3) Why NeduMudi Venu hides the fact to PrithviRaj that he has lost his mental balance. Whereas it felt to me that PrithviRaj was behaving normal when he comes to know about this.
4) The ending was disgusting, Bala choses not to live and throws his life when PrithviRaj tries to save him by lending his hand, then in the next frame PrithviRaj is shown in the college with his new girlfriend Priya Mani, so what about his mental imbalance. No police case, no medication, WOW that's a good treatment. Isn't it?
And many more...........
To be honest, the action scenes were also cliche, we have seen it many a times in southern cinema. The sad thing about these stunt sequences were, one can see the carpet lied on the ground when anyone falls down on the ground. The camera work is nothing exceptional. The editing is disturbing and the background score is irritating. The technical aspects of this movie is really below par. The direction is very pathetic, one wonders how this movie gained such respect to the filmmaker.
The only saviour for this film is PrithviRaj, he is certainly the next big thing in Malayalam cinema and the director Diphan understands this and is exploiting Prithvi for his next disaster errr ... I mean film. Hope this time Diphan works on the characters and comes with a sensible plot.
Acting wise PrithviRaj has very limited scope. In the second half he just beats up everyone and stares while he moves. As far as I feel, PrithviRaj is wasted, he can do a better job if he is provided some meaty roles rather just hitting people left right. Priya Mani is decent with her role. Bala does justice to his character. NeduMudi Venu, Sai Kumar (he was just destined to get thrashed by PrithviRaj) are wasted. Shammi Thilakan impresses with his very small role. Meera Nandan looks overweight, she looks below moderate on screen.
In all, because of PrithviRaj; director Diphan will stay in Malayalam Cinema for years to come. Let's pray Almighty that he works on the script rather stunts, camera movements and pathetic editing pattern. Am not sure about the future of this filmmaker, but one thing is for sure, Puthiya Mugham fails to provide a new face in Malayalam Cinema. The search for good cinema is still ON. Are you hearing Diphan?
Rating : 1.5/5 (0.5 - Starting credits, 0.5 - NeduMudi Venu/PrithviRaj, 0.5 - End credits)
