Mammootty rocks
Film Review
Raajamanickam
(Malayalam)
Cast: Mammootty, Manoj K Jayan, Salim Kumar, Sai Kumar, Rahman, Cochin Haneefa, Padmapriya, Sindhu Menon
Script: TA Shahid
Music: Alex Paul
Direction: Anwar Rasheed
More than Mammootty, the true hero of Raajamanickam is the unique “Thirontharam” slang of Malayalam language commonly spoken in southern Kerala. After successfully delivering the Kottayam slang for super-hits films like Kottayam Kunjachan, Mammootty freaks out with the Thiruvananthapuram dialect in the film, which otherwise has little else to showcase.
A very ordinary thriller, Raajamanickam derives its strength from the characterisation of Mammootty — his flashy costumes, loud mannerisms, and best of all, the rustic dialect. It isn’t unusual in Malayalam cinema to have the heroes deliver their lines with rustic intonations. Mammootty had earlier successfully worked out the dialect of the fishermen folk in Amaram. Mohanlal charmed audiences with his Trichur dialect in Thoovanathumbikal. Otherwise it was largely left to the comedians to raise laughter by mimicking the various dialects. Jagathi Sreekumar and Oduvil Unnikrishnan had attempted a celebration of the southern Kerala dialect to hilarious results in Mattuppetty Machaan.
But the beauty of Mammootty’s Bellary Raja, a buffalo dealer, in Raajamanickam is not merely in the way he flashes rustic usages with flourish. It is in his overall body language, which has relaxed considerably. He effectively replicates the “azhagiya Raavanan” (pompous) effect yet lending respect to the character. The end-result is a breezy entertainer that offers undiluted fun.
There has little novelty value to the story. A mother denies love and recognition to her son out of compulsions that aren’t clearly delineated; the boy walks into the wide world and makes it big. Giving the film a twist, the son doesn’t return to his village on his free will. He has been entrusted the care of all properties by his step-father, who dies a painful death after his own son and daughter turn against him for petty gains. The hero thus finds himself aligned against not only his step-brother but also his childhood foes. How he metes out revenge for his step-father’s death and also fulfils his wishes make the film.
But the wafer-line plot gets abundant cinematic strength thanks to the debutant director’s understanding of cinema as a medium that ought, first, to communicate not confuse. There are clearly drawn out characters; there are no ambiguous ends. Nor is there any doubting that the hero is out there to play second fiddle to anyone.
And thus Raajamanickam becomes an unabashed celebration of Mammootty, who rocks with his style, confidence and attitude. There is no doubt that Mohanlal could have delivered the Thiruvananthapuram slang better (in fact, Mammootty, on at least two counts, finds his lingo moving the Amaram way). But Bellary Raja is made for Mammootty. While Mohanlal’s easy charm would have given it a different identity, it is the almost awe-inspiring and imposing presence of Mammootty that gives the character that extra dimension.
In the supporting cast, enough opportunity is given for Rahman and Bheeman Raghu to strike a chord with the audience. But it is Manoj K. Jayan who stands up to Mammootty and delivers another memorable performance. The immensely talented guy has truly reinvented is career. Sai Kumar, despite the television hangover and theatrics, is impressive.
The only handicap with the southern lingo is that it doesn’t pack a punch when it comes to sentiments, which explains the mad rush by the serial makers to feature the Valluvanadan dialect in their productions. Mammootty indeed struggles with the diction in the few sentimental moments and he unintentionally slips into over-acting mode. But that is minor blemish in an otherwise stellar performance meant to do nothing else but entertain.
Watch Raajamanickam. Have a good laugh.
