Chotta Mumbai

Language : Malayalam
Banner : Sree Bhadra Pictures Pvt Ltd
Director : Anwar Rasheed
Producer : Maniyanpilla Raju
Camera : Azhagappan
Story : Anwar Rasheed
Screenplay : Benny P Nayarambalam
Dialogue : Benny P Nayarambalam
Lyrics : Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma
Music : Rahul Raj
Distribution : Vishakha Release
Release : 2007 April 07
Cast : Mohanlal, Bhavana, Siddique, Kalabhavan Mani, Jagathy Sreekumar, Saikumar, Rajan P Dev, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Ramu, Narayanankutty, Kochupreman, Indrajith, Manikuttan, Bheeman Raghu, Santhosh Jogi, Vinayakan

Chotta Mumbai is an exquisite fun film that works because it encompasses so much in two hours-life, laugher and tenderness.

Despite in wafer thin plot which is a letdown is definitely, the film manages to grip your heart with its no melodramatic content and rave performances from the lead.

Landing on a mass formula movie, director Anwar Rasheed has steered the flick with clear dictation overpowering even the star equations. Truly a director's film, which make you just sit back, relax and enjoy, rather than searching for its logic.

The story set in the Fort Kochi-Mattancherry area tells about a few happy go-lucky guys from the Chotta Mumbai Street who is into anything for making money.

The story unfolds through the narration of Vasco (Mohanlal) fondly called as "Thalai" by his gang mates who introduces his friends Chandrappan(Siddique), Tommychan(Inderjeet), 'Padakkam' Basheer (Jagathy Sreekumar), Sainu (Manikuttan ) and Susheelan (Bijuikuttan) who are presently in a deadly situation as the guy (Cochin Haneefa) who promised them employment by offering Visas to Singapore disappears with the money!.

Thalai has raised the money by pledging his house without the knowledge of his father Michael Asan (Sai Kumar), a well known wrestler who is also the moving spirit behind the Cochin carnival which takes place every year on New Year eve.

Making us remember the 87 flick Orkkapurathu, Thalai and his dad move around more like friends. Micheal Asan who is compelling Thalai to get married sends him to meet a girl Latha (Bhavana), better known as 'Parakkum Latha', an auto rickshaw driver. But Latha who wants to run away with a bus conductor Sunil (Venjaramoodu Sooraj), requests the support of Thalai for elopement, but finally on the day, she realizes that Sunilan was a pimp! Thalai who has pledged her auto's RC book by that time to pay the bank, soon falls in love with her.

And the baddies come in the form of Officer C.I Natesan (Kalabhavan Mani), who is presently under suspension and his brother (Vinayagan) who rules the city. In an event to rescue his brother from police, Natesan kills a senior police officer (Vijayaraghavan) in public road, which was witnessed by Thalai, his father and Latha.

Tomichan who has to raise money for an eye operation of his sister agree to take the blame of the killing for five lakhs. But eventually he is not paid and gets himself into jail. Soon Natesan turns against Thalai and his gang, as they are the only eye witness of the murder of the police officer. Fate also plays fowl with Thalai as he has to fallout with his father as the bank starts recovery proceedings on the day of his sister's betrothal....

The Chotta Mumbai gang is now in a more difficult situation as they have to find a way-out from the menacing Natesan, regain Thalai's house and rescue Tomichan from the police. All this leads to the thrilling, but out and out filmi climax set at the Cochin carnival.

Mohanlal as Thalai looks stunning and makes another believable and honest performance with great comic timing on screen. This is definitely one of the roles that is tailor made for him and will make his fans happy. And other competent performances also come from Jagathy, Siddhique and Manikkuttan.

And the one who stands out is Bijukutaan who utilizes this chance after Pothenvava to the fullest. Bhavana appears talkative, as 'Parakum Latha’. Kalabhavan Mani as the villain, Vijayakumari (actor Mukesh's mother) as the villain's mentally ill mom.

Chotta Mumbai thrives definitely on comedy that comes naturally from such a cast of good timers. And the technical side is the best, with mesmerizing camera of Azagappan, which keeps pace with the film.

Although a number of films have been shot in the area recently, the film bears a stunning look. And finally Donmax’s appears constrained to make a good film to edit. There are four songs in the film tuned by new guy Rahul Raj, including a re-mix of the old favorite Chetti Kulangara….which soon takes a halt after making a great intro for the hero. Most would have liked to keep the song all through as Lal is in his one of the best outings in the song. The weakest link in the film is the background score.

On the whole, Chotta mumbai is a well made film, which proves that Anwar is definitely not a one film wonder. He skillfully executes the film from one of the weakest scripts by Benny P Nayarambalam, And with Lal in another gem of a performance, the director too can sit back and enjoy the film's run at the box office.

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