Aakashagopuram

Cast: Mohanlal, Nithya, Swetha Menon, Geethu Mohandas, Manoj K Jayan, Bharath Gopi, Sreenivasan
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Medient & Tarlac International Limited
Director: K.P Kumaran
Producer: Taizoon.F.Khorakiwala, Manu Kumaran
Camera: Santhosh Thundiyil
Screenplay: K.P Kumaran
Dialogue: K.P Kumaran
Lyrics: Rajeev Aalunkal
Music: John Altman
Year: 2008

Aakashagopuram is a finely-crafted movie, as was expected from director K.P. Kumaran by those who know the director. Based on the play 'The Master Builder' by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, the film is a treat to watch, though it may not go down well with die-hard Mohanlal fans, especially the 'front-benchers'.

Albert Samson, an accomplished architect, became eminent not entirely because of his talent, but also because his ability to grab opportunities, whether it be to build the kind of houses that rich people wanted or to marry the girl who could bring him a fortune, or to supersede and finally ruin his mentor and 'guru'. Albert Samson's wife Alice, who is the daughter of an English duke (her mother is a Malayalee), leads a distraught life, waking up in the middle of the night after seeing nightmares. This started happening after she lost her kids and after she had to watch her family mansion, with which she had an emotional bonding, burn to ashes.

Albert Samson's one-time mentor Abraham Thomas is now his dependent, while the latter's son Alex, an architect as talented as his father also works under Albert Samson. Alex's fiancée Katherine, an orphan brought up by Abraham Thomas, develops a liking for Albert Samson, which is something engineered by Albert Samson himself, because he wants to use Katherine to stop Alex from going away. Deep down in his heart he knows that if Alex is allowed to commence independent practice, he would soon outshine him. Dr. Isaac, who is not just a physician for Alice and Albert Samson, but a friend too, is the person with whom Alice often discusses her husband's life and ways. And Dr. Isaac has the freedom to question and criticize Albert Samson too.

One evening, when Albert Samson and Dr. Isaac are having a chat, there is a knock on the door. A young girl, who later reveals her name as Hilda Varghese, comes in and wishes to stay in Albert Samson's house. Alice too welcomes her. Hilda is someone who had met Albert Samson ten years back and adores him blindly. With Hilda's entry the story takes a twist.

Mohanlal is quite good as Albert Samson, but it's beyond doubt that his performance in the film is not what his fans would expect from him. Late Bharath Gopi, an actor who could weave magic with any kind of role, does full justice to the character of Abraham Thomas, his last full-length character on screen. Manoj K. Jayan as Alex and Shwetha Menon as Alice are good, though at times they appear a bit uncomfortable with their respective roles. Geethu Mohandas is good as Katherine while debutante Nithya does a good job of the role of Hilda.

Krrish fame Santhosh C. Thundiyil, who had earlier worked in Malayalam in Blessy's Palunku, gives us some beautiful frames in Aakashagopuram. Titanic fame John Altman has composed the music, which suits the mood of the film on the whole. Both Altman and K.P. Kumaran should be appreciated for using music only where it can add value to the film. Editing by Ajith Kumar too is a highlight of the film.

The script, which has been penned by the director himself, retains the original spirit of the play, though one feels that he should have made it a little more 'cinematic' on the whole. As it is, one gets the feeling especially in the first half, that one is watching a play and not a film. Perhaps it's the dialogue or the way it is delivered that plays the villain here. This is a flaw that often happens when plays are adapted into cinema. But K.P. Kumaran is the man who so beautifully adapted Madhavikutty's story as Rugmini. Perhaps that's what makes us expect more from Aakashagopuram.

The film stands out on account of the sensitive manner in which it delves into the realm of complex human relationships. Aakashagopuram is a film to be watched and enjoyed not merely for what it has to offer, but also for the pain that the makers have obviously taken to deliver a distinctly different kind of movie.

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