Bus Conductor

Cast: Mammootty, Nikitha, Jayasurya, Bhavana, Mamta Mohandas, Innocent, Salim Kumar, Harisree Ashokan, Indrans, Riyaz Khan, Poornima, Bindu Panicker, Kalpana
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Vishakh Movies
Director: V.M.Vinu
Producer: P.Rajan
Camera: Sanjeev Shankar
Story: T.A.Razaaq
Screenplay: T.A.Razaaq
Dialogue: T.A.Razaaq
Lyrics: Kaithapram
Music: M.Jayachandran
Distribution: Vishakh Movies Release
Year: 2005

All good things must come to an end. So it seems Mammooty’s record-breaking run of films that were new and unique. Whatever maybe the box office verdict of Bus Conductor, the film at best is a pale pastiche of some previous hits that is teeming with platitudes.

Mammootty himself is let down by a one-dimensional character. But to be fair to him, even here comes up with some sparkling show. But for him, the film would have been even more difficult to endure.

The story, set in the Malabar culture, revolves around Zakir Hussain aka Kunjakka (Mammootty). This bus conductor lords over the family that has a motley cast to it ---mother (Bindu Panicker), sister (Poornima), her husband (innocent), son (Jayasurya), daughters and his own sister Selina (Mamta Mohandas). Then there are his bus mates (Kalpana and Harisree Ashokan).

Being a good man, Kunjakka is faced with all kinds of troubles and responsibility. On the one hand he has to take on the wily cop (Anil) who also runs a bus company on the sly. Then the problems within the family come to hand. Najeeb’s (Jayasurya) dalliance with a local girl (Bhavana) ends in her becoming pregnant. But Najeeb goes to Dubai leaving the girl in the lurch. So the responsibility of looking after her also falls on Kunjakka’s shoulders. There are misunderstandings in the family and his only solace is Noorjahan (Nikitha).

The story then is about how Kunjakka unties all the knots of distrust and disappointments.
It is a story that is overweighed by treacle-soaked sentiments. In fact, the maudlin nature of the script makes you groan. Starting with Mammooty none of the artistes have letdown the story. Every one chips in efficiently. But the director Vinu has chosen the wrong path. He gets himself tied up through over-the-top sentiments.

Music by M.Jayachandran is just average. The camera work and art work (Bobban) are indeed mention-worthy.

If only Vinu had worked on his basics, this Bus Conductor would have got ‘double right’.

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