Crazy Gopalan

Cast: Dileep, Radha Varma, Jagathy, Biju Menon, Manoj K Jayan, SalimKumar, Harisree Asokan, Janardhanan
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Bhavana Media Vision
Director: Deepu Karunakaran
Producer: Ullattil Sasidharan
Camera: D Kannnan
Screenplay: Deepu Karunakaran
Dialogue: Deepu Karunakaran
Lyrics: Gireesh Puthanchery, Anil Panachooran
Music: Rahul Raj
Year: 2008

Director Deepu Karunakaran's Crazy Gopalan is about a bank heist, a genre not seen often in Malayalam. The film is meant to be a fast paced entertainer where the viewer is not supposed to put his thinking cap instead just forget everything and take a chill pill.

The first half works while the second half the film falters big time. But the film as a whole works to certain extent. No doubt, it has been developed from a rather trite premise that is often tough to digest, but the film qualifies as a watchable masala. Imaginative cinematography, music, art direction and some nice moments complements to the overall impact in a big way.

The story begins in a village named Oonjaladi, where people are fed up of a thief who no one has a clue about. He specializes in robbing kattila or doors and has been nicknamed Kattila Gopalan (Dileep). When the going gets tough, Gopalan shifts his base to the city, where he becomes friends with another small time thief, Lakshmanan (Salim Kumar). The two decides to do something more adventurous to earn a fast buck and for that they kidnap Diana (Radha Varma), the sister of a rich businessman, Babu John (Manoj K Jayan). But as fate would have it, their troubles starts from then on.

Except for the rather elaborate introduction scenes at the village which often looks jaded, the first half of the film advances at a brisk pace. In fact it is the story that gets prominence ahead of the stars at this point. Things get into a muddle in the second half, when the focus shifts from the story to the hero's escapades.

Another weak link could be the character of the female lead, that is clichéd and half-baked. For that matter, the whole issue concerning the brother and sister lacks a convincing justification.

Radha Varma, who plays Diana, doesn't help too much to salvage the cause as well, with her limited acting credentials. But Manoj K Jayan, who plays the villain, gives some style a character that is clichéd.

Dileep performs well in the title role, even as he fails in his attempt to turn macho, something that is just beyond him. It would have perhaps done wonders for the story and some credence as well, if his character had left the onus of finding the culprit to the cop played by Biju Menon. The witty dialogues and some humorous scenes involving Harisree Asokan, Jagathy Sreekumar and Salim Kumar is the major plus points.

Crazy Gopalan is the first film of director Deepu to get to the theatres (Winter, directed by him with Jayaram in the lead is yet to be released) and the youngster shows some promise. The film is a mindless entertainer, which inspite of gaping holes in its script is still worth a laugh.

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