Mahasamudram

Cast: Mohanlal, Laila, Rahman, Innocent, Jagathy, Jagadheesh, Sai Kumar, M.R Gopakumar, Riza Bava, Niyas,
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Revathy Kalamandir Pvt Ltd
Director: Dr.S.Janardhanan
Producer: Suresh Kumar
Camera: Shaji
Story: Dr.S.Janardhanan
Screenplay: Dr.S.Janardhanan
Dialogue: Dr.S.Janardhanan
Lyrics: Kaithapram
Music: M.Jayachandran
Distribution: Seven Arts Release
Year: 2006

The recent Malluwood cinema has been dominated by the new faces especially behind the camera.

These young directors and cinematographers who come up with some refreshing menus are given a welcome treat by the film buffs. Mohanlal himself has reaped the benefits of young talents in the recent successes that he had in the box office. And after the mega success of Keerthichakra here he is again the winner with the new flick offered for Onam.

Mahasamudram - continuing his super hit statistics to a continuous six.

By the way the film is packaged, the director Dr .S.Janaradhanan gets an around perfect debut film to land on to commercial boom. The screenplay by the director himself is interlocked with crisp dialogues, as good paced narration, camera angles and lighting match the mood of the film demands and the background score by Kannan fits aptly to the entire proceedings. There aren’t much dull moments in the film.

Best of all, the film is not gory stale her centric tale, even though the story has all the elements to make it such. The director, who is known for his classy television and on stage ventures, restrains himself by allowing the film to deviate into the festive commercial plot.

The story is all about Ishaq, a young fisherman who is the pet of every one of kadalkkara and the feud and fights that they have in everything starting even from football with a neighboring fisherman hamlet, Mattakkara. Ishaq has a favorite buddy in the local priest of the church who is involved in the every local issues of the village and is one of the few persons in whom Ishaq confides. Ishaq's father Velankanni becomes insane after the loss of his wife. Ishaq has a tragic past in which that falls in love with Devi. They get married at sea and spend their first night at sea even after much resistance from Devi's relatives who belongs to Mattakkara. But their happiness is short lived as Devi is arrested and jailed for murder that Devi committed on the same night, inorder to save Ishaq from his brother Chandran's knife'. Ishaq, who was denied the joy of spending even a day with his wife is always looking forward for the days of his union with his wife who had been to jail for the last six years.

Ishaq was essentially a person who is good at heart, but the problems in his life drive him to support an evil although he appears an affable person on the outside. And for in exchange of doing an evil Ishaq has his wife being released on parole. This changes his whole world and brings joy to his life, but at times falls prey to the call from his conscience for the wrong doing.

The story deals with the various problems and troubles in Ishaq's life and how they change him. The highlights of the film includes the interval punch, underwater sequences, fights in the inner sea and the climax football sequences which creates large spaces for the fans to thrill and chill.

Mohanlal is in usual strengths even though he playing the no. 10 jersey striker of the Beach football team brings in chuckles, for his bulky physique. Laila plays Devi while innocent appear as Velankanni, father of Ishaq. Saikumar makes another routine performance as  Sebastian george ,the local MLA . The  film also fills the frames with large no of artists which is usual  such a film made in the background of sea. The credut cast includes Rehman, M.R.Gopakumar, Krishnaprasad, Jagadheesh, Baburaj, Kalshal Babu and Co.

Adding to the film's plus points are its tempo and duration, and Shaji’s cinematography -- which gives the real earthy look of the shores. There's also an absence of comedians to test our patience, making for a different experience.  M. Jayachandran has been able to make some hummable tunes. But despite the rare backdrop of the subject, the movie lacks clarity at times, because Janardhanan has been so hectic to include a plenty of story for his share of two and a half hours.

The execution suffers at times mainly because the debutant director has included commercial ingredients with an eye to please everyone on the box office. And we can't complaint as that is the most needed catchword you come through when dealing with a flick of popular genre. There are many holes in the script. Thankfully, the director has taken the support from experienced technicians to realize his dramatic endeavor, who have done their best to lift the film. On the whole, a commendable effort, considering it was completed with great difficulty.

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