Malayali Mamanu Vanakkam

Cast: Jayaram, Jagathi, Prabhu, Kalabhavan Mani, Roja, Suja Karthika and Sree vidya
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Cinema Cinema
Director: Rajasenan
Producer: Kaliyoor Sasi, B.Rakesh
Story: Udayakrishna-Sibi K Thomas
Screenplay: Udayakrishna-Sibi K Thomas
Dialogue: Udayakrishna-Sibi K Thomas
Music: Suresh Peters
Year: 2002

A pale successor to Melepparambil Anveedu which was set against the backdrop of Tamil culture, Malayali Mamanu Vanakkam, Rajasenan’s latest offering, turns out to be a tale of same old stereotypes. It is a formula ridden fare where the story line does not progress beyond the beaten track.

Infact, this film appears to be a combination of several blockbusters of the same team. The director doesn’t know how to put it in a new bottle. The stereotypes, from Jayaram’s role as an impish, lovable, merry-maker to the central theme are the bane of this formula ridden fare. .

Jayaram, who has established his own screen persona creating his own distinct slot as a crowd-puller with powerful performances does not generate much interest due to the oft-repeated story line. The plot unfolds as Anandakuttan (Jayaram) who belongs to Anandamangalam Tharavadu arrives at Kovilpatti, a tiny village in the rural interiors of Tamil Nadu with his uncle Kesu {Jagathi) His mission is to bring his sister back to Kerala for enabling her to attend his wedding. Anandavally (Shobha) who had eloped with a Tamilian Thirupathi Perumal (Kalabhavan Mani) was ostracized from the aristocratic family because of the bad reputation she had brought to it. Disguised as headload workers, Kuttan and Kesu enter the terrain of the rugged landlord. Perumal’s daughter Parvathi (Roja) falls in love with Anandakuttan. .

Here the story takes some interesting twists and turns because of the culture shock experienced by the protagonist. But it could have been better etched if the director was gifted with imagination. The prevailing custom of marrying the daughter of elder sister practiced by the Tamil families in the rural pockets is not acceptable in Kerala as it is considered as incest or social taboo. Perumal is determined to get her married to Kannayya (Prabhu) a ruffian. In order to save Parvati from the savagely boisterous fiancé, Kuttan runs away with her and arrives at his ancestral home where the efforts are on for the marriage. Enraged by the unexpected turn of incidents, Perumal requests Kannayya to wreck vengeance on Kuttan in the same manner in which Kuttan’s father had reacted in the remote past while eloping with Anandavalli.

The climax is not handled with much care and conviction. All it requires is more than a little willing suspension of disbelief. All the actors in this film including Prabhu do not come up with commendable performances that they can be proud of in the future. Suja Karthika is just another pretty doll and she has nothing to do in this film. The music by Suresh Peters tends to be routine. Rajasenan fails in his attempt to bring the audience to the peaks of humour. Chances are that this won’t be a box office smash. The tried and tested narrative material at his disposal does not come to the rescue.

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