Pattalam

Cast: Mammootty, Biju Menon, Tessa, Jyothirmayi, Innacent, Jagathy
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Movie Kshethra Productions
Director: Lal Jose
Producer: Subair
Camera: S.Kumar
Story: Reji
Screenplay: Reji
Dialogue: Reji
Lyrics: Gireesh Puthenchery
Music: Vidyasagar
Distribution: Kalasangam, Kass, Varnachithra Release
Year: 2003

When the film opens we are told that there is a communal tension brewing in this peaceful village. A unit of Rapid Action Force (RAF) led by Captain Pattabhiraman (Mammootty) and his assistant Benny (Biju menon) arrives in the village as peace keepers . The villagers do not have any good things to think about the army from the stories what they have heard from Gopalji(Mala). They were anxious about all the developments. Each one of them look at the army in their own view point.Army gets involved into the villagers problems and becomes a part of their life. Slowly the villagers started liking the soldiers.

Capt.Pattabhiraman, a chronic Bachelor all these years develops a soft corner for Vimala (Tessa), a postal employee and a war widow. Later in a long drawn-out flashback it is revealed that Pattabhiraman was responsible for the death of Lieutenant Nandu (Indrajeet), Vimala’s husband who had to cancel his leave and go back to the North-East to fight terrorists on the day of his marriage! Meanwhile Benny, captain’s assistant has a good time with Satyabhama (Jyothirmayi) and gets married to her. More trouble in the form of some terrorist organizations, which tries to poison the villager’s water tank. The rest of the story is about the incidents that follow and how Major and his army takes control over the village.

Even though there are flaws in the screenplay, "Pattalam" is watchable thanks to it's simplicity. There are too many characters, but each one of them are essential in such a village backdrop. The movie has it's own hilarious moments. All the actors like Innacent, Bindu Panicker, Jagathy, Kalabhavan Mani, Indrans and Salim Kumar have portayed their characters in the best possible way anyone could imagine. There could be a problem due to the expectations of malayalees have about Mammootty essaying an army officer role. Everyone expects him as a serious tough officer, but which is not the case in the movie. Instead Pattibhiraman is a simple person. Telivision actress Tessa does an okay debut but she has to improve her acting skills. Jyothirmayi has nothing much to do. Biju Menon is as good as always.

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