mithun
19 August 2006, 04:19
Movie Review : Rasathanthram
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Producer: Antony Perumbavoor
Director: Sathyan Anthikad
Cast: Mohanlal, Bharat Gopi, Innocent, Maamukoya, Jagathy Sreekumar, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Meera Jasmine, K P A C Lalitha
Music: Illayaraja
Mohanlal and director Sathyan Anthikkad are still going great together as they did 12 years ago. ‘Rasathantram’ is another typical Sathyan film. It takes a slow start but catches the pace later. The first half of the film is full of humor while the second half is stuffed with sentiments. It’s a formula that is not new to Sathyan.
Premachandran (Mohanlal) is a carpenter from a middle class family. He is a nice guy who is more than happy to make live of others better. He is an expert in Vaastu shastra and hard working. He and his gang of carpenters Manikandan Asari (Innocent) and others live for the welfare of others. The villagers have full faith in him, who stays with his father (Gopi), a retired teacher. House owner (Oduvil Unnikrishnan) and a failed carpenter (Mamukoya) also live in the village. His neighbor’s daughter also secretly admires him.
While working for Roy Joseph (Sreekumar), a rich contractor, Premachandran show Kanmani (Meera Jasmine), the maidservant of the house working like a slave. He saves her from committing suicide and he lets her live in his house by disguising her as a boy with a new name Velayudhan Kutty.
The police then nabs Kanmani on Roy’s complain. She tells in the court that she is in love with Premachandran. This puts another burden on the carpenter’s shoulders, as he has to look after her besides taking his father’s burden. He has to take extra burden, as the government has evicted the entire village for a power project. Moreover, he has a past. He has claimed a murder committed by others in order to save the honor of his sister.
‘Rasathantram’ works only because of Sathyan’s formula of portraying Mohanlal with a good image stuffed with comedy and sentiments. The actor has superb comedy timing and his controlled emotions and sentiments are incredible. His outburst in the climax adds beauty to the film. The scene where he accidentally sees Meera bathing after removing the roof tiles is really good and funny. Meera matches Mohanlal very much. Her comedy timings are also superb. Her body language as Velayudhan Kutty, the way she falls in love with Premachandran and the way she makes him like her are incredible. Only actress of her caliber can carry off such a character.
Innocent, Oduvil and Mamukoya are all fine but Jagathy’s character in the climax looks unnatural. Gopi has done a good job as Mohanlal’s father. The father and son sentiments are great.
The film is technically much better than Sathyan’s previous films. The director has paid lots of attention on the camera movement, shooting locations and so on, and Azhagappan has helped him achieve his dreams. Music by Ilayaraja is a treat with lots of melody. The number “Attinkara Orathil…Chattal Mazha…” sung by Manjari is the pick of the album.
But all is not good. It is too lengthy at two hours 40 minutes. The comedy scenes should have been done better. Meera has nothing much to do in the second half, as father-son sentiments has overcast everything. Moreover, its climax is predictable.
On the whole, the film is a winner. Sathyan has packaged everything in such a way that every member of the family enjoys watching it. It guarantees complete entertainment. After all, Mohanlal has succeeded in placing smile on the face of the viewers.
Printer friendly page
Producer: Antony Perumbavoor
Director: Sathyan Anthikad
Cast: Mohanlal, Bharat Gopi, Innocent, Maamukoya, Jagathy Sreekumar, Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Meera Jasmine, K P A C Lalitha
Music: Illayaraja
Mohanlal and director Sathyan Anthikkad are still going great together as they did 12 years ago. ‘Rasathantram’ is another typical Sathyan film. It takes a slow start but catches the pace later. The first half of the film is full of humor while the second half is stuffed with sentiments. It’s a formula that is not new to Sathyan.
Premachandran (Mohanlal) is a carpenter from a middle class family. He is a nice guy who is more than happy to make live of others better. He is an expert in Vaastu shastra and hard working. He and his gang of carpenters Manikandan Asari (Innocent) and others live for the welfare of others. The villagers have full faith in him, who stays with his father (Gopi), a retired teacher. House owner (Oduvil Unnikrishnan) and a failed carpenter (Mamukoya) also live in the village. His neighbor’s daughter also secretly admires him.
While working for Roy Joseph (Sreekumar), a rich contractor, Premachandran show Kanmani (Meera Jasmine), the maidservant of the house working like a slave. He saves her from committing suicide and he lets her live in his house by disguising her as a boy with a new name Velayudhan Kutty.
The police then nabs Kanmani on Roy’s complain. She tells in the court that she is in love with Premachandran. This puts another burden on the carpenter’s shoulders, as he has to look after her besides taking his father’s burden. He has to take extra burden, as the government has evicted the entire village for a power project. Moreover, he has a past. He has claimed a murder committed by others in order to save the honor of his sister.
‘Rasathantram’ works only because of Sathyan’s formula of portraying Mohanlal with a good image stuffed with comedy and sentiments. The actor has superb comedy timing and his controlled emotions and sentiments are incredible. His outburst in the climax adds beauty to the film. The scene where he accidentally sees Meera bathing after removing the roof tiles is really good and funny. Meera matches Mohanlal very much. Her comedy timings are also superb. Her body language as Velayudhan Kutty, the way she falls in love with Premachandran and the way she makes him like her are incredible. Only actress of her caliber can carry off such a character.
Innocent, Oduvil and Mamukoya are all fine but Jagathy’s character in the climax looks unnatural. Gopi has done a good job as Mohanlal’s father. The father and son sentiments are great.
The film is technically much better than Sathyan’s previous films. The director has paid lots of attention on the camera movement, shooting locations and so on, and Azhagappan has helped him achieve his dreams. Music by Ilayaraja is a treat with lots of melody. The number “Attinkara Orathil…Chattal Mazha…” sung by Manjari is the pick of the album.
But all is not good. It is too lengthy at two hours 40 minutes. The comedy scenes should have been done better. Meera has nothing much to do in the second half, as father-son sentiments has overcast everything. Moreover, its climax is predictable.
On the whole, the film is a winner. Sathyan has packaged everything in such a way that every member of the family enjoys watching it. It guarantees complete entertainment. After all, Mohanlal has succeeded in placing smile on the face of the viewers.