Priyadarshan is (in)famous for 'adapting' stories from other language movies, especially Hollywood into Malayalam, making it a wholesome entertainer. His combination with Mohanlal always worked wonders and it's no wonder that this time too the audience had great expectations when after a long gap of seven years a Priyadarshan- Lal movie was announced. If the director had half the enthusiasm of the audience he would have done his homework properly. Alas! This is a collage of his previous blockbusters sewn in a haphazard manner, and in his haste the director even forgot to alter the comic dialogues that he wrote a quarter century ago. It needs an effort on the part of the audience to laugh at the jokes so stale and over worn. You have the financially troubled hero motif that he tried in 'Chitram', 'Kilukkam', 'Aram+Aram', 'Chandralekha', with the wealthy heroine helping him out of his troubles followed in 'Arabiyum Ottakavum' as well. Then there is the skirt/blouse removal comic scene (refer 'Thenmavin kombath, 'Chandralekha'), a heroine who behaves abnormally but turns out to be a saviour ('Kilukkam'), the confusion and disguise at a marriage function ('Vettam'), and if watched closely resemblance to other Priyadarshan movies could easily be identified.
It's been a while the two leading superstars of Malayalam movies who are past their prime, remain a bachelor in film after film. This movie is no exception. The hero, a gulf malayalee, P. Madhavan Nair (Mohanlal), accidently meets Meenakshi (Lakshmi Rai) in a jewellery shop as they both go for the same ring. This accidental meeting leads to a day spent together. After a coffee spilling and the blushing hero, later, they decide to check whether they are destined to meet again. Entering into different elevators to see if they both choose the same floor and writing the phone number on a currency note might, for a moment, make one think that s/he is watching the 2001 romantic comedy 'Serendipity'; but that could be purely coincidental! Choosing the 23rd floor and a child entering and pressing all the buttons in Madhavan's elevator adds to this coincidence! Fate brings the couple together after two years, and a song later they decide to tie the knot. The marriage plans are thwarted when the hero finds out an unsavoury truth about his fiancée. In a fit of rage he goes for a reckless drive, along with Abdu (Mukesh, the only saving grace in the film) who was hiding in the vehicle to threaten Madhavan and they end up in mid desert. They meet Ilyana (Bhavana), and after another song (Bhavana had a magic pouch with her with which she could dress them up all in colourful attire with matching accessories throughout the song that 'coincides' with an Egyptian song Rohy Mertahlak by Amr Diab, and in the following scenes as well) Bhavana devices the plan of abducting herself for getting money from her father. The three are in dire need of money and they decide to execute their plans. What follows makes the thread of the story with a few scenes that 'coincide' with the 1997 movie 'Nothing to Lose'. The highlight of the movie is the two 'innovative' climax suspenses, one being the twin sister story, and the other, Bhavana finding out she is heir to immense wealth, she being the daughter of a wealthy Arab who dies in an accident along with his wife leaving the immense wealth and their one and a half year old to the care of one of his workers (Nedumudi Venu). It seems the 'poor' wealthy Arab had no relatives in his own country and Nedumudi could raise the Muslim girl as a Christian in Abu Dhabi!
Those who go to the theatres spending their money and time to watch this regressive, and senseless film packed with plot-holes the size of craters are made to go through in-film advertisement as well of a jewellery shop of which Mohanlal is the brand ambassador. One reason for going to the theatres to watch a movie rather than wait for its Television premiere is to escape the hoard of textile shop/jewellery advertisements that pop up practically after every scene, but it seems even the darkness within the theatre will not assure a 'willing suspension of disbelief' in the wake of consumerism.
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