Neelathamara

I have some of my friends who keep saying me that Malayalam movies lost its standard, and there are no good movies coming out these days, etc.

I can point them to this movie for sure. Such a great movie. I admit that this a remake of an old Malayalam classic. But when this is redone to the current era, its beauty is only increased, its quality is only improved. Hats off to MT and Laljose. It is a very light, feel-good, romantic movie.

While watching the movie, I was decided to give 10 rating, thinking that it is taken at its best and there is no room for improvement any further. But when I think again, yes, there is one thing that could have done better, that is the role by Samvrutha Sunil. Somehow she is becoming the regular face doing such roles these days. But she struggles with the roles which demands expressing heavy emotions. So I am reducing one point for her casting.

Great acting by Archana Kavi. Being a new comer and also a very modern girl in real life, I am so impressed by her adaptation to her character in the movie. In every movie Rima Kallingal keeps proving that she is an asset to the future of Malayalam movie. All others had only very less to act in the movie and all did justice to their roles.

One of the best thing about the movie is that when they had to show incidents from years later, they did not try putting make up on Archana to make her look old. Instead they used an older actress who look very similar to her and having very similar expressions. Thumps-up for that decision.

I don't think I need to say any thing about the music. There was no song recently that went so deep into every malayali's heart as "Anuraga Vilojananayi...". Shreya Ghoshal did a great job with it. There was never a non-south Indian singer who could sing Malayalam songs so fluently. "Neelathamare..." song is also very good. (This song is very special to me since it was the caller tone in my wife's mobile, when I used to call her before our wedding) Vidyasagar did a great job to bring in the right mood for this recreation of an old classic.

So I am giving 9/10 for this movie. Don't miss this movie. We need such movies at least once in a while to touch our hearts and to wake the love and "Nanma" in our hearts up.

One thing which describes the film is - Beautiful direction by Lal Jose!

This is a good film with a good and refreshing star cast. Archana Kavi is simply outstanding and looks great too throughout the film. I felt that Rima Kallingal's role was short and does not have a major presence in the overall story line. The songs are handled in a good way and the film does not loose it's focus anywhere.

To be honest the plot is simple and oft repeated however as mentioned before the treatment by Lal Jose is superb. This is how good romantic films should be made.

Watch for - Good direction, good camera work and cinematography, good music and background score and for the best part of the film - "Archana Kavi"

Do not watch if you are a huge fan of Rima or Samrutha as both of them do not have much to do in the script.