Jeethu Joseph's latest feature Aadhi looks like a revised version of his 2016 revenge drama Oozham. The only difference is that the protagonist here is a parkour enthusiast and not an explosives expert. Debutante Pranav Mohanlal plays Aadhi, a young and aspiring music producer who gets embroiled in a mess following the death of an influential business magnate's son. How Aadhi spends his life after that being chased by the man's goons for the rest of the plot is what the film primarily talks about, where he also showcases his parkour skills and a sudden energy to solve the issue on his own. While director Joseph has used family threads and parents-son relationship as an element to attract his viewers, the plothole-ridden story never succeeds to keep them hooked. It's an exaggerated play that goes on and on, supported by a contrived narrative. Mohanlal's amateur and dull performance is the highlight of Aadhi, as he follows his director's cue like a frightened kindergarten child during a time of crisis. There is not a single interesting element that would make Aadhi a better rendition of Oozham, which is also a prime example of cinematic hyperbole. When even the talented Lena slips in her performance and Siddique made to look like a joker with his toupee, it is clear that Aadhi was a hurried attempt at launching the star child. There is no other reason why someone would make this film, which is one full hour of chase sequences and the remaining ninety minutes of mind-boggling claptrap. If you are someone who supports nepotism and consider yourself automatically a fan of your favorite actor, then Aadhi is something you can catch this weekend on DVD. TN.
