Yavanika

Not much of a mystery for today's viewer. Within 15 minutes of the start of the movie, you can come up with an educated guess who the murderer is, by the obvious facial expressions and body language of the characters. Mammotty shows up almost half way through the movie as a police investigator. 1982 was still early days for him so his powerful on screen presence that we are use to today, wasn't present back in the days, he was just a competent actor. Bharath Gopi plays a despicable womaniser and rapist. The use of Rashomon effect was a creative touch that could be appreciated. Overall just a straight forward story with not much twists or turn.

This is a well crafted movie with memorable characters. It easily stands the test of time because the acting, direction and production values are all quite comparable to today's Malayalam movies. Of course Gopi is the standout but Venu, Jalaja, Mammootty and even Ashokan as the rebellious son all play their parts well.

The other reviewer criticises this for not being a true murder mystery, but I have to differ on two counts- the murderer isn't all that obvious and the movie really aspires to be more than a mere murder story. The drama troupe and the interactions of the varied characters, the social drama of the plight of the poor woman with 3 daughters, all are well portrayed.

K. G George has crafted a true masterpiece with this gem. With a refreshing story, ingenious story telling and brilliant performances by every actor cast, this is an unmissable watch.

The performance that truly stands out in the film is that of Bharat Gopi. His portrayal of the lecherous tabalist was simply outstanding. Another character of note was the foolhardy one of Ashokan.

If you are one who loves slowburners that give the viewers something to think about post the rolling of the end credits. If you are one that recognises brilliant cinema is one that provokes thought in its viewers and not edge of the seat mindless action, then please do watch.

Watching a classic of 1982 in the year 2014 and deriding it for lacking new-age panache would never do justice to the film. So, Yavanika, in all its glory, could be considered a masterpiece.

Because of the narration. No one would even guess the film is about murder. It starts with the proceedings of drama troupe as they rehearse, perform and interact with each other. The character development is amazing; each character is idiosyncratic and their stories all are told beautifully. Take Nedumudi Venu as the flirty dandy or even Jagathy Sreekumar in one of his initial comic roles or Thilakkan as the troupe manager.

The story advances quickly in the second half as Mammootty enters the scene to investigate the missing of a troupe member who is known to be a drunk bastard. We could guess who the murdered might be, but all the following sequences negate our guesses. The interrogation, actual field investigation all will keep you hooked. The dialogs are both witty & apt. Even the songs are classics and I sat there asking my partner "Oh! That song is from this movie!"

K G George has captured his sets nicely: the murder spot, the troupe's hub and even the performing stage. I didn't much like the performance by Jalaja. But Ashokan is terrific. The climax is good. The makers concentrated not only on murder as a tool to convey a message, but they also evince shades of poverty, adultery, romance, alcoholism, assault, policing, and the elements surrounding drama as a genre.

BOTTOM LINE: If you are in your mid-20s as of year 2014, then you may not appreciate the film. Because chances are you may have watched many similar films. But if you are above 40, I bet you will appreciate the sheer mastery behind the film which is considered one of the best not only in Malayalam cinema but also in the world.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

The movie is not actually an 'investigative' one. There is hardly any investigation in the first part of the movie, there are no great twists and is kind of slow. Don't watch it if you are impatient.

That being said, watch it for character development and for realism. Everything is in the right proportion in the movie. There are just one or two songs, but they are memorable ones. Alcoholism and the problems caused by it is the main theme in Yavanika, but K.G. George has seen to it that the movie does not look like a sermon from a preacher.

Bharath Gopi's acting is excellent and realistic, even when we dislike his on-screen persona.