Padakkalam

From the very beginning, Padakkalam grabs your attention. The opening scenes create a strong hook, and the audience connects with it instantly.

The performances by Safboi, Arun, Sandeep, and Arun (the fourth actor) are all good. Among them, Sandeep truly stands out. This is easily his best performance so far.

Sharafudeen and Suraj bring a healthy competition to the screen, each trying to give their best.

The story is completely fictional, but it's interesting and unique. If you don't connect with the story, then this movie may not be for you. It's that important to the overall experience.

The humour in the movie works really well. There are moments where the jokes truly land, and you'll find yourself laughing from the heart.

One of the best things about Padakkalam is the curiosity it maintains throughout. It keeps you engaged and wondering what's next. Although the second half has a small slowdown, the overall journey is still enjoyable.

Director Manu Swaraj, in his debut, has done an excellent job. He proves himself as another promising talent from Friday Film House.

In short, Padakkalam is a decent watch if you're looking for a light, entertaining movie with laughs, emotions, and a bit of suspense. A good choice for a fun time at the theatre.

Watched the Tamil Dubbed Malayalam Movie 'Padakkalam'.

Recommended by my niece, I went in with absolutely no expectations. All she said was, "It's unique and enjoyable" - and that was spot on.

The movie is refreshingly original and thoroughly entertaining. I usually avoid reading about a film before watching, so I was open to surprises. For a moment, I thought it was heading into the horror genre, only to discover it's a supernatural comedy-thriller!

The depiction of friendship stood out. The narrative kept me engaged throughout with no dull moments. As the story unfolds with twists and turns, emotional scenes seamlessly transition into bursts of comedy. Just like Guilty Minds felt like an Indianized version of Suits, this movie reminds one of Jumanji in spirit, though the plot and story are entirely different.

It's a bold attempt, with a unique storyline, screenplay, and direction. The team has pulled it off successfully. The film dives straight into the plot, holds your attention, and never lets go. A well-made, distinctly different movie that's worth watching.

A thoroughly entertaining movie that cleverly infuses fantasy and campus movie shenanigans into one. It's filled with so many fun pop culture references that don't feel forced, like they would have been 10 years ago, due to the change in culture in general. These pop culture references are cleverly used in the progress of the plot without sticking out. Body control and body swap stories haven't been too much in Malayalam cinema, nonetheless, this is probably the best among those. I expected Suraj and Sharafu to give great performances that are fun to watch, but Sandeep Pradeep surprised me with his shift in the second half. Just after Alappuzha Gymkhana, he's able to show what he's capable of here. I do think there are aspects of this movie that could've been better. Still, it's after some time that I am quite satisfied with a movie that is just meant to be a fun entertainer without delving into anything serious thematically or cinematically. The song "Whisitlu Bigilu" is still playing in my mind after the credits rolled out, it's so catchy and energetic and encapsulates the whole feeling of the movie.

Rating - 3.75/5

An out and out laughter treat that pulls you into a mind loop with exciting and engaging story served in a humour template.

The plot of the story is about how 4 boys try to tackle the evil intentions of their Professor through a mysterious dice board on the backdrop of an engineering college.

Manu Swaraj has exceptionally placed the story on screen with an incredible screenplay leaving no loose ends. He has effortlessly managed to incorporate mystery and spoof elements without affecting the pace and mood of the story. The brilliance of the script in hooking the audience is blatantly visible by the way he manipulates the minds of the audience. Hats off to you for giving an unforgettable movie experience with immense laughter moments,funny dialogues and interesting developments in the story.

Subtle performance by Suraj and he has carried the mood of an emotionally broken family man precisely. SharafUDheen gave a marvellous delivery through his attitude and his infectious smile. Zandeep has made a stellar performance and he proves that he is here to stay with his unparalleled delivery in the latter half. Arun Ajikumar,Saafboi and Arun Pradeep also made impressive performances as the boys gang and they kept the quirkiness and mood alive through their funny performances and dialogue delivery. Pooja Mohanraj also gave a brilliant performance in the movie through her witty and instant reactions.

Kudos to Anu Moothedan for effortlessly capturing the quirkiness and mystery perfectly trimmed by Nidhin Raj Arol maintaining the pace and vibrance of the story. The scores and BGM's by Rajesh went well synchronized with the story and Renganaath Raave's contribution to sound design is worth mentioning. This is another golden feather to the Friday Film banner exploring and encouraging unique stories.

A perfectly steam cooked and aromatic fun to watch entertainer on the weekends.

Jithin is confronted by his girlfriend Jeevika about their relationship and how she doesn't find him to be exciting enough which has got her doubt their future together. Professor Shaji is a shy guy who hopes to be the new HOD but isn't really confident enough to fight for it while the popular Professor Renjith is also eyeing for the same post. Things take a quick turn when Jithin watches Renjith with an ancient artifact, giving him control over Shaji and how he uses to get him lose his chance of being an HOD. Jithin is soon caught by Renjith of knowing his truth. How does Jithin along with his friends and Shaji try to stop Renjith? What mess they all get into in the process and how do they resolve it, forms rest of the story.

Manu Swaraj and Nithin C Babu have written a fun story that stays exciting for most part of the film. The first half takes it's time to settle down while the focus is mostly on Jithin and friends. It is once the major twist happen involving the 3 main characters, film starts getting intriguing and the performances laced with humor carries the film forward. I would have loved a segment showcasing Shaji's plight rather than sharing it as an information as Shaji and Jithin have more in common which was the whole point. The writing gets convenient as the story progresses but it still delivers the fun especially with Renjith and Jithin's clash in the second half.