Aadhi

This is just a desperate attempt to launch the superstar's son... I din't see anything special or extraordinary in this movie..... Pranav Mohanlal is just an average (may be below average) actor... He is lucky to be Shri Mohanlal's son...otherwise i dont think anyone would risk a high budget movie to launch Pranav.

Jeethu Joseph. The name is synonymous with thriller movies. Be it Drishyam or Memories or even his first film, Detective, all were highly appreciated. But it was a dissapointment when it came to the 2016 film, Oozham. Now he has come with a new film Aadhi. Expectations were many for this film. Firstly, it is directed by Jeethu joseph. Second, It is the debut of Pranav Mohanlal. Third, the stunts (more on that later). Now, the plot: Adhithya Mohan, an aspiring musician, who dreams it of making it big, gets a chance to do a show in Bangalore. An incident there makes him to run for his life. The first half of Aadhi goes off in a slow mode setting up the story. The notable sequence is the action in the market place and the stunts performed (Parkour) is very impressive. But it's the second half that has it's share of thrills which leads to the climax with an unpredictable twist. The songs were good even though the two songs in the second half could have been avoided. The pick of the songs are 'Mizhiyoram(Unplugged Version)' and 'Gypsy woman.' Jeethu Joseph is an expert when he handles thrillers. This can be seen in the second half of the film. Editing (Ayoob Khan) was done neatly but could have trimmed some portions in first half. Cinematography (Satheesh Kurup) was good. Stunts, as I said before, was awesome. Have'nt seen any actor doing Parkour in any Malayalam film and Pranav needs to be applauded for performing the stunts himself. Now to the performances. Pranav Mohanlal as Aadhi is natural. He is outstanding while doing the action as well as in emotional scenes. Sharafudeen was good. Anusree too did a good job. Sideeq has a nice role. Lena was average. Siju Wilson in a negative role did well. Jagapathi Babu's role could have been better thought of. Mohanlal in a cameo was good. All in all, Aadhi can be watched for it's leading man and for the stunts. You will be entertained. My rating - 3.5/5

The film has thrilling PARKOUR stunt (first time in malayalam) sequences which is performed by young actor without dupe. PARANAV MOHANLAL proved that he is an multi-talented champ who is a good GUITARIST,SINGER,STUNT GURU,LYRICIST through the first film itself. Acting is excellent except in some family emotion scenes. 'GYPSY WOMEN' song in the film is written and sung by PARANAV. The plot of the film is not new. But the way of story narration is completely different. PRANAV'S success as an singer,lyricist and guitarist is proved by youtube trending of his song. The actor also managed to grab a bunch of housefull shows through his acting and stunt performance. Considering it as an DEBUT film of a young actor he has done best of him and is far better than recent Debuts of actors like Dulquer,Nivin,Asif. Watching the film without hyped anticipation won't disappoint you. Rating(9/10){CONSIDERING AS A DEBUT FILM}.

"Aadhi," starring Pranav Mohanlal, is a gripping thriller that marks the debut of Mohanlal's son as a leading actor. The film navigates through the trials and tribulations of Aadhi, a young man whose life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes entangled in a web of deceit and danger.

One of the strengths of "Aadhi" lies in its tightly woven plot, which keeps the audience engaged from start to finish. The narrative is filled with twists and turns, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats as Aadhi navigates through various challenges to clear his name and seek justice.

Pranav Mohanlal delivers a commendable performance in his debut role, showcasing both emotional depth and intensity. His portrayal of Aadhi is convincing, and he displays a natural flair for action sequences, adding to the film's overall appeal.

Director Jeethu Joseph deserves praise for his skillful direction, effectively balancing suspense, drama, and action throughout the film. The cinematography and background score further enhance the viewing experience, creating a tense and immersive atmosphere.

However, "Aadhi" is not without its flaws. Some plot points may feel contrived, and certain character motivations could have been better developed. Additionally, while the film's climax is satisfying, it may not fully live up to the high expectations set by the rest of the story.

Overall, "Aadhi" is a promising debut for Pranav Mohanlal and a commendable addition to the thriller genre in Malayalam cinema. Despite its minor shortcomings, the film succeeds in delivering an engaging and entertaining experience for audiences.

This movie will be enjoyed by those that enjoy action and more realistic fight scenes where bad guys don't go flying in every direction known to man with just a flick of the hero's fingers. The character has to put in a little more effort and actually gets gut-punched right back more than a couple of times. The parkour and running were brilliant and i remember leaving the theater feeling really badass wanting to kick a few people. That's how i realized despite the few glaring errors, i enjoyed the movie.

In terms of acting, Pranav Mohanlal seemed to take an ascending slope. It is a blessing the film didn't call for any real dramatic interpretation and acting. There weren't many dialogues to deliver nor too many emotional scenes to depict. Despite starting a little rocky (felt the first couple of scenes were slightly awkward but maybe that was because of the slight lag i felt between the dubbing and acting), Pranav seemed to adjust to the film better in the second half. He seemed the most comfortable doing the parkour bits. When he didn't have to face another person, bite out a couple of pre-planned dialogues, only run around and do his own thing. There were however many overused scenes, a cliche to films like these.

Another thing worth mentioning are the rest of the cast. Siddique was as natural as ever (he gets better in every film!) Anusree was hilarious and gave something to laugh about in an otherwise dull scene. Aditi Ravi could've slightly turned down her enthusiasm for a certain song and Lena could've done the same during one of her hysterical cries. I know she can do better. I've seen Traffic.

I did find the ending a little abrupt however symbolic it seemed. But overall, it was a decent film with the inevitable mistakes of a first time.