Rangam

Mohanlal is a dancer in the group run by a serious patron . His daughter Shobhana herself is a dancer. Shobhana and Mohanlal are fond of each other though never openly express their affections seriously .

The owner's son , Raveendran comes from Russia . He has dreams of creating his own dance form with Russian music . He falls for Shobhana and very soon gets married to her . She is in no position to refuse. Her mother too keeps goading her as he is a good catch . Though against her wishes, she settles down to matrimony continuing her dance classes in the same ashram as Mohanlal.

Raveendran and Mohanlal keeps squabbling for small things . Mohanlal is treated as a mere worker by Raveendran instead of a serious senior dancer .

Shobhana is a silent party to all this .

Very soon a rich lady Mahalakshmi enters the ashram saying she wants to click pictures and write articles about this dance form. Initially it starts as research . Raveendran is often found in her company drinking and frolicking in the name of dance practice and research .

Thought Mohanlal comes to know , he keeps it from Shobhana trying not to hurt her .

She does come to know eventually . She is slapped and scolded into submission by her husband .

He soon leaves the ashram and his wife to be with Mahalakshmi .

They practice and enact a very sensuous dance drama of Shakuntala .

Soon , Raveendran falls out of favour of Mahalakshmi who is of a very frivolous nature .

He returns back to the ashram down faced . Shobhana takes him in dutifully.

After a few more misdemeanors by Raveendran , during an act of Narasimha avatar in full glare of public , Mohanlal manages to kill him .

He then surrenders to the police .

The end is left for us to translate . Will he unite with Shobhana ?

A refined act by both the main cast . Both are good at their skills and keep us engaged . Mahalakshmi is chirpy as an unfocused high spirited girl .

A fine drama .

M.T. Vasudevan Nair is one of the finest writers in Malayalam. This film directed by I. V. Sasi piggybacks on the inherent merits of the story. I. V. Sasi has never bloomed as a director of consequence though Malayalam cinema has produced top-notch filmmakers such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, the late G. Aravindan, Pavithran, and M.T. Vasudevan Nair himself.

I am great admirer of "M.T."'s writing and his initial work as a director ("Nirmalayam"). That film won the top National Award--The Golden Lotus. Another written work of "M.T.", called "Perumthachan" directed by Ajayan is a fascinating film.

In "Rangam" Sasi plods along with M.T's story. He has the beautiful actress Shobhana to help him as he fumbles and makes a mess of every scene that tries to present sexual foibles as a crime in a society that holds on to high pegs of morality. If Sasi had concentrated on the moral dilemmas presented by "M.T"'s story, the film could have been elevated beyond the banal. The female lead character is not developed; the male characters are. Mr Sasi probably feels dances develop the characters. Mr Sasi may be superior to many Malayalam filmmakers, but he just does not make the top grade. "M.T" on the other hand is a talented individual and needs wider recognition beyond the shores of Kerala.