It’s a film which has blockbuster written all over it. But a few minutes into Action Hero Biju and you are almost convinced it’s much beyond the cheese fest you expected it to be. You are totally upbeat about the discovery and start revelling in the ‘unconventional cop story’, but only until the hero shows symptoms of macho-fixation. Abrid Shine’s film is not a true-blue entertainer, at the same time nor does it fall into the realistic/experimental slot. Yes, agreed that a filmmaker has all the freedom to make a film that doesn’t fit to any specified format, but the problem with AHB is that it ends up a conflicting blend of tastes and loyalties.
Action Hero Biju is basically a tapestry of events and situations, mostly professional, from a cop’s life. The film does have an impressive structure, but whenever commercial pressure sets in, the craft flattens out. Though Abrid Shine flirts with a varied texture and treatment, as the film progresses, he dutifully ticks off all the mainstream must-haves. You are happy about the fact that SI Biju is not into murder mysteries or gravity-defying stunts. But half way into relishing his character and its hilarity, you realise with a start that he has been cleverly playing the alpha male all the time. Biju Paulose is no alien to Malayalam cinema, he has been here and done all that, though in more aggressive avatars. As per the tagline the film is a ‘ride with a police officer’, but very often it veers away from the realistic tempo and turns into an ego trip. This mismatched rhythm is a little unsettling, but once you get used to it you know what’s in store.
There are moments when Biju’s enraged face fills the frame, as if expecting applause just like a Shaji Kailas hero. There are punch dialogues and one-liners like ‘ente station paridhiyil oru gunda matram mathi’ that make you wonder whether they are attempting a local version of Chulbul Pandey. Though Nivin Pauly looks convincing in khaki he seems more at home switching to the lover boy mode for ‘Pookal...’ song. And yes, AHB also marks the return of prop heroine - all expected of Anu Emmanuel is to look gorgeous and partake in a duet.
However, AHB is not a mediocre film but a sincere attempt gone slightly awry. Perhaps the best part about the film is its set of stunning cameos, many of them newbies. There are actors who look blessedly human in all their off-the-street imperfections. Suraj Venjaramoodu erupts into an exceptional act the very moment he walks into the screen and steals all the thunder. A little restraint in orchestration and doing away with some cliches could have made AHB more brilliant. Dear Abrid, next time please stick to what you had originally in mind without succumbing to the lure and pressure of ‘ensuring a hit’.