'Doubles' (Malayalam, Masala)
Director: Sohan Seenulal
Cast: Mammootty, Nadia Moidu, Taapsee
Once in a while Mammootty takes an outing to soothe his narcissistic instincts and his latest flick ‘Doubles’ invariably falls into that category. The film staggers from cliché to cliché and gives out nothing, not even empty enjoyment. Right from the amateurish title song Sohan Seenulal rolls out nothing but unalloyed boredom.
Sachi- Sethu’s wayward script revolves around siblings Giri (Mammootty) and Gouri (Nadiya Moidu) who run a rescue unit at Pondicherry. Both the main characters seem to have no real occupation other than rescuing accident victims, roaming around in expensive cars and sashaying all over their palatial home.
The script is laden with idiocy, predictability and trashy gimmickry. Whenever he is not knocking out brawny baddies Mammootty simply shows off what seems to be an infinite collection of dapper costumes and goggles. There is an unrestrained sibling camaraderie, but most of the times it’s intolerable to watch the aging actors behaving like teenagers.
Nadia Moidu tries to be chirpier than her debut but her hyperactivity on screen makes her look like a psychotic. Tapsi as the damsel in distress makes a walking mannequin and the script doesn’t allow her to fake any expression other than naivety and servitude. There is one clandestine character but the moment he enters the screen you know he is the villain and what will follow.
We have seen interludes in old Tamil films where comedians erupt out of nowhere and the comic track is all about getting slapped. Suraj Venjaramoodu in his tailor-made joker role gives you bouts of nausea. As in ‘Christian Brothers’ he is nothing but an annoying appendage, a character surgically implanted up on the narrative for commercial reasons.
Bijukkuttan and Anoop Chandran mouth every jokes you have recently read in periodicals and try out all the obsolete recipes to generate comedy.
As usual Mammootty gives superman and batman a run for their money. He jumps from a rocky cliff without a security rope, stands without a scratch even after a group of men beats him up with rods, and strews the villains in directions defying gravity with each punch.
Music and background score don’t deserve any mention.