'Thattathin Marayathu' (Malayalam)
Director: Vineeth Srinivasan
Cast: Nivin Pauly, Isha Talwar, Manoj K Jayan and others
This not the first time love happens on earth. Of course not the first time that a boy falls in love head-on with a girl from a different religion. Umpteen movies in the yesteryears were born just to depict the dilemma of such hapless souls and many a times, viewers left the theatres with a heavy heart and battling tears. On some occasions, many such love bugs ‘lived happily there after’, presumably on popular demand.
'Thattathin Marayathu' (behind the veil), in all means, deserves to be in the league of the happy-ending love tales. The hero, Vinod (Nivin Pauly), with a next-door boy appeal, an average student from a middle-class Hindu Nair family, falls in love with an ethereal beauty Aisha (Isha Talwar), hailing from a wealthy and politically influential Muslim family.
Smitten by love, the hero, as custom suggests, croons a few heart-melting songs, shakes a leg in style and jumps the compound wall of the palatial house of his sweetheart to air his feelings. All his adventures are well-supported by his selfless friends. What more, the big help comes from the men in khaki. Moved by his tale of woes, the community policemen led by SI Premkumar (Manoj K Jayan) wholeheartedly play the part of St Valentines and ensure the story ends in a happy note.
What makes this ordinary romantic story with no twists exciting till the end is the humourous flow and down-to-earth characters. The hero does not flaunt ultra modern wardrobes or sporty cars and bother to fly to foreign scenic locations to sing his dream song. He is an ordinary small-town boy who craves for the first kiss. Still he manages to keep the young viewers hooked as they can easily connect with the college-goer who is averse to education and has immature obsession with his first love. Nivin Pauly manages to pull off an impressive performance. Isha Talwar has nothing much to do than look pretty behind the veil. Aju Varghese as a friend of Vinod and Bhagath Manuel, who act as a courier of love letters, do justice to their characters. Jomon T John’s visuals and Shaan Rahman’s music are remarkable.
Singer-director Vineeth Srinivasan, one among the promising young film makers in Mollywood, penned the script which offers nothing great. Vineeth, who shot to fame with his directorial debut ‘Malarvady Arts Club’, a friendship saga, this time choose to play safe with romance. Albeit its predictable storyline, some scenes are sure to win the applause of young chaps. The fresh approach does the trick. The movie also makes some indirect references to the not-so-happy living conditions of Muslim women who are tied between religion and individual freedom.
No fight, no gun-wielding villain and no dramatic climax. 'Thattathin Marayathu' is a breezy love story which may make you smile with its innocence.