There are some films you take an instant liking to regardless of their imperfections because it has characters you care about. Al Mallu, starring Namitha Pramod, is one such film. I went in with zero expectations, and in spite of it not being, what one would call, a “world-class” film, Al Mallu turned out to be a pleasant surprise. In fact, I found it more watchable than a Malayalam superstar’s latest release.
Al Mallu is populated by a host of characters, each with their own past. The film belongs to Namitha Pramod, who shines as the protagonist, Nayana. Her character goes through a terrible experience courtesy of a terrible guy whom she was supposed to get married to. When she breaks it off with him, he starts pestering her in other ways. Meanwhile, a new guy, Sreedhar (Harris) joins her office, and you can see from a mile where things are headed. But I liked the way Sreedhar and his relationship with Nayana are set up. I found their chemistry cute—there is some warmth to be found in their interactions. Perhaps this film would’ve worked a lot better if it were just about this romance alone. Sreedhar has a dark past—a reason for his shyness and awkwardness around women. I thought casting a newcomer was a smart choice because this is a character who has to appear clueless and uncomfortable most of the time. Some may see it as an acting flaw, but acting flaws or not, it’s apt for the character.
Now, speaking of Namitha, I’m surprised that the actor managed to do a lot with very little. She seems more confident and in control here than in all her previous films, especially those in which she shared the screen with big names. The camera follows her closely and often succeeds in conveying the anxiety and disorientation experienced by her. There is one particular moment in the film where Nayana rejoins work and finds it difficult to focus, and Namitha makes the overwhelming pressure in that scene quite believable.
I also liked the bonding of a bunch of characters for whom “family isn’t necessarily blood”. Another admirable thing about the film is its restraint in terms of humour. Unlike most of his earlier films, Dharmajan provides some light moments without going overboard.But one thing I still don’t get is why the film was set in the United Arab Emirates. Is it to show that girls aren’t safe wherever they go? Or that some Malayalis are the same wherever they go (and give a bad name to their fellow Malayalis)? Perhaps there is a business reason behind it.
Anyway, Al Mallu could’ve been a much better film had it been much more focussed and polished some of its rough edges. It’s here to say something, but it could’ve been put across in a more subtle way instead of having an actor like Lal show up in an unnecessary wedding sequence and then slap patriarchal men with a morality lecture. This is a moment that could’ve been done by Namitha too. There were also scenes where I felt the actors could’ve improved their lines by slightly altering the tempo of their delivery (inconsistencies in dubbing?).
Al Mallu makes it clear from the get-go that it’s not a film with lofty aspirations and so has to be treated as such. It’s a small film that does a fairly decent job of selling its emotions, even though its simple premise isn’t executed with enough sophistication. However, it is somewhat salvaged by the actors, who are quite convincing as characters who are all broken in one way or the other. This film didn’t give me a great feeling but it didn’t give me a bad one either. But it’s a pleasant sensation all the same.
Film: Al Mallu
Director: Boban Samuel
Cast: Namitha Pramod, Harris, Dharmajan
Rating: 3/5