What’s it with the titles of Malayalam films these days, one may ask. Last week we had a Vaazha and this week, Palum Pazhavum. While Vaazha was an apt title for a film about a bunch of boys deemed wastrels by society, it’s still unclear why a title like Palum Pazhavum was chosen. Maybe to suggest the quirky nature of its core plot, but at a time when films are being dismissed for flimsy reasons, titles are crucial to set a certain expectation level. Anyway, after watching the film, one can’t help but wonder that it deserved a better title.
VK Prakash, known for attempting a wide range of genres irrespective of their results, spins a comedy this time around a middle-aged woman and a youngster in his early 20s. VKP’s assistant Ashish Rajani Unnikrishnan has scripted the film, set a few years back when social media was starting to boom. When 33-year-old Sumi (Meera Jasmine) and 23-year-old Sunil (Aswin Jose) meet and fall in love through Facebook, little did they know about their actual ages and family backgrounds.
Meera Jasmine is often chided in the film as “mudhukki”, but the truth is the actor looks as graceful and young as ever. Beyond the looks, she is excellent at playing Sumi, an ambitious woman tied down by family circumstances. Her hopes of securing a job and turning independent are shattered when her mother (Shanthi Krishna) meets with a freak accident.
Writer Ashish treats the mother-daughter relationship uniquely, unlike how it’s usually in films. While the bedridden mom vents out all her frustration at her daughter, Sumi doesn’t have an outlet and feels trapped inside the house. It robs her of worldly exposure and the simple pleasures of everyday life, leading her to the pitfalls of social media.
Sunil, on the other hand, is a loafer trying to settle in life by marrying an older woman. Sumi’s years of craving for love and acceptance turn her blinds towards his true intentions. She instead sees him as a ray of hope to help her escape her gloomy life. Aswin Jose fits well as Sunil, who is a mix of mischief and naivety. The actor’s comic tomic is impressive, a lot of credit for which should also go to the writing.
Ashish’s screenplay devotes equal importance to both the leads, with their family backgrounds and characteristics clearly established in the first half. The makers also smartly employ split screens to show their contrasting natures, like this one scene where we see Sunil’s desperation for facial hair growth, while Sumi tries hard to cover her wrinkles and white hair. In a subsequent scene, we see Sunil uploading funky photos on Facebook to impress girls, while Sumi is busy hunting for jobs online.
The film has quite a few such fun ideas, accentuated by the performances of its talented cast. Besides the leads, veteran actors like Shanthi Krishna, Ashokan, and Maniyanpilla Raju also get their moments to shine. Ashokan, especially, is hilarious in his portrayal of a flirtatious bank manager trying desperately to woo Sumi.
After a consistently funny first half, Palum Pazhavum loses a bit of steam when troubles start sprouting in the couple’s paradise. In screenwriting, lack of communication between the main characters is a common tool to create conflicts, and Palum Pazhavum also resorts to such tried and tested ideas. But the film somehow manages to stay afloat till it lands on a hilarious ending.
With Palum Pazhavum, the makers intent to shatter societal norms by showing the futility of age difference in modern-day relationships. But it is unfortunate that a film communicating such progressive ideas has to resort to tasteless homophobic jokes to elicit a few cheap laughs. Rajasenan’s offensive portrayal of a homosexual man trying to lure young men only aids in reiterating the stereotypes against the marginalised communities.
All said, Palum Pazhavum, despite its missteps, sails through as an enjoyable entertainer. It is only the title that remains a mystery...
Film: Palum Pazhavum
Director: VK Prakash
Cast: Meera Jasmine, Aswin Jose, Shanthi Krishna, Ashokan
Rating : 3/5