Pazhassi Raja – Movie Review
October 20, 2009 by SouthDreamZ
Filed under Malayalam, Reviews
Making a historical film is not something everyone can do. Hariharan who is the director of ‘Oru Vadakkan Veera Gadha’ is back with his trump card M.T Vasudevan Nair and effectively supported by Mammooty in the new venture Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja has graced theatres this morning.
The Film is about Pazhazzi Raja’s fight against British East India Company to withdraw Company’s power and army from the state of Kottayam. Kerala Varma questions the logic of Foreigners who came as traders are now collecting tax and governing the country. The amount fixed as tax by Company was unreasonable and people didn’t have the capacity to pay that much.
People gave stiff opposition to the company on the tax issue. The film starts with Veeravarma played by Thilakan making a letter to company that he will collect taxes on their behalf. In the latter part Thilakan disappears from the film and Pazhayamveedan Chandhu played by Suman gains prominence. Pazhassi who does guerilla warfare provide great defense and creates atrocity to British. So Company makes a treaty with Kerala Varma which was later not followed by the former. This provokes Kerala Varma to start war.
Mammooty has taken effort to portray his character.
Sarath Kumar is Edachena Kunkan as the right hand of Kerala Varma is a delight to watch. His manliness and devoted character provides an air of dignity when ever he is onscreen.
Kaniha as Pazhassi Raja’s wife Makkam adds glamour. Manoj K. Jayan has showed his acting capabilities. Suresh Krishna as Kaitheri Ambu gets chunk of a role in this film. Suman and Jagathy were good.
Lalu Alex as Emman Nair, Captain Raju as Unni Mootha gives good support to Pazhassi. Actors who acted as British East India Company’s employees did well. Peter Evans as Major James, Harry Key as Thomas are to be specially mentioned.
The song ‘Aadi ushas sandya’ starts with Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja’s white horse coming through water, which can be considered as one of the most beautiful shot in Malayalam cinema.
The negatives are, Padma Priya who appears as an Adivasi girl has dubbed herself and a foreign slang is noticed. In individual fight scenes, the choreographed action (rope) looks awkward. This film can’t be said to be thoroughly entertaining. It doesn’t bring the spirit of fighting. Historians may say the story is manipulated history.
The film has successfully recreated 18th century. Art director and his crew have done great work. Unlike other films this film starts with out showing technicians name.
This incomparable movie is three hours fifteen minutes long. Quality wise the film can be compared with Hollywood movies. Putting a mark for this film will be my ignorance as we can’t compare gem with gold.
Applause goes to Hariharan who captained this ship. Writer M.T Vasudevan Nair is one of the key brains behind this artwork. The camera by Ramanth Shetty is classic. Sound design by Resul Pookkutty stands out. Ilayarajas scoring may not be very well received.
Pazhassi Raja which is made at a gigantic budget by Gokulam Gopalan is worth spending every dime.
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Big disapointment.
Several talented actors wasted in small insignifacnt roles
jagadish
mamukoya
nedumudi venu
urmila unni
Serial actor who acted as tobias in manasaputri - was seen in the deal making scenes but didnt speak a word
person who acted as the principal in notebook - was seen in the deal making scenes but didnt speak a word
Meganathan - shot by mamukoya.
Songs are not hummable. One song ( odathandil )which was there in the cd of pazhassi raja did not appear in the film.
The song ambum kombum was shorter in the film when compared to the cd.
The scene where the horse comes alone out of the water seems more like a technological gimmick. This is because there is another scene where Sharath kumar and co comes out of water with sharath kumar riding the horse in a similar way as the scene that shows the horse coming out of water alone. The technicians just seemed to have deleted everyhting else from that same frame except the horse and used it as a different scene.
Several fight scenes looked ridiculous. Mammootty jumping high in the air and landing on the ground without any change in posture just shows that Ravi Dewan didnt do well to use the ropes for stunt
Then, what happened to padmapriya? Was she killed or did she survive? No mention about that.
In the last war scene Pazhassi raja screams in English, u want me take me ( what the hell )? did he know english.
And was Pazhassi raja shot dead by the British or did he die swallowing his own ring as history seems to suggest?
.
Pazhassi raja the movie has been given an iconic status more due to media hype than anything else.
Mammootty didnt many scenes to exhibit his brilliant actig capabilities.
sharath kumar's sturdy role is perhaps the best character in this film.
Resool pookutty's sound mixing is really good especially when two swords lock each other, that sound is just so beautifully captured by him.
Kaniha gets a role with less acting burden. Just some skin show and one song. But she looked an innocent beauty.
Padmapriya's stunt attempts deserve praise but her own dubbing for the character was not required.
The best part of the film I feel is the last 15 minutes of this film when Mammooty becomes the last man standing. Then I could heave a sigh of relief.. good god other distractions are gone and lets get to some high octane stuff and Mammooty does that well. there should have been more scenes where we could see Mammooty alone without worrying about otheres in the film.