Pookkaalam movie review: A wholesome family entertainer designed to lift your spirits

The primary noticeable high quality of Pookkaalam is its colors: yellows, browns, greens, pinks… all contributing to the suitably heat photos captured by Anend C Chandran. Its general ambiance is apt for a movie that desires to make you chortle, cry, and smile. Pookkaalam is constructed on the easy however novel concept of a nonagenarian man, Ittoop (Vijayaraghavan), instantly discovering at some point that his entire life has been a lie — a discovery that impacts his relationship together with his spouse Kochuthresia (KPAC Leela). It comes at a time when their home is gearing up for a betrothal operate, brightened by the presence of all their members of the family, their humorous interactions, and all types of noise. 

Director: Ganesh Raj

Forged: Vijayaraghavan, KPAC Leela, Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Arun Kurian, Annu Antony

There may be an ‘uncle’ (Abu Salim) who simply invented a kozhukatta machine christened ‘KOMA’; there are two twins married to twins; there’s a girl who runs a rubber manufacturing facility; her eager-to-get-married daughter, her eccentric sibling, and her ‘entrepreneur’ groom-to-be; and plenty of extra. Extra characters present up: Johnny Antony’s advocate, who accepts solely “anthassulla casukal” (prestigious instances) and his junior (Basil Joseph), who jumps on the alternative to tackle the case of Ittoop when he learns that the latter desires to divorce his spouse. The pageant temper of Pookkaalam will get additional heightened when Vineeth Sreenivasan exhibits up as a choose — and Basil’s batchmate. 

When it comes to scale, the fast comparability one can consider is the Priyadarshan movies from the 80s, comparable to Mazha Peyyunnu Madhalam Kottunnu. (It is not as humorous, although.) Whereas Pookkaalam is just not going for the vibe of a full-fledged slapstick comedy, it makes its principal actors behave as if they belong to at least one for a major stretch of its runtime earlier than issues get critical and the enjoyable and video games come to a cease. However even when it is knee-deep in battle, it manages to attain a pleasant stability between its critical and comedian parts. The movie is cautious to not overwhelm even when two tragic occasions happen. A lot enjoyable will get mined out of the quirky dynamic between folks opposed to at least one concept, which occurs to be the considered Ittoop wanting a divorce in any case these years. 

Suffice it to say that writer-director Ganesh Raj follows up his 2016 hit Aanandam with one other feel-good entertainer that goals for the guts and succeeds. Narrated by way of chapters and occasional flashbacks, the movie resorts to side ratio switching to evoke the cinema of a special time. Somewhat than specializing in one timeline on a regular basis, Pookkaalam retains its narrative fascinating by revealing details about Ittoop’s previous in sporadic bursts as an alternative of multi functional shot. Some say the arrival of a kid brings a husband and spouse collectively. However what occurs if a pair loses a male little one? How does the son’s disappearance affect the daddy’s angle in direction of his daughters?

It is so refreshing to see Vijayaraghavan within the form of efficiency we have now not seen him do earlier than. Three a long time after his father, NN Pillai, made waves together with his iconic Anjooran character in Godfather (1991), Vijayaraghavan aces a personality who’s twenty years older than him. He’s excellent as Ittoop, with KPAC Leela neatly complementing him as the lady who needed to bear the burden of her secret for 50 years. His expressive eyes run the gamut of feelings from embarrassment to helplessness to remorse. He performs Ittoop at two completely different levels of his life — the disagreeable youthful self and the susceptible older self — with unchecked ego being the commonality binding each. Whereas the actor maintains spectacular emotional continuity in each phases, Nandhini Gopalakrishnan manages to tug off the identical as Kochuthresia in her 40s. They share an intense backstory that opens the door to new revelations and visitor appearances.

Arun Kurian and Annu Antony, acquainted to us by way of Aanandam and Hridayam, keep a continuing presence because the enthusiastic couple that begins reassessing their relationship after the above incident. These characters haven’t got a lot depth, however they’ve sufficient traits to remind us of individuals we could know. Initially behaving like two idealistic youngsters who cannot wait to get married, they mellow down later to have a look at themselves from the skin. They hope to not make the errors their grandparents did.  

Regardless of a few of its tough edges, Pookkaalam is what I’d name a healthful household entertainer best for the vacations. There are locations the place the exaggerated appearing from Basil Joseph, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Johny Antony, and others do not land, however their presence additionally makes Pookkaalam vigorous when vital. In a method, they remind us of a few of our members of the family. We do not all the time like what they do, however we will not stay with out them both.