So after seeing the
barrage of social media appreciation and the statistics that prove this
blockbuster to be nothing like anything, I too ventured to figure out what the
euphoria was all about…
And like in the past, the
moment you step into the cinema hall with the backing of thousands of good
reviews and word of mouth appreciation, the movie always fails to live up to
its Himalayan expectations! Had I gone in ‘blank screen’ mode, this movie would
probably have rocked the movie hall!
But that entire
introduction apart, Premam is a sweet movie – a real classy and creative
package that you will have to love and enjoy! It’s a cute little gift packaged
beautifully – crispy, compact and lovable! But the story is a repeat of many
others before it and the concept and journey is very similar to that of the Tamil
movie ‘Autograph’. The romances are a fleeting journey just like the butterfly
that makes appearances throughout the movie. The story is light and breezy and
it’s a perfect movie to relax, laugh and unwind!
But what worked for me is
the treatment of this simple story by the director – the scenes, shots, angles
and the totally whacky dialogues are absolutely mind-blowing and creativity
unparalleled! The cute little spoofs of past Malayalam movies that make its
appearance in the movie are also worth remembering. And coming to the real
juicy part of the movie – the Nivin Pauly factor – he is effortless in his
transition from the starry-eyed teenager to the ‘typical outcast’ college kid
and finally to the handsome real man at the end of the movie. In this digital
age and middle age (specifically for me – hehehe), Nivin makes you want to go
back to schooldays where you ogled at good looking movie stars and stuck
posters of him all over your room! He really breaks the stereotypical male
characters that Malayalam actors are mostly about – yes those were power
performances and you cannot even draw a parallel but honestly his looks and
simple treatment of characters wins your heart and you feel biased to love the
movie regardless of its flaws!
But in all fairness, the
movie would have fallen flat if it wasn’t for the absolutely brilliant
performances by the supporting cast – especially the two best friends that
support “George” in his journey and experiences and not to mention the
blockbuster performance of Renji Panicker in a cameo. And hats-off to the
director for choosing a set of unconventional heroines who look earthy, natural,
fresh and pour themselves into each role with an ease that is worth
appreciating! The review wouldn’t be complete without the special mention of the
background score – the violin piece will surely follow you as you walk out the
movie hall!
Overall, it’s an enjoyable
movie with sincere and sweet performances and some really hilarious comic
scenes that will leave you in splits. But if the expectation is for an
earth-shattering movie that will stir your soul and satiate your ‘critique’
appetite – then clearly Premam is not in that league of things. But if the
agenda is to kick off your work woes and simply immerse in a fun, frolic and
flirtatious ‘butterfly flight’ then surely Premam is first on that must-do
movie list for the week!
