A lot was expected of the new Sathyan Anthikkad film ‘Ennum Eppozhum’ which featured the deadly combo of Mohanlal and Manju Warrier- the lead players and the director working together after a gap of 15 years. But Watching 'Ennum Epozhum' was like watching the India-Austrailia semi finals. From the initial confidence, to little doubts and the final disappointment, the movie went a downward spiral as it progressed. Not much has changed here from the regular Sathyan clichés, except that this time the backdrop has been changed to a city .With a half baked scripts which doesn’t propel with any direction, the only solace in the ‘very’old fashioned narratives of the movie is the performance by the lead pair and the occasional subtle humour.
The movie narrates the story of two people - Vineeth N Pillai (Mohanlal), the senior reporter of Vanitharatnam magazine, and Deepa (Manju Warrier), a socially commited family court lawyer. Vineeth , a chronic bachelor who hasn’t been into a relationship as he couldn’t find any lady who has the virtues of his mother is a lackadaisical reporter though good at his art. Vineeth's new boss Kalyani (Reenu Mathews)who is graduated from London is fed up with his negligent ways and wants to throw him out from the job.
Meanwhile Adv Deepa a single mother and lawyer, leading a humdrum everyday existence, becomes an inadvertant star as she demands a wriiten assurance from the collector for ensuring good roads, after falling from her scooter because of a pothole.. As a special article form a silver jubilee issue, Vineeth is assigned to interview Deepa, who but desists from giving one. The ensuing sequences with Vineeth following her everywhere, and Deepa's friend played by Lena mistaking his intentions and Vineeth landing in jail are quite humourous. .
The wafer thin story of the movie by Ravindran doesn’t have the stuff to pose challenges to two of the best artists of Molywood. The screenplay penned by Ranjan Pramod appear a mish- mash of may sequences of earlier films. Even the character scripted for Mohanlal has shades of his innumerable hits of the past, but doesn’t offer him a single scene to add a extra bit of effort. The discussion of marital discord which goes on in length between Farah(Lena) and Deepa and later with Vineeth appear too hollow. The monologues often made by Manju’s character towards the climax about her decision to remain a single strong women, away from her cruel husband appear as answers given by the real life persona that that the actor is , rather that the character that she portrays. The finale of the movie that deviates from the normal flow of events, as the scriptwriters could have thought more of the actor who play the roles, rather than the natural culmination of the story. There are a few fresh dialogues and the mannerisms providing a few laughs. But the content is more or less drab and it drags here and there.
And the evident deviation about Kalyanis’ sudden interest in Vineeth in the later half, his explanation as being a former boxer and the music of Rod Stewart that they love appear plastic and leads to nowhere in the film. And the character of Ranjipanikkar is ill-written for petty humour to such an extent that you cannot ever fathom in a Sathyan film..
But the only solace in the movie comes up, once again in the form of Mohanlal, who is refreshing as ever a lazy reporter who arrives late for meetings, and has the least passion for his work. He with naturality and consummate ease shoulders the movie atleast for the first two hours. And there after none could have saved it with this kind of progression. Manju Warrier does a neat job of playing the single mom advocate, but we feel it unwanted for the director to dedicate so much time and a song to prove that she is an excellent classical dancer. Lena impresses in a brief role, while Reenu and Jacob Gregory makes their presence felt. Innocent is in another of his regular roles , while actors in lesser roles doesn’t impress at all.
The technical sides are even with poor editing which retains atleast a twenty minutes which could have easily trimmed out of the two hours and thirty five minutes. The cinematography by Niel D Kunha is good , but doesn’t suit the likes of a Sathyan film. The chroma-keyed shots also appear poorly done. The songs by Vidya Sagar are good and may find space in the chart tops but the BG scores are pathetic than an average mega serial.
With a terrifying title which reminds us that Sathyan will remain the same, come what change in his technical team or script writers, this Enum Eppozhum ‘ has chances of BO survival only with the unconditioned support of family audiences. Or else, the movie will re- start another fall from grace of the director known for his close to life films.
Rating-5.5/10
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