In the line of expectations and as per the claims made, ‘Homely Meals’ succeeds as a film that engages you in all counts. Presenting a extensively different satire that works big time, the movie with a backdrop of life, egos and ugly plays in the mini screen industry is a fine one-time watch and above ordinary meal for cinephiles with genuine appetite for differently made films.
A ‘normally’ not so appealing hero material in Vipin Atlee is cast as Allen Mathew in the film, a young cinephile who is trying his ways to be in the show business. An youth who is carried away by the meticulous precision of quality films he watch every week, Allen can live a fortnight just swallowing the feel of music put in by A R Rahman or the cinematographic appeal of Ravi K Chandran in ‘Kannathil Muthamittal’. An I T I certificate holder, he had tried his luck to learn photography and video making but with no big results. With a lot of interesting concepts for TV in his head, Allen is trying to make himself heard. One of his old companion, Sajith who is working in a TV Channel as editor offers him a big programme in Grace T V Channel run by Christian priests. Sajith shoots the programme titled as ‘Homey Meals’.
with Allen in the screens but later reshoot with himself and presents it to channel chairman Fr Dixon Poduthas(?)(Nedumudi Venu) as one conceptualised and directed by him. Allen is shattered and returns to his IT I Profession following the pressure from his family. But Allen’s close friend in the channel(Shrind Ashab), a news reader asks him to come out and chase his dream. The new head of Grace channel Sharath Chandran realises that Allen is behind Homely Meals and enters into an agreement with him to shoot it for the continuing episodes. But little did Allen realise that it was another ploy that was meant to devastate him. Luck comes to Allen in the form of a goonda gang from Palaraivattam, lead by Mosappan(Rajesh Sharma), who accidentally becomes part of Allen’s gang in programme production. All in his team from Lalan, to Arun, Bachu, D,cruz, and Praveen is soon to have a definite role in programme that is soon to hit big TRP ratings.
Mustered by hilarious scenes and quality satire, ‘Homely Meals’ has plenty of pros that doesn’t make you look into your watch in the screen time of two hours and fifty minutes. From an average start, the movie picks up in another half an hour and is hilarious best towards the interval. Starting from a refreshing cast, from the loads of homework done that is visible in each of the scenes, director Anoop Kannan also makes a good comeback from the eminently forgettable debut in ‘Jawan of Vellimala’.
Vipin Atlee excels in his debut screen performance and looks fit for the role that doesn’t want the looks of a conventional hero. Vipin's mimicking qualities(Kamalhassan) to his make overs are all impressive and speaks in tons about the talent in him. His script is more finer with satirical gags aimed at media celebrities whom a regular viewer can identify. His long experience in the similar TV channel seems to have outlined each of the characters in the fray ranging from Fr. Dixon Poduthas, editor Basil and Channel head Sharath Chandran. Each of the actors including Manoj K Jayan, Neeraj Madhav to Nedumudi Venu and the bunch of freshers like Rajesh Sharma and Basil appear effective in their roles.The songs by Sartaj suits the movie while the technical sides are also fine.
In the downside, the movie is a little longer and could be trimmed by twenty minutes. The second half has some melodrama that drags a bit, for a viewer who doesn't like fresh faces and experiments. Also the comedy attempts in the TV programs are those made popular by Vipin himself, which when repeated here feels inappropriate. The climax is also an average fare considering the heights the movie has reached in its midway.
Homely meals’, as mentioned in the movie is one film that packs in a lot of different cuisines of variety tastes that is sure to make you want for more. A fine prescription for the weekend outing.
Rating -6.75/10
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