Given this script to make a film with a Superstar, very few would have attempted to make a try. But, Shafi the young director, has gone all out to deliver a good entertainer. The story which has series of staccato, punctuated episodes and incidents about folk living around a harbor, the film's success lies in no over stretching, which make it run through with enough meat, in flashy and racy narratives.
The film which mark the return of Mammootty into mainstream cinema after doing offbeat ventures for the last few months, is not surprisingly, greeted with celebration by this fan followers. And Shafi who very well expected this to happen has packed this film with all the masala ingredients -- comedy, action, and dance -- to make a definite hit.
Rafi-Mecartin, who has tailored the script, has gone through one that stands at a brim of causalities ala Bhargavacharitham. But this time, the director delivers everything, even the minute attempts to break into chuckles gets results, and all worked in the film's favor.
The story of the film revolves around a character Mahi (Mammootty), who goes to jail, for money, by owning, up to crimes he did not commit. As usual with the Mammootty heroes, Mahi is also an orphan, but is the sort of person who likes to act in the favor of good when the circumstances demand. He is a character who fights against injustice wherever he sees it, but never takes credit for all the superhuman efforts he makes. He beats up social nuisances in the dark without revealing his identity, thus earning him the name of Mayavi.
After freed from jail as an Independence Day reward, Mahi has much to do, the major commitment is to pay a hefty sum for the brain surgery of a friend's brother. To make it happen, Mahi agrees to take the flak for a yet-to-be committed murder, for shipping company owner and local landlord Surendran, who is in a dirty war of family feuds to eliminate his long term opponents Iyranimuttam family. Earlier he has managed to get rid of seven members of the family by creating a road accident.
Now Surendran and his gang is planning to murder the only son of Iyranimuttam Devaki, Sivasankaran, who is returning from jail on bail after being sentenced for imprisonment for the murder of Surendran's father and their driver. Into this mess arrives Mahi who agrees for an 8 lakh sum for taking the flak of Sivasankaran's murder which is to happen soon.
But things take a big turn soon after Mahi happens to see Indhu, the caretaker of Iyranimuttam family's properties and business in the harbour. Mahi once manages to save her from drowning amidst a boat accident. Realizing the sad fate of the villagers and Indhu's family, Mahi engages in fisticuffs with those who are threatening them and disturbing their lives. As Mayavi's popularity rises with each anonimous attacks, people are on the search for the real hero behind the title. The film which gives no clue for where it leads leaves the viewers engaged till the last minute. Throughout the movie, told in an episodic manner, Mahi alias Mayavi remains the link that connects all the other stories. The other characters appear, vanish and reappear as demanded by the story lines.
Shafi shines again at casting and extracting great performances from his actors. Even though Mammootty looks tired with more dark lines below his eyes, he has brought out another absorbing performance in other lighter shades. He has improved much in his comedy timings and gathers applauses all through the film with deliberate verbal 'mismatching'.
Salimkumar as Shrank, Suraj as Giri, Vijayaraghavan as Surendran and Manoj K Jayan as Balan does a decent job. Gopika impresses with a bigger role than usual and surprisingly suits perfectly with Mammootty while Lalitha, as the angry matriarch, does n
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