Mr. Marumakan Review

After the big hits from Dileep like `Karyasthan' and `MayaMohini', film critics seems to have developed a fear in rating the commercial prospects of Dileep flicks. Even the ones that they wrote off as duds, managed to keep the Box Office happy , with families pouring in to laugh out to the inane sequences and forced wits. Adding to this list is his latest `Mr Marumakan', another scripts from Sibi K Thomas-Udhay Krishna. A loud, larger-than-life and formulaic stuff, `Mr Marumakan' is packed with every favorite formula of the scriptwriters starting from confusion dramas to blown up twists and surprising coincidences. For those who relish the regular stuffs from Dileep  camp, this movie at almost three hours  is more than an `Onasadhya' , while for others it is as usual, the unbelievable stuff that goes well with the masses.

Dileep is a law graduate named  Ashokraj here, who has rechristened himself as Chakravarthy (Dileep), to give himself a focus for  becoming a famous person. More involved in the running of the Bharatha kalakshethram, the drama troupe owned by his family, Ashok is more seen as an actor on stage than on courts. His brother Baburaj (Biju Menon) who studied abroad is currently in financial troubles, as the apparel factory that he started is not functioning due to staff strikes. An as a result the family is also facing financial troubles. Failing to repay a big loan has landed them into troubles with the bank appointing an ombudsman Balasubrahmanaian (Bhagyaraj),  to confiscate their property for the bank.

But the Ombudsman, as you expect, is an old friend of Ashok's father(Nedumudi Venu), which also remind Ashok about his childhood pal RajaLekshmy, who is Ombudsman's daughter. Now the only heir of multi crore Raja groups of concerns, Ashok sets off to find her and woo her.  Raja Lakshmi(Sanusha) is found to be a reckless, and arrogant young lady, pampered by her equally arrogant mother (Khushboo) and grand mother Raja Kokila (Sheela). What follows is  the tricky settings laid by Ashok to tame each of them and to teach them the power of manhood.

Inspired from films like `Jamairaja' and `Ay hero' , this Marukakan is over the top as far as everything in it is concerned- From the acting of the lead stars to the extravagant homes, ritzy cars, low brow humor, double entrees, dramatic sequences, settings of songs, and heavy art direction, everything appear plastic and done in excess.

In another case of `hero rules supreme' film, Dileep is in full form in what all things he knows best , dancing all the way for the six songs,  loading comedies back to back and even taking on six to eight men in a row for that forced fight sequences. Sanusha in her first heroine avatar is ok while Khushboo is watchable in her tough role of the arrogant taskmaster. Baburaj , Suraj and Salimkumar miserably tries to create some fun while the rest of the ensemble cast play to their roles. The suspense and twists are indeed appalling. P. Sukumar's visuals are just OK while Suresh Peters' songs have punchy beats but no soul.

On the whole, Mr Marumakan is overly loaded with typical masala that may appeal to the fans of `JanapriyaNayakan'. For Families too `the movie may appeal in parts.  But it remains to be seen how much time Dileep will be able to gain approval repeating his trademarks, before trying to reinvent the actor in him with inspiring, experimental projects.

Rating 6/10