Padayottam Review - Who Says Gangsters Can’t Have Fun?

Sethumadhavan

Have you ever heard of a gangster with suicidal tendency? How about a wannabe gangster who is hopelessly in love and also someone who loves to get drunk, only to pass out after a couple of rounds of drinks? Why would a man employed as a lowly peon and someone who has a family to take care of, hang around with his good for nothing friends all the time? Why would a so called fitness freak and a staunch devotee of Hanuman be the odd man out in a group of friends who are all diehard romantics? And where would you find a bunch of good natured but silly folks who care to undertake a state wide road journey just to catch hold a guy without even finding out if he’s actually back in his hometown? Well Rafeek Ibrahim’s “Padayottam” narrates a tale that revolves around a lot many such interesting characters and more.

When I first heard of the film I was immediately reminded of the 1982 multi-star cast period epic of the same name. But thankfully the comparison between the two films is restricted to the title; the new Padayottam is a gangster comedy, something that is slightly unusual of sorts. Pinku (Basil Joseph) is a youngster who has the habit of getting into trouble and is always helped by his friends Senan (Dileesh Pothan), Sree (Saiju Kurup) and Renju (Sudhi Koppa). Senan is a staunch Hanuman devotee, a sworn bachelor and a fitness freak, while Sree is married and works as a peon in a local office. Renju does odd jobs and is in love with Pinku’s sister. When Pinku gets badly hurt one day and is hospitalized, his friends get upset and decide to beat up the person responsible for the same and get him to apologize to Pinku. They soon realize that their mission would involve traveling all the way from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod and they rope in the presence of Chengal Raghu (Biju Menon), a much feared and equally respected don. How do they go about their mission and what happens from thereon is what the film is all about.

The whole film is one hilarious ride all the way and the characters are all extremely funny, vulnerable and quirky in their own ways. Imagine a dreaded don who gets tongue tied in front of his mother, who not only cares for him but also chides him at every possible point. Add to it the fact that the don faces travel sickness when he travels in a bus. And while Biju Menon as Chengal Raghu gets to portray the character with multiple shades convincingly, the writing (Arun A.R, Ajai Rahul and Sonu Surendran) ensures that the rest of the characters have also been well developed and made interesting. It also helps that though the plot by itself is wafer thin; the screenplay incorporates many interesting situations that give way to hilarious moments in the film. It’s also interesting to see the way Chengal and the others travel all the way to Kasaragod, in the process introducing us to some genuinely interesting characters and funny dialogues.

At the end of it all when it is all over, Chengal and his gang realize how futile the whole journey and the experience has been, while we as the audience can go on to laugh a lot more. What also makes the film work to a considerable extent is the absolutely remarkable star cast, ensuring some memorable performances. Directors Lijo Jose Pellissery (Britto the don in Chavakkad with a suicidal tendency), Dileesh Pothan and Basil Joseph are all fantastic. Sudhi Koppa, Saiju Kurup, Hareesh Perumanna do a lot of justice to their roles. Anu Sithara as the engineering college lecturer with a soft corner for Chengal Raghu gets very limited screen time, while Sethu Lakshmi as Lalithakkan, the mother of Chengal Raghu is a delight on screen. Biju Menon storms on screen with a with a lot of swag, only to end up feeling vulnerable and on the defensive after a while. Needless to say that he is absolutely convincing in the role and reminds us that he is so good with comedy.

Those who are probably keen about an arresting plotline and some emotional quotient in the film are perhaps better off staying away. But if you are looking forward to a fun outing at the cinemas then Padayottam has what it takes to keep you hooked all the way.

Bottomline:

Padayottam sees Rafeek Ibrahim attempt a gangster comedy and emerging successful at it. Biju Menon and the supporting cast do well to keep us completely entertained.

Rating: 3/5