Oru Yamandan PremaKadha Review - A fun ride that struggles to incorporate drama

Suhansid Srikanth

In many ways, Dulquer Salmaan's new film 'Oru Yamandan Premakadha' is a twin to his cult hit 'Charlie'. Both films feature Dulquer in a free-spirited, good at heart characters. Both films have the people around them adoring him for the human he is. If the former is about Tessa routing to meet Charlie.. here it is reversed that Lallu is trying to find the girl (Diya) he finally has a spark to fall in love with.

The film is a laugh riot with slapstick and visual comedy blurping all over. There are delightful characters that stamp a flavour to the scenes. A painting contractor who struggles with his dumbo team.. A blind man (played brilliantly by Vishnu Unnikrishnan) who sings along with his father in screechy voices.. Two good for nothing fellas who is in some sort of commitment to never work in their life.. A tea shop owner who refuses to get money from his customers just because he don't know how to calculate.. To top it.. there is Soubin! The result is a rollercoaster of humour and cracking fun all over the place!

Dulquer Salmaan does look slightly uncomfortable in playing a massy role or in dance and theatre erupting action sequences! But he is at his best when it comes to be this normal human who cares for the people around him. Take the scene where he talks with his blind friend about his desires.. He really brushes away the chunk load of melodrama with an uber cool smile and swag.

The film does hold its share of drama and melodrama. A whistle that DQ gifts to his younger brother (Arun Kurian, plays Pappi - a counter opposite of the exuberantly extroverted Dulquer's Lallu) gets used as a lifesaving device later. There is a serene moment involving both the brothers where Pappi wonders about the joy that Lallu could squeeze out of every moment in his life. The film really breathes life in such spaces every now and then.

I loved how the plum fruit stain over a car evokes a dialogue from the girl who has a long term crush on Lallu.. 'You have been searching for plums all over the world.. while it was right here!'. I would have felt much contempted had Dulquer called off that girl's marriage and married her after everything. But the film ends as a result of a much massier (/messier) second half connecting weird bookmark cosmic connections.

The story does really kicks off only near the interval when he finally finds a girl he can fall in love with. Hence you barely feel for the events that happens much later to the girl. The relationship or this very love angle falls flatter as there is nothing emotional on it to hold onto. An off note antagonist character is a terrific letdown. The back story that never comes up except for echoing voiceovers only complicate the narration.

Despite a conventional, all over the place background score.. Nadirshah's soundtrack works like a charm. So is Sukumar and JohnKutty doing what it requires with respect to cinematography and editing. Suraj Venjaramoodu, who plays Diya's father gives an affecting performance and leaves you choked with the minimal screen space he has!

Bottomline: Malayalam Cinema really strikes gold when it comes to blending this naive comedy in a mainstream entertainer film. Theevandi.. Njan Prakashan.. And now this film, is a testimony to the fact that a star film can still be made with full of heart.

Rating : 3/5