While it remains that both Anoop Sathyan – debutante director – and Dulquer Salman – debutante producer – choose to play the safe game with their film ‘Varane Avashyamundu’, it cannot be denied that they have stuffed the film with moments aplenty that will have the family audiences asking for more.
While it remains that both Anoop Sathyan – debutante director – and Dulquer Salman – debutante producer – choose to play the safe game with their film ‘Varane Avashyamundu’, it cannot be denied that they have stuffed the film with moments aplenty that will have the family audiences asking for more.
This is familiar territory, and an extremely recognizable one at that, which Anoop Sathyan treads on, and his script has very little in it that we haven’t watched at some point of time. Granted that he does make Neena (Shobana) utter some delicious sounding French, before establishing that she’s a single mother with a penchant for, you guessed it right, classical dance.
Her daughter Nikhita (Kalyani Priyadarshan) has taken it upon herself what seems like a laborious task of identifying the man she would like to marry, from among a throng of profiles on a matrimonial site. She has had very little luck as yet, and does not predictably credit Bibeesh (Dulquer Salman) with even as much as a second look.
Bibeesh, is a new tenant who has moved into the apartment complex, and so is the Captain (SureshGopi), a loner who is quick to earn a reputation for himself. It doesn’t take long for Neena to bump into the Captain, and while she kneels down to pick up the coins that have fallen all over the floor from the Captain’s purse, ‘Varane Avashyamundu’ ascertains that those base stones are all in place.
Thereafter, it is all laid out as we had expected it to be, and there are very few surprises in store. But here is what makes ‘Varane Avashyamundu’ an easy watch, despite all its limitations. For one, the fan boy that Anoop Sathyan unashamedly proclaims himself to be through the film, is who makes this otherwise very regular script spring to life on several occasions.
Anoop hasn’t cast Shobana and Suresh Gopi in the film without a reason, and there are several instances when it brings a ready smile to our lips. Those innumerable references to the actors they have been and to their illustrious careers and the very casual manner in which they have been blended right into the story that is downright clear-cut is what renders ‘Varane Avashyamundu’ a cut above the rest.
Anoop doesn’t think twice before making a Swiggy delivery boy admit hushedly that Neena is commendably beautiful, nor does he hesitate before making Suresh Gopi go for those legendary dance steps in ‘Chukkan’ yet again. We also have ‘Vaishaka Sandhye..’ and ‘Yamune Ninnude Nenjil..’ playing in the background in separate scenes, while in another a madcap psychiatrist (Johny Antony) grabs a gift and hollers ‘Enikkithu Venam, Njan Ithingu Edukkuva..’ even as Suresh Gopi watches on with amusement.
Coming to performances, we have a laudable act from Kalyani, who very easily proves that she has got it in her. And of course, the pair that we have all been on the look out for – Shobana and Suresh Gopi – retain their charm, and how! And there is a super duper feat from Dulquer himself, who is as adorable as ever. There are also noteworthy performances from actors as Urvasi, Johny Antony, KPAC Lalitha, Lalu Alex and the like.
It has to be handed out to Anoop Sathyan, that he has achieved what seems almost impossible – that of churning out a safe watch – with the kind of story that he has armed himself with. I wouldn’t even be surprised if this one turns out to be a decent hit, because Anoop Sathyan has come up with a pleasant tribute not just to the genre of rom-coms, but also to the renowned actors who star in it.
Verdict: Breezy Watch