‘Al Mallu’ would be another mediocre entry into the genre of films that has every intention to take upon grave issues related to women, but end up fooling themselves. By the time it’s over, neither the film nor the subject that it had concerned itself with remains in your memory, and all that you are left thinking about is how the film had hit the bottom.
Namitha Pramod strikes you as an actor who has probably never got her due in films, and Boban Samuel’s ‘Al Mallu’ finally looks like a flick which could make a difference. Despite the best of Namitha’s efforts however, ‘Al Mallu’ is a dampener that appears stretched way beyond its acceptable running time of just above a couple of hours.
Namitha plays Nayana in the film, a Malayali girl who has found a professional space for herself in the Middle East, where she believes she has discovered love and soon realizes that she had simply been taken for a royal ride. Recovering from a disastrous relationship that leaves her little relief, Nayana grapples with her shredded life until she hears that a friend had taken her own life and the culprit behind it is the man whom she had once hoped to spend the rest of her life with.
This is without doubt a very pertinent issue that the film dwells on, and with a script that had got its game right, this could have been a different film altogether. This is sadly not the case with ‘Al Mallu’ and there are several digressions in it that strike you as odd, and several characters that are brought in that merely add to the crowd.
The urban backdrop of the story set in the Middle East contributes little to it, and perhaps the only significance that it has would be adding to its visual value. This is a story that could have taken place anywhere though, and it would perhaps make the least difference if it were to take place in Connecticut or Cochin.
This is a script that plods through a series of non-happenings so much so that you eventually lose interest in the story that it tells and the lead characters in it. There is a lethargy that is evident throughout, and it is this blandness that drags the film down with it, with the nuances that these characters so rightfully need to have visible nowhere in sight.
‘Al Mallu’ would be another mediocre entry into the genre of films that has every intention to take upon grave issues related to women, but end up fooling themselves. By the time it’s over, neither the film nor the subject that it had concerned itself with remains in your memory, and all that you are left thinking about is how the film had hit the bottom.
The performances, especially from the women actors are top-notch and Namitha and Mia George give it their very best. There are also notable feats from actors as Anoop Majeed, Siddique and Lal, while Dharmajan brings in a few light hearted moments. There is also a fresh face in store – Fariz – who appears a bit too uncomfortable in front of the camera, and with an act that comes across as a bit too strained.
All said and done, the only bit where the film does retain a mystery is in its title, that should have many a head cocked up in anticipation. I couldn’t for the life of me comprehend its connotation apart from its uniqueness and I would be grateful if someone who has got it figured out would let me know about it.
Verdict: Tiresome Drama