Soumya Sadanandan’s film feature debut is majorly marred by some bland writing that fails to hold itself all together. Which is why, ‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ strikes you as a vehicle with a flat tyre that is quite unlikely to make a move across viewer hearts.
Somehow films that take celebrated song lyrics for their titles tag along with them a forewarning that they are likely to run pretty low when it comes to originality. Soumya Sadanandan’s ‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ is no exception, does not restrict the borrowing to the title alone and liberally sponges from all around, and comes up with a trite film that hardly leaves a mark.
It’s an ‘ornamental’ issue that creates a rift between Roy (Kunchacko Boban) and Clara (Nimisha Sajayan), a newly married couple who discovers the hard way, that in life money truly matters. Jobless, Roy turns into a bundle of insecurities, and the split between the two widens even further with signs of a reconciliation far from sight.
‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ keeps reminding you of umpteen films of the 90’s that dwelled on similar plots; the tale of the insecure husband and the affluent wife, some of which had even gone on to become blockbusters. But that seems so far away, and in 2018 there is hardly anything in ‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ that would keep you focused on the screen.
On second thoughts, perhaps there is Hareesh Kanaran and his characteristic retorts that serve as the occasional breathers, though he can hardly recover the film from the mediocrity that it is hell bent on celebrating. But granted that there is indeed a smile here and there that comes solely on account of this actor and his amiable performance.
It’s a super thin screenplay that ruins all the fun in ‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’; one which makes zero attempts to create a relatable experience for the viewer. Nearly everything that the characters do in it has been experienced before, and as the story progresses ahead, the originality takes a further plunge.
‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ also scores low on the entertainment quotient, and you need to live with the lack of emotional appeal in it. The fact that there have been much better made movies on similar themes does not help either, and with several dialogues in the film ringing all false, it’s a soggy clutter altogether.
This isn’t the romantic comedy that we are hoping for, and ‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ despite having two extremely dependable performers, falters in more ways than one. It’s not just the deadening experience that is a major issue here; it’s also its sheer lack of intent to craft something out of the ordinary.
This is a let-down of a choice that Kunchacko Boban has made and ‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ has a script that offers nothing to the actor in him. As for Nimisha, this is a drop down as well after ‘Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum’ and ‘Eeda’ and a far cry from the memorable roles that we have seen her in till date.
Soumya Sadanandan’s film feature debut is majorly marred by some bland writing that fails to hold itself all together. Which is why, ‘Mangalyam Thanthunanena’ strikes you as a vehicle with a flat tyre that is quite unlikely to make a move across viewer hearts.
Verdict: Disappointing