The Rainmaker

Movie : Thirakadha
Language : Malayalam
Date : 20th Sep, 2008

Review:
Initial Thoughts
Long after I had finished watching the movie 'Thirakadha', I had this question in my mind (which was also hotly debated in this forum) about who is the hero of the movie. For a first few seconds, I felt that it was Anoop but my mind refused to rule Prithvi out. Then I felt the opposite that Prithvi is the hero but again my mind could not rule out Anoop. And while all this was going on, I felt that I should reinvent the question. After all is it that necessary to decide who the hero of a movie is?? I don't think so.

For 'Thirakadha' as a story and a film, there are 3 main characters. Akki (Prithvi),Ajayan(Anoop) and Malavika(Priya Mani) and of these 3, two are male and one is a female character. The whole point I am trying to make is, here is a movie which cuts away from the stereotype. Why can't we just live with the fact that here is a movie which has 2 so called 'heroes' and a 'heroine' without a usual triangle.Yes, I think an audience only gets a kind of movie that it deserves. And we should start to show some maturity as an audience to accept that all movies should not necessarily have only 1 final hero and 1 heroine.

Ok now to the movie, Thirakadha. Undoubtedly its the best Malayalam movie I have seen this year. I would rank it way above VOB, PMT and Madambi. I have the reasons for it.

Strengths
The first reason is a refreshing premise for a plot. Secondly the performances. Thirdly the script, screenplay and direction.The story has been widely discussed in the forum so I am not going in to it. The first half is nice and clean. I don't think it’s boring neither is it too good as well. But the second half takes the movie to a different level.The post deterioration images of Malavika are stunning, disturbing and engrossing. The back ground score is haunting and effective throughout the movie.

Director's corner
The script has a nice pace which is required for this movie. Direction is competent. Screenplay is good but i have a suggestion for Renjith. The scene in which Ajayan sees Malavika in the hospital, as he enters the camera should have taken shot of Malavika as seen by Ajayan once and then pan to Ajayan's reaction. Now, the reaction is first shown and Anoop has not done that desirably well. The same reaction has been handled well by Prthivi when he peeks in to Malavika's hospital room in Nagercoil.

Performances
Anoop as Ajayan
About the performances, first about Anoop as Ajayan, my rating as 3rd best performance in this movie. I think i didn't like him in the first half. I felt that they shud have reversed the roles. Prithvi shud have been Ajayan and Anoop shud have been Akki. May be Prithvi wanted to avoid the backlash of him imitating the superstars etc. But by the second half, I guess Anoop manages to ooze confidence. He brings the mannerisms of the 2 Ms in a very suttle manner in some shots which is good but fails at some critical scenes like the shot at the hospital discussed above. Overall good,competant and tad unexpected.

Prithvi as Akki
The 2nd best performance by a very narrow margin to Prithvi as Akki. ‘WOW’ dats the only word I have got to describe him in the movie. His performance as the writer in serach of a story is superb. His best scenes are with Anoop in his caravan and the one which he says to Samvratha that he has become the part of the story that he was seraching for and as its real life he cud not control the script of the same.Prithvi, Are you listening??And now a personal message to Prithvi. When I saw u in Nandanam, I felt that u were just a young boy. When I saw u in vellithira, I hated you. When i saw your interviews, I hated you more. I felt that here was a overconfident man who is out to dethrone my 2 personal prides (the 2 Ms, I like them immensley). But with Classmates, Chocolates and few other movies, you made me sit up and take notice. I always felt that watever it may be, Prithvi can never make the 2Ms to admire something that he has done. It can only be the reverse. But now I feel that I have been proven wrong and how!!!!!. I am happy that you are in the 20s, the same as I am.(I will grow along and see you becoming the superstar). I am happy that you will be the future of Malayalam cinema. With 'Thirakadha', you have not only put in a stupendous performance but has given more to the movie than just mere acting. For giving directors the strength to make such themes, and to stand back and take the role of the writer and not Ajayan. I salute your spirit!!!

PriyaMani as Malavika
Lastly, the best performance of the movie. Charming Seductress to a Haunting image, Priyamani delivers a knock out performance as Malavika. It’s a refreshing change from Meera Jasmine, who is sterotyped in 'Dukhaputri' roles and is screaming and shouting all around (Though I have liked some of her performances). Priyamani does a bit of overacting in some of the first half scenes but that can be granted as potraying the young age of the actress. I really don't find anything much objectionable in the movie. She is bold, vulnerable and admirable all at the same time. Tell me another Malayalam heroine (Nayanthara included) who would have done this role in 'malayalam'(not in tamil). Her dubbing is top notch (Don't know if she has done it herself). She has a haunting smile that stays with you even after the movie. When she appears first time on screen as cancer struck and the old smiling shot of hers is shown, I literally had goose bumps. What a cinematic moment!!!!

Weakness
Negatives - The music is a big letdown. None of the songs are catchy. After a lot of thinking, I guess Alphonse (coz of Big B) or even Jayachandran (coz of Akale) wud have done better for this theme. Even Laptop had better songs than this movie.And I didn't find the first night song objectionable. There are more vulgar songs in Tamil and Hindi movies which are being shown on Tv umpteen times a day. This song has been aesthetically done.And I heard in a TV interview in which Priyamani said that Prithivi had roped her in for the role saying that it’s the role of a lifetime. Prithvi's involvement in the movie much beyond his own role is quite evident in the final movie.

Audience
And finally, the icing on the cake. The audience. They were silently watching throughout the movie. There were no boos or kooval for any silent scenes,. Can you believe that?? And finally the clincher, there were claps from the audience at the end of the show. I literally I couldn’t believe whether I was watching the movie in Kerala. Many guys walking out were telling their friends that they liked it. I felt that finally we are growing out of Alibhais and Annan Thampis.

Rating - So after a long review, 4/5 and 'MUST WATCH FOR SURE' tag for Thirakadha’.

We need a change in Malayalam cinema and we need to be the torch bearers for it. So find some time and go and watch this sincere attempt to change things for the better.Watch it and applaud this effort for a change in Malayalam cinema.Remember -"An Audience only gets that cinema which it deserves". Lets cultivate the culture of better cinema.