Film- Vallavanukkum Vallavan
Director- Vijay Tesingu
Cast- Bobby Simha, Karunakaran, Sshivadha, Pooja Devariya, Anandraj, Napoleon, Munnar Ramesh, Sangili Murugan, Gajaraj.
The plot tracks the life of two conmen obsessed with money, and their con acts as they encounter various quirky characters on their journey. The film released after lying in the cans for about six years may not give a stale feel. But it has a script which is weakly etched, the screenplay taking a downslide as the story telling progresses.
The opening scene depicts the duo (Simha, Karunakaran) posing as cops to con a thug into parting with his money. This is followed by Simha’s seduction act as a fake Godman. Fairly interesting ‘catch me if you can’ moments, they delude one into believing that more such fun and amusing sequences would follow. But as newer characters are introduced and further situations unfold, the scenario slides into mediocrity.
Simha (his home production) sports various disguises and revels in his impersonations. He appears as a cop, a fake Godman, a folk artist and as Che Guevara, the latter to con an aged amnesiac communist fighter, an admirer of the Cuban revolutionary (Sangili Murugan). Simha even appears as a ghost of Vasco da Gama, with Karunakaran playing the grandson. While some of the acts work, the other disguises remain at the level of a fancy dress competition. Also, shifting stands between being a man obsessed with money for the sheer pleasure of acquiring it, and vague references to his being a Robinhood of sorts, the ambiguity in the character makes Simha’s whole exercise a futile one. Sshivadha and Pooja as the women involved with the conmen and their acts, put up feisty performances. And Napoleon’s corrupt politician and Anandraj’s unscrupulous cop too try hard to amuse. But are let down by a lacklustre script.
Lacking punch and fizz ‘Vallavanukkum Vallavan’ works in parts, the engaging moments very few and far between.
Malini Mannath
Malini Mannath 