Simhasanam Malayalam Movie
'Simhasanam' presents an unbelievable scenario before you in that Shaji Kailas has done the seemingly impossible. With no fresh script in his hands, the director seems to have shot the film with bits and pieces of his own former films, and the results are pretty disastrous.
The lord who has ruled over many a kingdom in Shaji Kailas films is here as well, and his name is Madhava Menon (Saikumar). The son who is in Mangalore, who arrives right on time, when daddy finds himself in a battle field is also right here. The name is Arjun (Prithviraj).
The opposition team is quite huge, and Kailas has randomly picked various villains from across different films. The Annapoorna Group headed by Ramanunni (Siddique) and his brother (Devan) are at the forefront, and there are several others like the local chieftain Mukundan (Jayan) who has been sidelined by the Madhava Menon impact, and his brother (Pradeep Chandran) in tow.
As if having decided that family feuds weren't enough to carry the story forward, Kailas even brings in some politics into the picture, and tells us the travails of a coalition ministry, that might topple down any moment. There is also a Bishop (Thilakan) who is quite pally with Madhava Menon, who drops in to lend advice every now and then.
Priya Raman is back in Malayalam films as well. It's just that she has taken the form of Nanda (Aishawarya Devan), Arjun's college mate from Bangalore who asks the village belle Lechu (Vandana Menon) if she is the housemaid! Now we haven't seen that anywhere else, have we?
Lechu herself belongs to an almost extinct species of women, who runs through the midst of an almost equally extinct paddy field in the morning with a flower basket in her hands! The rest of the time, she is seen pushing pillows into pillow covers, laying out lunch or watering plants. She still is better off than the women at the villains' den who remain out of focus even on camera!
There is indeed a surprise packet in this film, which is Prithviraj. And the surprising question is, why on earth is Prithvi a part of this atrocious film!!? There is absolutely nothing for Prithvi to do in 'Simhasanam', which should be, without doubt, one of the most major disappointments from the actor in recent times.
Half way through the film, on seeing Madhavan's entire entourage coming up his driveway, Ramanunni sighs and shakes his head! "The same old story...," he mutters. Yes Sir, we are all in agreement with you there! It's the very same old story, and it bores us to death.
