Speed Track Malayalam Movie
After much delay and more than one name-change the Jayasurya-directed Dileep-starrer The Speed Track is finally here. (Jayasurya, the debutante director is the son of noted playwright and scenarist, the late S.L. Puram Sadanandan). And Dileep, who has been having a lean phase in his acting career for the past few months has reasons to be happy, because the film succeeds in entertaining the audience and keeps them glued to the screen till the very end.
The Speed Track tells a story set against the backdrop of a sports college. Arjun, who joins the college, is someone whose performance in athletics is simply amazing. Gauri, who had earlier seen him as an antagonist, gradually begins to admire him and they become very friendly. Gauri's brother Rahul too studies in the same college. Tinu Nalinakshan, another student has an eye on Gauri, and gets jealous when he sees her getting intimate with Arjun.
Arjun is a man with definite ambitions. He aims to be the individual champion in the intercollegiate sports meet to be conducted by the end of the academic year. This is very important for him as it is closely linked to the future of his younger brother Anil, himself a very talented sportsman. But Anil had been severely injured in an accident and is presently in a wheelchair. Arjun's winning the individual championship is crucial as the prize money of Rs.10 lakhs is necessary for his brother's treatment.
Gauri and Arjun gradually fall in love. Gauri, who now shares Arjun's dreams and aspirations, wishes for his victory on the tracks. But she is torn between her love for her brother Rahul and her love for Arjun, both of whom are to contest in one single item. The crisis however, is soon averted as Arjun opts out of the event. But then Tinu has some vile designs in his mind. What happens consequently lead to a very thrilling climax.
Dileep is excellent as Arjun while Gajala, who is physically right for the part of Gauri and looks good, fares just average in acting. Madhu Warrier as Rahul is good. Riyaz Khan as Tinu is his very usual self. All the other actors including Jagathy Sreekumar, Vijayaraghavan, Bindu Panicker, Salim Kumar etc have done justice to their respective roles.
The main attraction of The Speed Track is that the director, who has himself penned the story and the script, has paid much care to the packaging aspect. Comedy, romance, thrills and every other ingredient has been put in judiciously. The comic sequences do seem very similar to those we have seen in umpteen films, but they are thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.
The thrilling climax, when things are to be decided on the tracks in a crucial 4 x 200 mtrs relay, has been filmed really well. Cinematographer P. Sukumar deserves appreciation, along with director Jayasurya, for having handled this scene very brilliantly. The songs too sync with the mood and the tempo of the film. Background score by Ouseppachchan too deserves mention. To sum up, The Speed Track is a well-made film that you would enjoy watching, though it cannot in any way be called offbeat or arty.
