Pranayakalam Malayalam Movie
Debutante director Uday Ananthan's Pranayakaalam is a simple love story, beautifully narrated and delicately handled by the writer as well as the director, but at the same time it is a film that will most likely fail to attract the crowd.
With story and screenplay by the director himself and dialogues penned by K. Gireesh Kumar, Pranayakaalam tells the love story of young Renjith and Maria, who meet accidentally and eventually fall in love. The first time Renjith sees Maria, he is attracted to her and feels she is his girl. He follows Maria and eventually she too begins to take note of his presence.
Renjith's father Balagopal is well employed in the Gulf and his family is well settled. Renjith's mother Rajani and his younger brother Arjun are the other members of the family. When the story begins Balagopal is back home on vacation and is set to go back to the Gulf. The father and son share a very friendly bond, with both of them respecting each other and each other's individuality.
Maria's father Varghese is an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police and is rather money minded and harsh towards his son Deepu, who is studying. Varghese hasn't talked to his wife Anna for years, though the whole family lives in one and the same house. Considering the circumstances at her home, Maria is not interested in encouraging Renjith and even flatly tells him that she is not interested in being in love with anyone. But she too realizes later that Renjith has occupied a place in her heart and it is not that easy to reject or avoid him. Thus begins their love story.
Very soon Renjith starts visiting her at night. The lovers are one day found out by the hot-tempered Varghese. Though Renjith manages to escape from there, Varghese picks him up and his subordinate policemen give him a good thrashing in the lockup. Varghese also sends some goons to Renjith's house and threatens Renjith's mother and brother. (His father had gone back to the Gulf). On knowing about this, Balagopal comes back and what follows forms the rest of the plot.
There is nothing outstanding about the story, and it may seem like umpteen love-stories narrated on celluloid before. But the way the story is presented and the way the actors are handled and the messages that the writers and the director try to convey by means of the story make the film stand out. The narration is simple, and the flow is like that of a crystal clear stream, with excellently shot songs being put in at the right moments and with rather good performances by the main artists.
Ajmal Ameer, the debutante hero playing the role of Renjith is cute and not at all like our usual Malayalam film heroes. He resembles faces that we see in music videos. For a debutante, he has handled his role with style and is no doubt a welcome change for those who love to see new faces in Malayalam cinema. Vimala Raman, who plays Maria, handles her role commendably.
Murali as Varghese is spellbinding, while Balachandra Menon as Balagopalan too is good. Thilakan as Renjith's grandfather does full justice to his role. Lekshmi Ramakrishnan, who had earlier delivered a good performance in Chakkaramuththu is good as Rajani, Renjith's mother, while Seema as Maria's mother Anna suits her role perfectly well. Madhu Warrier as Renjith's friend Ananthan is also good.
Regarding technical aspects, cinematography by Jibu Jacob and Lokanathan, editing by L. Bhoominathan and art-direction by Gokul Das are in tune with the theme and are excellently handled. Of the songs, "Oru venalpuzhayil thelineeril…" is the pick of the lot, being melodiously rendered and excellently visualized. The other songs too are good. The 'keerthana' beginning "Thulasi…" too deserves mention.
The narration is such that all aspects of romantic love, including the practical aspects have been discussed. The film makes us think from the angle of the lovers as well as from the angle of the parents and others.
