Kerala Police Malayalam Movie
Kalabhavan Mani has after a long time got a film that could prove to be a hit. In Kerala Police director Chandrashekharan has managed to elicit from Mani a performance that suits his acting capabilities, while making the film watchable on the whole. The film is not extraordinary in any sense, but it is much better than most of Kalabhavan Mani films of recent times.
Kerala Police tells the story of an honest and upright police officer named Satyanathan, who is ridiculed and sidelined by his own colleagues in the police force, just because he comes from a backward class in the society. Even Mukunda Verma, who is just another Circle Inspector like Satyanathan, doesn't spare any occasion to make insulting remarks. However, Satyanathan has an ally in Philip Tharakan, the kindly Superintendent of Police.
In the meantime the dead body of freelance photographer Vimal Roy is found in a tile factory. Though others in the police force want to dismiss it as a suicide, Satyanathan believes that it is a case of homicide takes it upon himself to go into the depths of the case. His investigations lead him to film actress Sanjana, whom he questions as part of the investigation. As the story unfurls he learns that Sanjana was Leelamma earlier and used to live in Goa. She had known Vimal Roy. Sanjana, after relating her past, admits to killing Vimal Roy.
Satyanathan however, is not convinced and draws his own inferences. He believes that someone else was the killer. By then a lady officer from the CBI named Nandini, is brought in to investigate the case, and Satyanathan is again sidelined. Satyanathan goes on leave and carries on the investigation on a personal level, while Nandini does the investigation at the official level.
Kalabhavan Mani shines as Satyanathan, while Lakshmi Sharma puts in just an average performance as Sanjana. Bijukuttan, who plays the role of a constable named Balram, who assists Satyanathan, provides enough of comic relief. Swarnamallya cuts a sorry figure as Nandini and seems to be uncomfortable with the language itself. Innocent is a let-down as Philip Tharakan and falters in sequences where he has to deliver dialogues in English. Madhu Warrier is good as Kiran, an actor. Suraaj Venjaramoodu, who appears in a couple of scenes as a film producer, succeeds in doing what is expected of him, i.e., send the audience into fits of laughter. Baiju is his very usual self as Mukunda Verma.
The main highlight of the film is the script, which is far better when compared to usual Kalabhavan Mani-starrers. The scenarist as well as the director deserves to be appreciated for taking total control over the subject and also for having used Kalabhavan Mani with a complete understanding of his capabilities as well as his weak-points. Technical aspects are just average, and one feels that if the film had a bit more of pace it would have been a lot better.
But still the film is worth a watch and stands out as one of those rare Kalabhavan Mani-starrers sans the usual Kalabhavan Mani-rendered song, which has become redundantly boring these days. Just go and enjoy viewing this investigation drama, if you are in the mood of viewing a comparatively well-made Kalabhavan Mani-movie. But beware; don't even think of going to this movie if you expect something more out of a Kalabhavan Mani action flick.
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