MOVIE REVIEWS

Loudspeaker Review

Megastar Mammootty seems to be on a roll with his latest release "Loud Speaker" hitting the jackpot at the box office. The actor says he is "delighted" to hear positive reports about the comedy. "Of course, I am delighted to hear such reports because this film is unlike my usual films where I play the lead," Mammootty told IANS over telephone from his residence in Kochi. A devout Muslim, the actor has taken a rare day off on account of Eid. Directed by Jayaraj, the film sees Mammootty as a simpleton who helps an NRI in finding his roots. Bollywood actress Gracy Singh plays the female lead. It seems to be a favourable year for the three time National Award winning actor. His Independence Day release "Daddy Cool" too has been a box office hit and is still running to packed houses. His next venture is the much-talked about period movie "Pazhassi Raja", which is releasing Oct 2.
Everyone is becoming an island of sorts, protecting his own space without caring for others. What happens if in such a scenario a person lands oozing rustic charm and keeping the old values intact? That is what the National award-winning director Jayaraj tries to explore in his latest Malayalam film Loud Speaker starring Mammootty and Sashi Kumar (former Chairman of Asianet and the director of Kaya Tharan).
The idea may be old but the way he presents it floors us. The charm of human bonding and staying one with nature without malice towards anyone forms the crux of this film.
Mike Philipose (Mammootty), a person with a loud booming voice from the rustic hinterland lands up in an apartment building (a symbolic representation of city life) as an organ donor for an old expatriate scientist Menon (Shashi Kumar). How he changes the lifestyle of the inhabitants of that building forms the story.
The story is laced with humour. So, the underlying pathos of the situation is glazed over by it. The area of conflict initially is the sophistication of city dwellers versus the uncouth ways of a rural migrant. The tug of war between the two forms the major chunk of the first half of the film. The building being the microcosm wealthy society: a kindergarten attending children with unbridled mischief to college students who do not have the courtesy or respect, a man who tends to a dog while the wife works in a foreign country, a warring middle-aged couple who even cook their food separately, old aged parents abandoned after they have distributed their wealth among their children. These characters are portrayed well. Jagathy Sreekumar, the secretary of the housing society is the husband who tends to a German shepherd. Kalapana and Bheeman Raghu are the warring couple and Janardhanan is the anguished father, who has filed a case against his children to get back his property. And, to fill the place of a leading lady, Gracy Singh [ Images ] is cast as a nurse attending to Menon at his home.
The first half moves breezily with mirth. The second half becomes sentimentally heavy as Menon revisits his childhood, the place from where he had run away as teenager for having an illicit affair with his cousin. This part of the narrative is a bit too slow but, considering the overall package, this can be termed as a minor glitch, and can be overlooked. Mammootty excels in handling both humour and seriousness with elan. His performance in this film proves that he does not require to do kiddie stuff to establish his comic credentials. Here he shoulders the responsibility of entertaining a section of the audience while keeping the serious undercurrent intact.
Shashi Kumar as the vulnerable but sure-footed man needing urgent kidney transplant is believable. His voice modulation is soft but firm in contrast with that of Mike, showing off his exposure to the aristocratic world.
'Loudspeaker' or 'Mike Gopalan' is what they call Gopalan in his village Thopramkudy. He is such an innocent man that he cant even pass a secret without letting others to know, instead he speaks out louder even to pass a secret. This interesting character is played by Megastar Mammooty. This comedy movie Loudspeaker is directed by the brilliant director Jayaraj. Director Jayaraj and Mammooty have joined again in this film after seventeen years of their first film 'Johny Walker'. Gopalan has to be in town with the NRI Menon to help him always roams around with a transistor and keen in listening to the recent news around the world. At first hated by the neighbors but later loved because of his good and innocent character, Gopalan becomes an unavoidable character in their life. With his funny character soon he becomes the right hand to Menon. And with the help of Gopalan , Menon manages to know his past and finds his ancestral roots.
Loud Speaker has a noble theme and nice premise. Mammootty is in full form as Mike Philippose, a commoner who is in stark contrast in his nature when compared to the urbane, polished Menon. But they soon share an unlikely friendship. Shashi Kumar is perfect as Menon, who has lots to be worried about, including the painful memory of a childhood romance.
Verdict: Noble & Nice