There are two things to expect from a movie by Anil Radhakrishnan Menon. The movie will have a long and intriguing name. It will also feature captivating photography. Diwanjimoola Grand Prix, pronounced with x loud and not silent like the French, features both. The title piques your interest. When you come to know the movie is written by both the director and "Collector Bro" Prashanth Nair, the expectations have skyrocketed.
Diwanjimoola Grand Prix talks about several socially relevant topics. Should centuries-old tradition be re-imagined in the current social milieu? How can you channelize the energy of the youth for the greater good? In addition to these topics, the movie is littered with a subdued humorous take on several current themes through clever one-liners. All these aspects do not come as a surprise if you have seen the earlier movies of the director and if you know who Prashanth Nair is.
Diwanjimoola is a trouble spot in Thrissur district. When a new collector Sajan Joseph(Kunchacko Boban) takes up the job of the District Collector, he kicks off a new initiative to find funds for development by cleverly manipulating the politicians. His grand scheme is a dirt bike championship which inadvertently involves a quadriplegic Jithendran(Siddique), a ward member Effymol(Nyla Usha) and a whole of youngsters from Diwanjimoola.
It is a feel-good movie and tells the often told story about misfits rising up to a challenge. The movie employs seldom used techniques in storytelling. The spectators are placed right in the middle of the movie where other characters explain what is happening. On top of it, there is the homage to some of the popular Malayalam movies which were based in Thrissur by placing some of the sidekicks from these movies as the storytellers. The movie flips between the present and the past.
Despite the best efforts, the movie fails to deliver a lasting impression on us for several reasons. The first is the pace of the movie. The movie unfolds slowly. As a result, we wonder why the story has not progressed at several times during the movie. The second is the filming and editing of the races. Although there are techniques like normal speed followed by slow motion while the bikes are maneuvering the curves, unusual camera placement to give a GoPro-like effect, it becomes repetitive after a few shots. The movie boasts of a big star cast with Nyla Usha, Kunchacko Boban, Nedumudi Venu, Siddique, Vinayakan, Manikandan Pattambi and Rajeev Pillai to name a few. There is not enough time to develop these characters. For instance, Vinayakan does an impressive job as a devotional speaker, but we don't get time to enjoy his role. Why would the director choose Rajeev Pillai to play a pot-bellied cop? It may have been a challenge for Rajeev Pillai. But it makes no difference to the audience. Finally, the movie tries to give us the tour of the city of Thrissur. But coming in the wake of Angamaly Diaries, this attempt falls short. In Angamaly Diaries, the town of Angamaly becomes a character while in this movie, Thrissur just reduces to a pleasant sight.
Overall, Diwanjimoola Grand Prix is another lost opportunity to tell a socially relevant story. Wait for it on DVD.
Language: Malayalam
Genre: Drama
Rating: **
Comments
Post a Comment