Geethanjali Malayalam Movie
Folks, the culprit in 'Geethanjali' is Nakulan (Suresh Gopi). Before you bawl that I have let out a spoiler, let me assure you that he has nothing to do with the story. But the man is instrumental in dragging Dr. Sunny (Mohanlal) all the way to Arackal Tharavadu from Machu Picchu, where he has peacefully been roaming around - an offence that in no way can be pardoned.
Dr. Sunny, we presume, must have had quite a few rendezvous with spirits, ever since he had brought Nagavalli to book, a few years back. He does look a bit different, but the verve and vigor seem all in tact.
Coming back to 'Geethanjali, we have Anoop (Nishan) in place of Nakulan, as the distraught youngster who has fallen in love with Anjali (Keerthi Suresh). The girl on her part, looks beautiful, but sees an apparition all around her, which is reason enough for the people around her to conclude that she has gone nuts.
It's here that Nakulan, a friend of Anoop's, offers to find out where Dr. Sunny is, and he soon arrives on a raining night, in true Sunny style. He still seems a bit of an oddball, and gets down to his business in no time.
'Geethanjali' falters big time, since the first half is wholly dedicated to building up the scares. The mystery of the ghost who passes by in a flash is there, and it happens ever so often that you wonder if the ghost never has some time to itself. It's everywhere, at the bath tub, on the seashore, on the ceiling fan, over the piano. Phew!
Arackal mansion, where the ghost has been having a gala time seems to be located at a place that is geographically unique. There is a shot of the couple driving through a rubber estate just before they reach the manor. There are dialogues galore that suggest that the rambling house is right at the top of a hill. And yet, the windows of the dwelling open right on to the sea!
Very rarely does the film rise above the conventions of a horror film that seem to be stuck on its back like a duct tape. Which is why, it does not succeed in shocking or terrorizing you. Instead, you keep thinking of where you have seen that shocker before.
The biggest disappointment is of course the climax, that follows a limping latter half, that could only be watched in dismay. Everything and everyone looks like having undergone some severe turmoil, and the acting as well as the dialogues go wholly overboard.
Keerthi does make an impressive debut, and her feat has no traces of a debutante actress. Nishan and Swapna Menon lend ample support. It's wonderful to see Mohanlal playing that character whom we simply love, and yes, Innocent is amazing as well.
And yet, no amount of incredible performances or stunning cinematography by Thiru can save 'Geethanjali' from collapsing into another cluttered film that bites the dust. The best thing would have been to let Dr. Sunny stay back at Machu Picchu. He simply deserved much better than this mishmash of a mystery to solve.
Insuppressible PS: 'Charulatha' of all films for Dr. Sunny to make a comeback?? How could one even think of doing this to him?!