Rasam Malayalam Movie

Feature Film | 2015
Critics:
Audience:
'Rasam' dabbles with a done and redone recipe that has nowhere fascinating to go, and has the smell of a dud lingering all over it.
Jan 25, 2015 By Veeyen


The best moment of Rajeev Nath's 'Rasam' comes at the very end of the film, when you get to see Mohanlal pour some Payasam on to a neatly laid out plantain leaf, and scoop it up with his fingers much to the amusement of a couple of Arab men sitting nearby. It is this unaffectedness that the rest of the film lacks, which makes it a watchfully cooked dish that has gone all cold.


Celebrated chef Valliyottu Thirumeni (Nedumudi Venu) is surprised to find none other than Megastar Mohanlal at his door step one fine morning, accompanied by Menon (Devan) a business tycoon from Doha. Apparently Menon's daughter Janaki (Varuna Shetty) is getting married, and Mohanlal requests Thirumeni to travel to Doha to bless the wedding with the sumptuous Sadya that he is renowned for.



After a bit of coaxing, Thirumeni does agree to travel abroad, and instructs his son Bala Shankar (Indrajith Sukumaran) and his assistant Nair (Nandu) to make the necessary arrangements. On reaching Doha, Bala Shankar discovers that Janaki is engaged to a womanizer (Nihal Pillai) and seeks Mohanlal's assistance to save the girl from an impending disaster.


After the initial half an hour when Thirumeni dwells on what makes a Sadya more than perfect, the film shifts gears to Doha, where Bala Shankar takes over the reins of the tale. From here on, it is a steep dive downward, and the more the script strives to sound profound, the less effective it turns out to be.


As the film draws to a close, we do realize that it's an age old tale that we have been listening to all the while, with some Sambar, Sambharam and Rasam served as accompaniments. It's a very conventional climax that it leads to as well, and when the credits start rolling, you tell yourself that you knew all about it anyway.


There are a couple of songs in 'Rasam' that act as nothing but speed breakers and another one that employs some embarrassing graphics. It's not just that they look and sound totally out of place; they even serve to severe off the little emotional attachment that you have been frantically trying to build up with the plot.


It's very unlikely that you will feel for any of these characters in 'Rasam', and with no romance in the air, when an unlikely couple takes the plunge, it seems even more enforced. There is no surprise element to it however, and you may forlornly wonder as to how it all got this way.


'Rasam' is by no means a Mohanlal film, though it should be admitted that he is the only good thing about it. Mohanlal, playing himself is remarkably at ease, and even when forced to take up the role of a narrator whose lines sound all messed up, does maintain a dignified stance. Indrajith isn't offered an earth shattering role, and does an adequate job as Bala Shankar while Varuna Shetty looks and sounds a bit out of sync. Nedumudi Venu is all impressive as Valliyottu Thirumeni, even as Nandu puts up an inflated act.


'Rasam' dabbles with a done and redone recipe that has nowhere fascinating to go, and has the smell of a dud lingering all over it. Adding little novelty of its own, it ends up being a pointless cuisine exercise where nothing innovative is either cooked or served.


Veeyen

   

MOVIE REVIEWS