Ithihasa Malayalam Movie
When fantasy is mixed with reality possibilities are immense. 'Ithihasa' by debutante director Binu .S is hilarious take on the lives of a few individuals who see their lives turn upside down when something bizarre happens. The surprise quotient that the film promised is its strength and weakness. It is a film that you do not expect for most parts and it is a film you very much expected for the rest.
Alby (Shine Tom Chacko) and Vikku (Balu Varghese) are two petty thieves who live their lives to the lees. They practice their craft with little remorse and then celebrate with what they earned through their hard work. But there is a sense of dissatisfaction for both of them as their aspirations of a really flashy lifestyle is beyond them. On the other end we have an IT professional Janaki (Anusree), and her friends. They earn, spend and make merry in their own manner. There is nothing that is remotely common between the thieves and these ladies. But then fate intervenes in the form of a pair of ancient rings, which is stolen from a museum. The rings make their way into the hands of Alby and Vikku, though it was not stolen by them.
Things get quirky as the magical ring starts to work its mischief. Janaki and Alby see their lives upside down and their friends are stunned. Swapping of sexes leads to all sorts of troubles. If Vikku finds the changes in Alby funny and unbelievable, Janaki's friends are absolutely stunned. A devastated Alby sees him losing his masculinity while Janaki starts exhibiting male characteristics and this sex swapping makes things get out of hand. The movie has lot of hilarious moments and the way the plot moves forward really promises something remarkable. But predictability takes over and towards the end it is a mad rush in the climax.
The movie thrives on performances and Anusree is a runaway winner among actors. She delivers a knock out performance in what is essentially a difficult role. Her stunt sequences are a revelation and the actress shows remarkable flexibility. Shine Tom Chacko does his best but not very convincing in his feminine act. Balu Varghese is superb and it is his spontaneous humour and witty one-liners that keep the movie entertaining. Rest of the cast, including Joy Mathew, Sunil Sukhada, Pradeep Kottayam, Swapna Menon and Divya are neat in their respective roles.
Aneesh Lee Ashok's script is a bold one and does show some raw imagination and is experimental. The tagline and title could be deemed as a masterstroke. Though it is not a story that no one has said as claimed, it has something in it which you haven't seen too many times. Binu.S has done a decent enough job as a debutante director.Sinoj Ayyappan's camera is routine. Stunt director Run Ravi deserves a special mention. Music and background score by Deepak Dev's are sharp enough to keep you interested.
'Ithihasa' may not surprise or leave you awestruck. It is a simple humorous tale with the infusion of a bit of fantasy.
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