Ennum Eppozhum Malayalam Movie
In Sathyan Anthikad's new film 'Ennum Epozhum', Mohanlal plays Vineeth N Pillai, a senior correspondent with a leading women's magazine, Vanitha Ratnam. When a lady lawyer Deepa (Manju Warrier) makes it to the news headlines by putting up a protest against the rutted roads in the city, Vineeth is asked by his editor Kalyani (Reenu Mathews) to do a cover story on her. But with Deepa not interested in publicity, Vineeth starts following her around, much to her chagrin.
A chase after nothing that lasts for one hundred and forty minutes best describes 'Ennum Epozhum' which however has the Sathyan Anthikad brand all over it, brimming as it does with virtuousness. There is the guardian angel neighbour (Innocent) and his wife for instance, who hover over Deepa 24x7, seeing to it that no harm befells her, despite her insisting time and again through her actions and deeds that she has in it her to be a successful single mom.
Talking of marriages, there are a couple of them lying shattered all around, and while the protagonist in Sathyan's 'Katha Thudarunnu' was widowed, Deepa talks of a devil who was once her husband. Post divorce, she has moved on, but talks of him with such terror that suggests a demon of a man, who is still hell bent on making her life bitter with his spite.
Its a coincidence perhaps that he is named Rajeev, but one is indeed reminded of the indifferent husband in 'How Old Are You' who was named Rajeev as well. Deepa is no Nirupama however, and is enraged at her ex-husband and his wily ploys. She states vociferously that he has succeeded in distancing her from everyone and that she has never been able to prove the truth to the world.
The discussion on marital discord does not end there either. Farah (Lena), business woman and Deepa's best friend, talks of her husband having discovered a new friend, which has sounded the death knell in their relationship. These men however remain behind the curtains, never making an appearance, and instead abhorring us with their invisible deeds.
It's an utter misfortune that Sathyan Anthikad comes up with nothing more than a maudlin rehash of his own innumerable films in 'Ennum Epozhum', despite having two of the best actors in Malayalam at his disposal. Which is why I wouldn't blame the fellow viewer who popped the question, if there was a story somewhere in there, or if he had missed it by any chance.
An array of characters merely move about in Ranjan Pramod's script that lacks the chutzpah of a memorable film. There is this glaring digression that involves Kalyani and Vineeth that is left in the lurch, despite singers like Rod Stewart being brought into the picture. And there is another one that involves an underworld don (Renji Panicker), that is best left uncommented on.
It's refreshing to see Mohanlal play a character sans any frills, and Vineeth N Pillai is safe in the elegant actor's hands. Manju Warrier carries over the freshness from her comeback film into 'Ennum Epozhum' as well, and does a neat job of playing the single mom advocate. Lena impresses in a brief role, while Reenu makes her presence felt.
At the end of it all, when one looks back at it, the title of the film sounds the scariest. Is it a forewarning by any chance, that prospective Sathyan Anthikad films will forever (Ennum Epozhum) remain within a redone-to-death mould?
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