Acha Dhin Malayalam Movie

Feature Film | 2015 | U
Critics:
Audience:
One does feel sorry to see a theme as this that had much potential going the bungled way. 'Acha Din' thus strikes us an intriguing premise that has been wasted on a lower-rung thriller drama that never brings in the bang. Seems like this good day isn't here to stay!
Jul 18, 2015 By Veeyen


Twenty years in Kerala have almost transformed Durga Prasad (Mammootty), a native of Jharkhand, into a Malayali. Durga is distraught when his heavily pregnant wife Sheetal (Manasi Sharma) is referred to a private hospital following a doctors' strike at the government hospital. A chance encounter with a mysterious man (Padmaraj Ratheesh) on the streets, leads to Durga earning some quick money. However, when he realizes that a tremendous tragedy is about to befall the city of Cochin, he springs to action and leads a one man army battle against the perpetrators of evil.


Maarthandan's 'Acha Din' is a classic instance of a fine idea having gone all wrong in implementation. It takes a while for the film to swing into momentum, and even then, it's incapable of retaining the viewers' interest despite the rapid pace at which things progress.


There are the hiccups in the script that cannot be ignored, and the take of the common man emerging as the saviour of a city is certainly not without its share of exaggeration. The script writer carries over the message from his previous film (which I liked infinitely better) and states yet again that God is with you through thick and thin.


Nothing wrong in that, but it doesn't stop there. There is a police chief who is a Christian who has rejoined duty after a short hiatus that was fruitfully spent at a retreat centre, Durga Prasad who is a Hindu, and the Azan that echoes from across a mosque as the terror plans get hampered - all of which vehemently suggest that righteousness exists across religions.


The antagonists in the film invariably lead to its collapse as well, and try as hard as they may, the three of them hardly leave an impression. Add to it some very plastic dialogues that have been attributed to them, and they falter big time, at times even unintentionally appearing like comical caricatures.


It remains that despite the very ordinary air that is built around the protagonist, the film cannot escape from lending him the traits of a super hero every now and then. They become particularly obvious in the action sequences, when Durga Prasad throws those hooligans around without a second thought.


At one hundred and eight minutes, 'Acha Din' is relatively a quick watch, but which never ventures deep into its theme. On the contrary, it almost lets out a shrug, and lets things fall into place almost by design. How else does one explain the intelligence of a terrorist who places a bomb on a Ganesha idol that is about to be submerged?


Playing Durga Prasad must have been a cake walk for Mammootty, since there is nothing spectacular that the role demands of the actor. While Manasi Sharma is strictly adequate as Sheetal, Padmaraj Ratheesh perfectly looks the part, but has to work massively on his histrionic skills.


One does feel sorry to see a theme as this that had much potential going the bungled way. 'Acha Din' thus strikes us an intriguing premise that has been wasted on a lower-rung thriller drama that never brings in the bang. Seems like this good day isn't here to stay!


Veeyen

   

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