Lonappante Mamodisa Malayalam Movie
Filmmaker Leo Thaddeus applies a deft touch to transform this seemingly ordinary tale to become an out-of-the-box theme. The element of 'self-analysis' is carved from the routine family drama specimen to proclaim its difference both in Leo's writing and execution. Set in a village in Thrissur, a glance through the initial scenes of 'Lonappante Mamodisa' evokes dejà vu of a banal tale of sacrifice by the protagonist; albeit the content has attained a different angle. He has the responsibility of looking after three unmarried sisters after the death of their parents. Here Leo presents Lonappan, played by Jayaram, as a shattered individual, who painfully realises that he lacked a dream in his salad days.
An alumni meet at school changes the outlook of Lonappan towards life. His introspection convinces him that he has lost his track somewhere long ago. A talented story-teller during his school days, Lonappan finds that most of his classmates, including Kunjoottan (Dileesh Pothen), now a dentist, have attained their goals in life. Since he is the sole son in the family, his elder sisters Mary (Shanthi Krishna), and Sisily (Nisha Sarang), and younger sister Rosely (Eva Pavithran) rely on him. He owns a watch repairing shop in the village with Shameer (Hareesh Kanaran) doing the works properly.
The depth of his disappointment blended with jealousy and regret grows after meeting his classmates. The motivational episode kicks off with Lonappan's meeting with Kunjoottan's wife Neelima (Kaniha). Leo observes a notable simplicity in the narration by keeping a check in the emotional quotient of characters. While Mary prefers to stay indoors, Sisily, a school PT teacher, showcases grit and determination. Rosely is a shy girl but very much attached to Lonappan.
Flanked by Thrissur dialect and subtle expressions, Jayaram is sublime while he single-handedly elevates 'Lonappante Mamodisa' to a terrain devoid of insipid moments. It's delightful to watch Jayaram comfortably imbibing the pangs of a middle-class man with misfortunes as his aides. The perfect support of actors compensates the midway glitches in Leo's narration. Anna Reshma Rajan appears as bank employee Leena but she has very little prominence in the proceedings.
It's a neatly crafted family drama, submerged with subtle motivational elements in the plot. The whole effort is for creating positive vibes and that mission is accomplished by traversing through a tad predictable path but your satisfaction is intact in that process.
The focus is on the efforts of a man to reinvent himself when he wistfully realizes that his life is on the verge of a losing streak. Though the plot is entwined with emotional fragments, the director's sense of smartness pulls the plug on it from being a tear-jerker. The background score by Alphons Joseph has its own soul with freshness on its fringes.
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