Shubharathri Malayalam Movie
Based on a true event, 'Shubharathri' tries to portray the virtue of harmony through the good deeds of a large-hearted man. The film truly belongs to Siddique, who plays Muhammed, and the pleasant scenario in the first half mainly revolves around his life. A devoted Muslim, his endearing demeanor is good enough to make his villagers like him very much. Vyasan. K.P, the writer and director of his second film, extravagantly follows Muhammed to drive home the idea that the character is well accepted in the society.
The conflict arises on the eve of Muhammed's journey for Hajj. He visits his friends and acquaintances as part of the custom before leaving for Hajj. Vyasan devotes too much time in delineating the relatives and friends of Muhammed. Then the party that happens at his house becomes the meeting place of Muhammed and Suhara (Asha Sarath), his old lover. In the presence of his wife Khadeeja (Shanthi Krishna), he recalls his past with Suhara.
Muhammed hardly forgets his struggled past albeit his son Shanavas (Nadirshah) and two daughters are well settled now. On the eve of his journey for Hajj pilgrimage, a robbery attempt occurs in his palatial house. A sort of curiosity is generated in this decisive phase of the movie but that scope for pace hardly lasts long.
'Shubharathri' evokes the feel of a series of gospels about virtues and humanity. They incessantly come out through the character Muhammed, a philanthropist. Overall, it is an overloaded sentimental drama with forcefully stressed moral ideas. Siddique is a real solace since he successfully permeates the positive vibes of the character.
Dileep plays Krishnan, a mechanic, and his wife is Sreeja (Anu Sithara), who is hailing from a rich family. Their flashback has a clear taste of run-of-the-mill love story and the narration is heavily tepid. Unfortunately, Dileep's character is overshadowed by Muhammed. What is in store is a highly dramatic mundane tale in the second half. To portray a man's virtuous acts, Vyasan has employed an old-fashioned narration and the intention of creating a 'feel-good' factor is botched up in the process.
Shubharathri' is a flawed adaption of a real-life incident. Its soap opera mode of presentation and unimaginative execution bungle the purpose of conveying the real essence of the theme. The dialogues are highly preachy, making the scenes more dramatic. Even while you feel pity for Krishnan for the crisis he undergoes, the following sequences are easily predictable. The names of lead characters suggest the purpose of highlighting religious harmony by the filmmaker. But how long do you feel energized if the same topic is being harped on by the director in most scenes?
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