Muttayikkallanum Mammaliyum Malayalam Movie

Feature Film | 2019 | Drama
Critics:
A boy finds solace in the lap of nature when he is meted out cruel punishment by his stepfather, and later, his love for nature changes his life. The theme of 'Muttayikkallanum Mammaliyum' exudes a childlike innocence but the execution carries a childish texture.
Mar 15, 2019 By K. R. Rejeesh


Two child artistes, one of them is a debutant, as the mainstays propel the action of the swaying tale with strong performances. Debutant Prince, who essays Muhammed Ali aka Mammali, becomes effective in ramping up the attention of viewers when the austere set up of 'Muttayikkallanum Mammaliyum' turns out to be its burden. The less cinematic fripperies are ostensibly a faulty approach since the milieu is not properly treated. Shadows of amateurism closely pursue the movie, which is directed by Ambujakshan Nambiar. Written by Lekha Ambujakshan, the director's wife, the plot has a good intention and it is didactic in nature; perhaps the theme is explicitly meant for children.


Set in a village, Mammali lives with his mother (Sona Nair) and stepfather (Babu Annoor) along with his two children. A Class 5 student, Mammali is being ill-treated by his stepfather and the torture goes to the extent that he barges into the classroom to take the boy out of the school. Mammali tries to study his lessons by hiding his books from the stepfather, who despises his schooling. Mammali has been assigned to sell peanut candy by his stepfather besides giving hard jobs.


At school, Ananthu (Akash) once steals the candy from Mammali's box hidden somewhere in the school. The poor boy gets beaten up brutally for not selling the candy. Mammali is also being considered as a regular offender in school. But his teacher Vishnu (Rajeev Pillai) understands his pangs. The boy has a love for nature and he regularly plants saplings. He always shares his pain with nature as his helpless mother becomes a mere onlooker when he is bashed up.


Once, Ananthu is saved by Mammali from drowning in a pond. It paves the way for beginning their deep friendship. The psychology and emotion of children are hardly explored in 'Muttayikkallanum Mammaliyum'. Babu Annoor is in full flow as a callous stepfather and he succeeds in generating enough grudge from the audience.


Mammali finds solace in the lap of nature when he is meted out cruel punishment. Later, his love for nature changes his life. The theme of 'Muttayikkallanum Mammaliyum' exudes a childlike innocence but the execution carries a childish texture.


It has a clear message in its theme and the importance of preserving nature is also being discussed. All the child artistes perfectly show their confidence in bearing their responsibilities. The screenplay loiters on the premise of some regular formats instead of offering some novelty. Overall, the depiction of a well-intended story is in a see-saw situation, so the much-needed intensity evades it apparently. The film gravely misses the effect of the saga of childhood friendship as it peripherally fathoms the depth of true friendship.

K. R. Rejeesh

   

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