Moz 'n Cat Malayalam Movie

As it is, the first half of 'Moz and Cat' is kind of OK, but the second half bores you to death. Apr 15, 2009 By Thomas T

Fazil hasn't changed with the times, as a director. One of the most humble and most unpretentious of Malayalam filmmakers, Fazil has delivered several family hits. But his way of filmmaking, his way of conceiving sequences and his liking for songs of the sentimental kind may not be that welcome at a time when film making has undergone a sea-change in all respects. Fazil has got to understand that the film going public in Kerala has exposure to films coming from other lands, and has changed in its outlook and tastes, and may not be tolerant of his kind of films. Fazil has to reinvent himself. This is what his latest offering 'Moz and Cat' compels us to say with due respect to the man who has never let success go to his head.

'Moz and Cat' has as key characters Moz D. Samuel and seven year old Tessy, who live together and make ends meet through small time cheating and petty thievery. Nobody knows who Tessy is for Moz, but they live in perfect harmony and are helped by Oudha, a stamp vendor and writer of legal deeds. In the course of their routine activities they come across a young girl by the name of Nandana Vasudevan. Nandana crosses ways with them more than once and she slowly develops a liking for little Tessy.

In the meantime Moz is approached by Panackal Das, a very influential and powerful goon, who wants him to bring Nandana to him, saying that he needs her help to get a deed signed by someone. Moz agrees because Das threatens he'd make people from the Child Welfare Society take away little Tessy. Das gives Moz an advance amount as part of his remuneration. Moz agrees, but decides to flee with Tessy. It's exactly then that Nandana asks Tessy and Moz to stay with her for one day. Moz is reluctant at first, but later gives in to her wish. From here the story takes a new turn.

Dileep is good as Moz while Baby Niveditha playing Tessy, has improved vastly. Debutante Ashwathy Ashok is just about OK as Nandana. Manoj K. Jayan as the villainous Panackal Das seems to be getting typecast in such roles. Janardhanan as Oudha is good. So is Jagathy Sreekumar as Father Cyriac. It's rather puzzling why Fazil is so keen on including some of his stock actors in the cast, especially Harisree Ashokan and Sudheesh, though they don't have much to do.

Ouseppachan's music is good, but the sentimental songs, especially those in the post-interval section, are greeted with loud booing. Technical aspects are in tune with the mood of the film.

The main flaw with 'Moz and Cat' is that though things go pretty well till interval, it turns into a muddle in the latter half. The storyline gets too complicated post interval, with twists after turns being introduced in rapid succession. Fazil, who also pens the script for the film, should have taken care to make the second half much more interesting. As it is, the first half of 'Moz and Cat' is kind of OK, but the second half bores you to death.