The film is an unholy mess. It feels like a 9-year-old’s attempt to write a deep treatise on life and love.
Spoilers ahead…
I think they wanted to make a movie about a man-child, a jolly drunk who’s rich and entitled and thinks he should have whichever woman he wants. He does man-childish things, like wearing black and saying he’s making a trip to Sabarimala. (Translation: No booze!) Or else, he zips off on his bike to that place people go to when they’re lost and need to find themselves. (This place, somehow, always seems to be filled with hippie-types from abroad.) The man-child’s name is Dinesh, which I hear is a nod by director Dhyan Sreenivasan to his father’s 1989 dramedy, Vadakkunokkiyanthram. The protagonist of that film was named Dineshan. The heroine, too, takes her name from the older film: Shobha. So you have two very appealing stars – Nivin Pauly, Nayanthara – in these parts, and in love. What can go wrong, right?
Well, everything, apparently. Love Action Drama is an unholy mess. It feels like a 9-year-old’s attempt to write a deep treatise on life and love. Dinesh talks to his “papa” in the sky, and you think this is going to be a thing with him. But it’s just a thing to fill up a few minutes, like Shobha saying she’s afraid of commitment. The subject never comes up again. We’re meant to go along with the “hip” and “cool” vibe of it all, but I found it excruciating. My favourite so-bad-it’s-worse scene comes when Shobha and Dinesh break up. She’s on the phone, shedding tears. He’s doing some slapsticky Tom and Jerry routine with his pal, played by Aju Varghese. What this beautiful, successful woman sees in this loser is a question we’re not supposed to ask. He’s Nivin Pauly. Who wouldn’t fall for him!
Shobha says she will change Dinesh. I began to wonder why she (a) needs to do this, and (b) thinks she can do this, and then I stopped myself. It’s just to fill up a few more minutes. Some scenes don’t have a proper start or finish. Many other scenes don’t even have a reason to exist. There’s no rhythm in the staging or the performances. It feels like they all showed up on the set each day, and decided to do whatever they wanted. The worst plot point has Dinesh suspecting Shobha of sleeping around because – get this! – some random man on the street says something about her. This is a big subplot. It deserves a big resolution. And what happens? Apparently, all Shobha needs is for Dinesh to make puppy-eyes at her. At a time Malayalam cinema has become most visible, the most sought-out cinema among cinephiles, Love Action Drama is saying: Don’t get your hopes up. We make a lot of crap, too.
Copyright ©2019 Baradwaj Rangan. This article may not be reproduced in its entirety without permission. A link to this URL, instead, would be appreciated.
Anu Warrier
October 8, 2019
He’s Nivin Pauly. Who wouldn’t fall for him!
Hmm… let’s see… 🙂
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Siva
October 9, 2019
BR: ” dreadfuller ”
I am so sorry that something made you use such a word. I had to look up Google, and then a couple of online dictionaries — only to no avail. I was like — WTF, dude?
Well, I can kind of feel your mind voice replying to me — “Join the F-ing club, dude” 😀
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ravenus1
October 9, 2019
Pardon me for noticing this only now but is the “Rate this” option for the film or for the review?
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Varsha
October 9, 2019
ravenus1: For the article, I guess.
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sridharraman
October 9, 2019
Just saw the trailer. Was that actually Nivin Pauly or Simbu? When did the “Simbu look” become a thing?
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Shankar
October 10, 2019
Perhaps this is Malayalam cinema’s way of “suththi podarathu” in the times of Jallikattu!😀
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MANK
October 11, 2019
It’s that bad?. I am shocked
I haven’t seen it, but heard good reports about it. It’s emerged as a hit among onam releases. Was something lost in translation. Or has Nivin Pauly become such a big star that he can make even a film like this into a hit
Has anybody else seen this film here?
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Sai Ganga
October 13, 2019
I saw it. It’s supposed to be a fun ride. The apparent connection with Vadakkunokkiyanthram is that Nivin’s Dinesh is a 21st Century manifestation of Srinivasan’s Dinesh who is suspectful of the present day career woman. While it was physicality in the earlier part, it is the social circle and education here.
@BR, it is difficult to explain why Shobha is in love with Dinesh. Like a Sashi falling for Inba or Leela for VC
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KS
October 14, 2019
@Sai: Sashi for Inba maybe inexplicable.. But Leela had her reasons.. Didn’t she
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Ranjit
January 16, 2020
It’s a crappy movie. The only thing good about this movie, is this review, which is on point. Hopeless movie. I wonder why it ever got green-lit.
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Kalyani Warrier
June 11, 2020
I don’t get how writers, especially in Malayalam, could have such loose logic while writing a movie. Why the heck did Shoba want to marry Dinesh like ONE DAY after he gets drunk and freaks on her? Not sure who in the world with think that “it’s Nivin” would be good enough of an answer.
Your last line was on point. They’re just trying to keep our expectations low enough so that we aren’t eventually disappointed by everything they make, even if it’s a Jallikattu 😂.
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krishikari
June 11, 2020
Why would I watch this movie?
It’s Nivin Pauly 😊
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