In this day and age of innovative story lines and novel scripts, comes 'Mayakaazhcha' a film based on the same old story set around the mysteries behind old palaces, loosely based on many successful films of the past, like 'Manichithra Thaazhu'. Except for the one line, any comparison with the previous better ventures is strictly out of point, as the movie directed by Akhilesh Guruvilas(credit reads, it has a director), draws a bizarre picture of a movie that is worser than an onslaught on your senses. An apology of a film, 'Maayakaazhcha' proves once again that direction is not everyone's cup of tea. It's high time mollywood realises that.
'Mayakaazhcha' has an extremely loose plot by Sumesh Lal, whose distress is accentuated by a ludicrous screenplay by John Zakhariah(?). As a director, the hallmark of Akhilesh and his film seems to be consistency in boredom and irregularity in narratives.
The movie is set in Umayanoor Kottaram, where the royal family has a curse on the younger daughters of each generation, passed off from ages. Ashwathy Thamburattty (Kiran), the daughter of younger Raja Narendra Varma is now at the receiving end of this damnation, as she faces some woeful happenings, one after another. The kottaram astrologer advises only one preventive to redeem the ultimate untimely deaths- some one needs to complete a song set on Simhanandanathaalam which was disrupted, two hundred years ago, as the musician who composed it was murdered in the palace.
And according to this prognostication, the rebirth of Utharayan-the murdered musician, will appear on the third day of the pooja, that is to be done to diminish the destructive effects of the curse. He will then complete the song, marry aswathy and all will go on well, after that for the further generations of the family.
On the day of pooja, arrives five youngsters in the place of the expected one sreehari, the son of Narendran's eloped sister, Aravindan-the heir from Killikurishimana and three singers who accidentally happens to be there. The movie goes on to tell how Aswathy and the royal family realize the real rebirth of Utharayanan and all the hideous plot behind all happenings.
The film altogether gives us a feeling that there was none precisely, to call the shots and direct the actors, who appears plastic and cold all through the proceedings. Incompetent direction makes the movie looks absolutely lost and the lead characters, be it the characters played by aravind or nishanth sagar lacks conviction. Only Saikumar and Jayakrishnan seems to appear with their regular ease.
Kiran as Aswathy once again falter in her attempts at histrionics. Even more disheartening is to see experienced and talented actors like captain raju and Cochin haneef getting burdened in unnaturalistic acts. Machan varghese and indrans fails to evoke laughter in sequences which are forced into the narratives.
Every thing in the technical side is worth mentioning for the silliness and amateurisms with which the crew has handled a film. K P Nambiathiry's cinematography appears flat and disinteresting. The rerecording and background scores are pathetically incongruous. Poor set designs and sloppy editing make this dreadful two hour forty minute movie, a must watch as the best example for the most inept and embarrassing film making.
Sitting all through the movie was really a test of endurance and character, as the very few members of the audience who watched the film with me would agree. Don't waste your time or money on this one, which can't offer a single scene to relish.
