After the big debacle with his debut flick 'Novel', Vijayan Eastcoast is back with another film, which sadly will repeat the fate of the former.Titled 'Mohabbath', the movie tries to cash on a much seen and repeated tale of triangular love, with little success.
The movie follows the life and woes of of a Muslim girl, Sajna(Meera Jasmine) from an influential family named 'Chandhanathope'.She is the bold elder daughter of the eldest heir(Devan) of the big family and is betrothed to Anwar(Anand Micheal), her cousin who is currently studying to become a doctor. Sajna now plans to complete her degree course in the meantime. And when in college she meets Amir(Munna), with whom she had a love -hate relationship. After the obligatory fights which is followed by intense friendship, Amir opens his heart out and tells Sajna that he is in deep love with her. But Sajna immediately ridicules him for his petty scheming and desire to marry a girl from a rich family. Within days everything goes upside down as Sajna's father dies in an accident and grand father (Nedumudi Venu) also follows due to the shock of his favourite son's untimely demise. In comes the villain in the form of Nizar (Ashokan) who throws Sajna and her family out of the home. As Sajna's family is left in dire streets, Amir who has already dropped his studies, effortlessly becomes a big player in real estate business. What follows is how Amir, Anwar and Sajna travails with their love for each other.
Based on the novel 'kalipavakal' by Siddhique Shammer, the movie is scripted to suit the screen by the director himself. Though it's not sacrilege to be inspired by hundreds of hit films of the past with very similar stories, the attempts for the least of the updations to suit the viewers of the current times is missing in `Mohabbath' Instead, Vijayan relies on the age-old tricks of songs after songs packages that made Bollywood love films so popular with viewers in 1980s
Due to the plenty of events in store and colourful visuals of a costume drama, the former half don't bore you much. But the middle and the end are so clueless and amateurish like a poorly made tele-soap, that you wonder how films like this are envisioned in the first place. The later half is pretty predictable to the core and leaves you nothing other than big yawns. If the screenplay is listless, the direction is no better. The dialogues are average and the finale is dramatic not convincing enough even to the first timers on cinema halls.
Meera Jamine is a talented actor, but she should channelise her energies on better scripts and roles, than these kinds of flicks.Munna remains just a pretty face with little emoting abilities, while Anand Micheal fare a little better, though is lacklustre. Nedumudi venu, Shari and others in the supporting cast are better than the lead players.
One of the curious aspects that get noted is the loads of lipstick and makeup materials pasted on the artists' including the heroine Meerajasmine, which you will not even see in a local ballet or dance drama. The only highlight of the movie is the six god songs by S Balakrishanan who is making a comeback to films after few years. All the songs are fine but are visualised like east coast's many album songs of the past.
On the whole,Mohabbath is an average show, all the way .Perhaps, this may have struck a chord a few years ago, but not certainly, today.
