I must really admit that when I walked into curiously titled 'Crazy Gopalan' I expected very little, because apart from Dileep and the acting crew, the rest were mostly fresher names in Mollywood. An unpredictable ride i must say, debutante director Deepu has interestingly used his grey cells to create one film that may not make you feel too disheartened. This is indeed a joyful ride, though without much logic, with 'Crazy Gopalan' having that simplicity that we witnessed in 'Meesa Madhavan' and 'C I D Moosa'. Even while sticking to their patterns, is added that good cinematic techniques that we seldom watch in Mollywood.
This comedy caper is woven around Kattila Gopalan, a small time thief who specializes in stealing Kattilas (door panels) in a village `Oonjaladi'. As the villagers sketch out plans to take on the thief who even leaves a note after each robbery, Gopalan is forced to shift his activity to the city premises. Here he gets good company in the pickpocket Laksmanan (Salimkumar) who has his share of reasons for being in the business. To earn fast buck, they hatches fresh ideas and ultimately kidnap Diana, the only sister of Babu John, front line banker and business magnet of the city. But very soon they ultimately fall prey to the trap that was quite intelligently laid for them.
Director Deepu who himself has penned the script and screenplay has managed to weave comedy and mystery in a single thread and progressed the story without not much boring moments, though some scenes may not find approval from everyone. The former half is full of good laughs, with fluffy mass of spun sugar while the later hits some dull patches. But the stoic freakishness is involving because the film is racy enough even to get over some of the lame fretful attempts in comedy that shadows the otherwise jest fully done sequences.
The performances in the film aren't ground-breaking though Dileep in the title role showcases his undulating powerhouse of energy. He once again falters being a macho man, but as usual excels in the lighter scenes demanding great timing and easiness. Radha Varma, the new find as Diana, just fits the bill in glamour quotient though not with her acting credentials. Salimkumar as Lekshmanan and Manoj K Jayan as Babu John, the venomous manipulator are brilliant while Jagathy, Biju Menon and Kollam Thulasi are in their regular modes.
The technical side of the movie is also worth mentionable with every department doing their level best to accentuate the tone of happenings. Cinematography by D Kannan is top notch with good use of variety lenses and best grading effects. The editing by Manoj is also pretty smart with good timing and the excellent usage of right effects at the right moments.
`Crazy Gopalan' isn't a movie that begs to be over analyzed, and it wouldn't appeal to one with a penchant for substance and cinematic detail. This is for those who don't mind a day off to enjoy a mad comedy that tickles you.
If you can shelve your brains at home just to have the fun, then go for it.
