If you are in the lookout for a very special differently movie or this Onam, there is not much in offer apart from 'Saptamashree Thaskara'. Coming after the much applauded 'North 24 kaatha' , the movie excites with its narrative style and relatively fresher story that appeal in parts.
The movie tells the lives of a few robbers and conman, who is behind bars in the same cell.The movie opens with an exceptionally refreshing sequences of a gang who digs down tunnels to find traces of diamonds but lands up in a toilet pit.Then follows our main thread where a just released convict Martin(Chemban Vinod) comes up to a priest to open up his mind. The interestingly styled young priest played by director Lijo Jose Pellissery, adds his refreshing views on each of the characters and twist in tales that he hears from martin, to make things most interesting. And through Martin’s story we are made familier with characters like Asif Ali’s Shabab, Sudheer Karaman’s leaf johny to Prithviraj’s Krishnanunni and Nedumudi Venu’s Noblettan. After a few day of being together in jail, they get to know about each other’s past and decides they can do plenty of deeds together when they are out from jail. And once they gets released, they get together at Nobelettan’s home and hatches plans for a big heist of some unaccounted money, stored in a floor of a hospital building. How they manages it forms the rest of the movie that also features an exciting climax.
The first half of the movie, scripted by the director Radhakrishnan Menon is even with plenty of one liners that works well. Each of the stories of convicts are neatly and briefly told, before the movie sets off to the bigger task. The Thrissur slang is put to best of the use by each of the characters in the frames. The second half tells the heist with every details and forms one of the most lengthy single incident of robbery ever recreated on Mollywood screen. But the movie falters in the same place as there is no amount of thrills or unpredictable suspense attached with the sequences. The simple movie doesn’t have much dialogues or subplots in these progressions and the lighter comedies are also rare here. But an exciting climax awaits that helps the movie to end up as an above average film though from a more refreshing start.
In the acting front, Prithviraj appear very subtle and contained as Krishnannunni, with out his regular heroic elements while Asif Ali, Vinod Chemban and Sudheer Karamana gathers applause. Everyone in the rest of the cast play to their roles in the most perfect manner.The technical sides are also fine with excellent visuals and fine editing. The BG scores are also appropriate, though the songs by Rex Vijayan is not that impressive and doesn’t gel well with the overall quality of the movie.
In the final analysis ‘Sapthama Sree Thaskarah’ is a prosperous refreshing journey, much away from the tried and tested tracks. Totally out of the regular narrate order, the movie may impress everyone who looks for fresher themes. Had it been soaked with little more comedies and thrills, and more live action in the later half, Saptamasree Thaskarah’ could have been a big hit with the audience. As of now, it is sure to end up in the safer side.
Rating-6.5/10
