SINGHAM RETURNS

Apologies. This review comes later than the others' reviews. I just did not want to catch the film at the press preview. This one I wanted to watch with the regular audience. Like I prefer most Rohit Shetty films. Quite frankly I had little expectations for Singham Returns. The trailer hardly interested me. It all looked repetitions. All hopes were banked on this director who I consider one of the best Bollywood has.

And yes, he delivers. He delivers in whistles by dozens and cheers by scores! Two examples of why I know I am not the only one who thinks Shetty delivers.
1) The audience could not stop clapping and whistling. And as the theatre extended the intermission time to accommodate more advertisements the audience demanded the film be started immediately. They were enjoying at as much!

2) My wife who watched the film with me called every policeman 'Singham' as we made our way back home.

That should talk about the kind of emotions and excitement the film generated. That apart, there are certain things that Shetty needs to be credited for. He is one mainstream director who has dared to introduce the language of the region where the story is set in a Bollywood masala fare. Agreed Singham Returns is formulaic at every level, but the fact that the characters burst into Marathi every now and then brings in a super flavour to the film. This he tried with Chennai Express too and earlier with the first Sigham. It is always nice to see the people of an area talking in their respective language rather than Hindi.

On the story front Singham is regular. It is the way the characters are built and dialogues they are given that breathes life into the plot. Screenplay writer Yunus Sajawal and dialogue writers Sajid-Farhad (whose directorial debut Entertainment released last week) have put in some decent work. Cinematographer Dudley makes the film look larger - akin to the larger than life character of Bajirao Singham.

In this film the small town officer Singham is transferred to Mumbai. Like Chulbul Pandey in Dabangg 2, this time around Singham too has a bigger villain to deal with. He is dealing with big time politics and there is a lot more at stake. There are many more characters, and impressively most of them are used to the best. Up to Inspector Daya [CID fame] getting to breaking a door! (Yes, this one got claps and whistles)

What also works in Singham Returns are powerful gasps of performances by actors playing smaller characters. Everything tidily adds up towards the end. Singham style.
Lead actor Ajay Devgn pulls of an impressive performance. Singham becomes him. He looks vulnerable when he needs to, and unbelievably strong at other times. However this time it is Kareena Kapoor who steals the show. Back in her Jab We Met avatar, only with a Marathi twang, this one is a delightful character and she plays it with aplomb. Amole Gupte is good!

Singham Returns is a proof the director's vision. He deserves all the cheers. Watch it for all the entertainment that Rohit Shetty can bring into a film. From blowing cars, to dialogues to hilarious moments this one has all. My personal favourite - a scene where Kareena suddenly gets famous and a restaurant manager asks for a selfie. You cannot not enjoy Singham Returns.

 (3.5 / 5) : Very Good 

MARY KOM

I am delighted. What I have been so long upset about turns out to be least of the problems in Mary Kom. I have had many arguments in the recent past over why casting Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom is a casting disaster. Funnily enough, it is Priyanka who saves this movie, pulls it out of usual mediocrity and makes it completely watchable!

My voice regarding Priyanka being cast over a more appropriate face found resonance with many. I would definitely not cast Tom Cruise as Nelson Mandela. At least not if he can't look the part. I would have complained about Farhan Akhtar being cast as Milkha Singh too, had he not managed to look like an actual pag-wearing Sikh. The region and circumstances always play a very important role in a character's life. A Milkha probably would have not happened in another state and era. Not being true to the region hence is as good as not being true to the story. Priyanka Chopra, despite her prosthetic nose and freckles, look as much a part of the Northeast as the real Mary Kom would look a part of Haryana. And there is certainly no Manipur in the story. Not in way that could show how integral being a Manipuri is to Mary Kom's personality.
But as I said, the film proved me wrong. Writer Qadras and director Omung Kumar slip at many other levels that take away from the scintillating life-story that Mary Kom actually has. For one, a life as dramatic as Kom's did not really need screenplay-pushed melodrama.

Mary Kom is easily one of the most inspiring sportsperson the country has seen. Not only because she the fact that she won those titles she won [Quite a few of them indeed]. This is one sportsperson who not only triumphed against the outside forces that tried to keep her down, she is one who defeated the notion of motherhood bogging down a women physically!

Though Qadras does manage to get some touch points right, just about enough to evoke the right emotions, his screenplay seems to more adjusted towards ensuring proper brand placements. But of course, money was always the central point of the film. Like many of the people who argued with me pointed, it would have not been a commercially viable to make a film with an unknown actor who could have actually looked the part. So what we have in the film is an internationally popular face using products that were probably hardly interested in associating with Mary Kom till she won the Olympic bronze medal or even after that!

Apart from the screenplay, which catches up significantly in the second half, the editing could almost knock you out. It's pretty jarring, really.

It is important that a biopic brings the legend to life, without or minimal of cinematic freedom. Mary Kom the film does not quite get that right. Nevertheless, this film still moves and inspires you enough. You would still root for Mary Kom as she enters the ring. But that's primarily because Priyanka Chopra brings that aggression into the character. No this is not quite the biopic that Mary Kom deserves. Yet, I would urge you to watch it. For the ones who seek to understand the champion pugilist better, just read her book!

 (2.5 / 5) : Above Average  

CREATURE

Funny times these. People make films to scare you, and invariably end up making you laugh and yawn in periods. Creature 3D is amazingly amateurish for a seasoned filmmaker like Vikram Bhatt.

During one of my conversions with a group of journalists, some sneered when I said I do have immense respect for Bhatt. He has done some very good work. But somehow he always find way to slip into a mess after every good film he makes. For a person who has directed a Ghulam and a 1920 you would really expect better. But then again, I wonder if I should call this the Ram Gopal Varma syndrome - the impatient desire to do something new and end up making something not quite watchable. 

Creature 3D as the unexciting trailer had indicated is about a deadly mythical creature that goes on a killing spree. And for this the director creates something that looks least horrific or original. You could just google for creature and find scores of such sketches from across the world.

So we have our heroine Ahana shifting base from Mumbai to the small town in Himachal and sets up her own hotel. However thing go wrong when people start dying, thanks to the 'Brahmarakshah'. She is advised by 'sane' people to shut shop and flee. But Ahana of course is our heroine and she has to fight.

Now the Brahmarakshah has his roots in Hindu mythology. But Bhatt of course has his own twists to it. None of it quite logical. But then, to expect logical build-up of an imaginary 'creature' is too much to ask for when the characters of the human beings are so illogical!

Bhatt's attempt with Creature 3D was to make it to the history of animation and visual effects in Indian filmmaking. He probably still would it. Just the wrong end of it. The creature is just not convincing. And neither are the reactions of the actors as they are hounded by this 'ghastly' thing.

When writing is tardy and lacks any inspiration, visual effects hardly help. Even Cameroon could have not made an Avatar with a bad script! Also uninspiring is Mithoon's music. Never seen this talented chap come up with such bland compositions.

Creature is one film which fails in almost every department of filmmaking. Well okay, they did try. They just did not manage. Not to scare and definitely not to entertain. Bipasha Basu gets a film she needs to pull on her shoulders and she does as much as she could. Alas!

 (1 / 5) : Poor  

FINDING FANNY

Good actors can be tricky proposition. While on one hand they do enhance any script, many a time they also tend to overshadow the entire screenplay with their brilliance. And when you have actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Pankaj Kapur it only gets more difficult. They leave you awed and satisfied as a viewer. Finding Fanny could have easily fallen into the pit where people might have just come out praising the performances so much that they did not realise if they liked the film for its story or the characters. That it does not, is to the credit of the director.

Set in a quaint village in Goa, this story primarily proceeds of shoulders of five characters - Ferdie (Naseeruddin Shah), Angie (Deepika), Rosy (Dimple Kapadia), Savio (Arjun Kapoor) a Pedro (Pankaj Kapur). Well actually, a sixth character - An old, rusty car too! When Ferdy finds that the lady he loved had actually never received his written marriage proposal, a letter he had written 46 years back, he is heartbroken. His best friend Angie hence decides to embark on a journey to get the Ferdie his love. Rosy, Savio and Pedro also become a part of this journey for their own motives.

Here starts a delightful journey of 'five oddballs' to 'find love'.

The story of Finding Fanny is not quite extraordinary. It is rather quite flimsy. And there are questionable moments too. For one, it is not sure why Angie really wanted Savio's car to travel. Not that the town did not have public transport. Had it not been for the car the characters would have not set out together. However humour is abundant and that keeps you occupied enough to not ask minor questions and from getting bored of any predictability in the screenplay.

Writers Homi Adajania and Kersi Khambatta have more motives than just tell a regular story. With Finding Fanny he looks at life from an altogether different viewpoint. The writing is solid as it not just creates some amazing characters but some beautiful relationships. Angie is the widowed daughter-in-law of Rosy and they share a relationship that binds them like a mother-daughter. What a change from the saas-bahu sagas that are forced into Indian tele-viewers everyday!

As a director Homi sets out to make a film the way he is comfortable in and there is clearly no compromise. He seeks to convey much more than what is said. He takes five distinct characters and projects their personal growth in company of the others. It is also about changing relationships - situations bringing people together.

The actors, seasoned and new, put up their best foot forward. You could actually just be jealous that they got such awesome characters to play. It is really difficult to point which character is better. My personal favourite would be Ferdie. This one character I would love to meet in person! But then Angie is as wonderful and Deepika Padukone - Ah! ravishing beauty - plays it to perfection. Arjun Kapoor too hold his own as Savio. Dimple Kapadia makes Rosy her own. And yet, the masters Naseer and Pankaj Kapur leave you spellbound.


As mentioned earlier, you may not be wowed by the story. Yet, Finding Fanny leaves you with a happy feeling. It is charmingly off-beat and yet mainstream. As you walk out, you would have much more on your mind apart from the delightful end-credit tune. Finding Fanny urges you to make a move if you want to find your love. I urge you to watch go to the theater and watch the film for sure. Just one advice - try catch the English version. Hindi is fine too but just not the language it is shot in.

 (3.5 / 5) : Very Good  

DAAWAT-E-ISHQ

A beautiful Hyderabadi girl meets a charming Lucknow boy and love blossoms amidst culinary extravaganzas. If that's what you expected from this latest offering from Yash Raj Films you would be quite disappointed. The food and locations seem to just serve as cleverly chosen garnishing to a story that's completely different from what you may anticipate from Daawat E Ishq. And this turns out to the draw as well as the weak-link in the film.

A slate mentioning the number of dowry deaths in the country in the opening credits of the film suddenly makes you realise that you are actually up for something far more serious than what you may have walked in for. There is a dowry related death every five minutes, says the slate. Needless to say the film opens up with a scene featuring a gutsy Gulrays Qadir (Parineeti Chopra) taking on a dowry seeking family even as her father willingly succumbs to demands.

We have an independent thinking Gulrays, a state topper in her twelfth and yet working in a shoe showroom as a salesgirl while she completes her BCom. Her father (played by Anupam Kher) is an upright clerk at the high court who is fine with concept of dowry but not to accepting bribes. Gulrays of course is not. She is rather tired of being turned down by parents who expect much more than her honest father can manage with his meager Rs 30,000 salary. After a series of such encounters with dowry demanding parents she decides to change the game. They land up in Lucknow where they meet Tariq. And suddenly the screenplay slacks as the romance in built through needless songs. The first half still does have a fair share of action. The second half zips fast as if the writer decided he has used enough of his creativity in the first. It could have been salvaged, but the climax only made it more difficult.

The premise is new, but the contrivances pull it down. Daawat-E-Ishq reminds me of a buffet meal I had recently at a very well known restaurant chain. The main course was hardly eatable. But the starters and the desserts are worth killing for. Daawat-E-Ishq achieves little success in its attempt to touch upon the seriousness of dowry allegations as it makes almost comic references at 498 (A). What is extraordinary however are the characters. Habib Faisal builds each character - big and small - with his usual deftness. Gulrays excites you while Tariq charms you.

Livewire Parineeti pulls off the character of a Hyderabadi girl with gusto. She puts her best foot forward with a practiced Hyderabadi accent. Aditya Roy Kapur is remarkably polished as he steals your heart almost like the shahi tokri that his character cooks. The best moments of the film are however provided by Anupam Kher. After acting in close to 500 films, Kher continues to find something new to delight the audience every now and then. These three actors together make Daawat E Ishq a far more watchable film.

Daawat-E-Ishq mixes romance and crime. Its effort is to bring up the evil called Dowry into focus and evoke some thought around it. A rather wasted effort. Having said that, Daawat is fairly entertaining. It could easily be your watch for the weekend.

 (3 / 5) : Good  

KHOOBSURAT

I am not against remaking classics. I have indeed liked Don and Agneepath. Yet, remaking a Hrishikesh Mukherjee film never sounds like a good idea. The simplicity of his films is hard to recreate in this age. Yet, my expectations from Khoobsurat were reasonable considering I have good faith in the director Shashank Ghosh. This man has made two of the most quirky films I have seen in the last decade - Waise Bhi Hota Hai Part 2 and Quickgun Murugun. The later of course is a cult in its own ways. May be I should have kept them lower. 

Hrishikesh Mukherjee's classic was about two families coming together. It was about acceptance and lot of warmth. This remake is not quite as much about families as much it is about the love story of two people. And yet, it looks more like it is simply about the clothes that Sonam Kapoor wears. So much that I actually overheard a couple of girls sitting in the row behind me comment: "Looks like Sonam had bought some bad clothes which she could have not worn otherwise and hence they made this film just so that she could put those costumes to use". Bad or good, she does wear some horrifyingly colorful dresses that almost distract you from the rest of the screen. So loud are the colours that they nearly beat Sonam's loud acting, as she takes on a role that Rekha masterfully rendered in the classic.

So we have a talkative, clumsy and devoid of table manners physiotherapist called Mili who lands in the royal palace of Sambalgarh to treat the paraplegic king Shekhar Rathore. Mili is apparently pretty good at her. Or so they want us to believe. At least they would like us to believe she is amusing. Unfortunately she turns more annoying. Well at least she is a misfit. The 'royal misfit' as the promos claim!

The screenplay then unfolds through some forceful scenes that build the romance between Mili and young prince Vikramaditya Rathore (Fawad Khan). Thankfully, once the romance is established the chemistry between the two is what works for the film. Sonam's decibels are calmed by the restrained and suave Fawad. A number scenes between them is well done. Especially one after they kiss. Also well established is the contrast between Mili and Nirmala [Ratna Pathak Shah]. The later is a delight as she portrays a character her mother Dina Pathak had so beautifully played. She particularly livens up the climax scene. These are scenes where you see Shashank Ghosh taking a grip.

As the story flows the misfit makes space for herself in the hearts of the family members, winning them over one after other. The ever-so-successful theme of 'love conquers' is appealing. Would have worked better though had the screenplay not faltered on forced equations.

Among the others in the cast Kirron Kher does what she has done plenty in the past. A Punjabi mother. Nothing extraordinary but yet she would make you smile.

Khoobsurat is not a bad film. You could enjoy it if you have nothing better to do. The happily-ever-after endings usually make for a pleasant watch. Also, you really can't expect something completely out of the box from a remake of a classic. Do not go expecting something completely unseen. Khoobsurat is contemporised for today's generation and it has a chick-flick written all over it.

 (2.5 / 5) : Above Average  

മുന്നറിയിപ്പ്

അഞ്ജലി അറയ്‌ക്കൽ (അപർണ ഗോപിനാഥ്) എന്ന ഫ്രീലാൻസ് പത്രപ്രവർത്തക രാഘവൻ (മമ്മൂട്ടി) എന്ന തടവുപുള്ളിയുടെ ജീവിതം ചികയുകയാണ് ഉണ്ണി ആർ. തിരക്കഥയെഴുതി വേണു സംവിധാനം ചെയ്‌ത മുന്നറിയിപ്പിൽ. രണ്ടു പേരെ കൊന്നു എന്നതാണ് രാഘവന്റെ പേരിലുള്ള കുറ്റം; ഒന്ന് ഭാര്യ, രണ്ടാമത്തേത് ജോലിക്കു നിന്ന വീട്ടിലെ പെൺകുട്ടി. പക്ഷേ, ‘ഞാൻ ആരെയും കൊന്നിട്ടില്ല’ എന്നാണ് രാഘവൻ പറയുന്നത്. മാത്രമല്ല, അദ്ദേഹം ഫിലോസഫിക്കൽ ഡയറിയെഴുത്തിന്റെ ആളുമാണ്. ആരെയും കൊന്നിട്ടില്ലാത്ത രാഘവന്റെ ആർക്കുമറിയാത്ത കഥ പുസ്തകമാക്കാൻ ഒരു ഭീകരനായ പബ്ലിഷർ വരുന്നു. (!!!!!) അവരുമായി പുസ്തകമെഴുതാനുള്ള കരാറിൽ ഒപ്പിടുന്ന അഞ്ജലി രാഘവന്റെ കഥയ്‌ക്കു വേണ്ടി നെട്ടോട്ടം ആരംഭിക്കുകയാണ്.

ആദ്യത്തെ 10 മിനിറ്റ് അഞ്ജലി അറയ്‌ക്കലിനെ ഫോണിൽ സംസാരിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് കാറോടിച്ചതിന് പൊലീസ് പിടിക്കുന്നതിന്റെ ദൃശ്യങ്ങളാണ്. ഈ പൊലീസിനോ ഈ ഫോൺസംഭാഷണത്തിനോ ഈ സിനിമയിൽ ഒരു പ്രസക്തിയുമില്ല. അതുകഴിഞ്ഞുള്ള 10 മിനിറ്റ് അഞ്ജലി അറയ്‌ക്കൽ ഒരു പൊലീസുകാരന്റെ ആത്മകഥ എഴുതാൻ പോകുന്നതിന്റെ വിശേഷമാണ്. രാഘവനിലേക്ക് എത്താനുള്ള വഴി എന്നതിനപ്പുറത്ത് ഒരു പ്രസക്തിയും വലിച്ചുനീട്ടിയ ഈ ഖണ്ഡത്തിനില്ല.

പിന്നെ നമ്മൾ കാണുന്നത് ‘രാഘവൻ ചേട്ടാ കഥയെഴുതൂ… രാഘവൻ ചേട്ടാ കഥയെഴുതൂ…’ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞ് മേൽപ്പറഞ്ഞ അഞ്ജലി അറയ്‌ക്കൽ തെക്കുവടക്കു നടക്കുന്നതാണ്. മുന്നറിയിപ്പിലെ മുക്കാൽ പങ്കും ഇതുതന്നെ. ബാറാണോ ചായക്കടയാണോ പ്രസ് ക്ലബ്ബാണോ എന്ന് കണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന നമുക്കോ കാണിച്ചു തരുന്ന സംവിധായകനോ ഒരു പിടിയുമില്ലാത്ത ആശുപത്രി കാന്റീൻ പോലൊരു സ്ഥലത്തും പിന്നൊരു കംപ്യൂട്ടറിനു മുന്നിലും ഇടയ്‌ക്ക് 2 മിനിറ്റ് ഇരിക്കുന്നതാണ് ഈ സഹോദരിയുടെ മറ്റ് ആക്റ്റിവിറ്റീസ്. ഒടുവിൽ ഒ ഹെൻറി ട്വിസ്റ്റ് പോലൊരു സൂത്രപ്പണിയിൽ സിനിമ തീരുന്നു.

FIRST IMPRESSION
രണ്ടു മിനിറ്റു കൊണ്ട് പറഞ്ഞാൽ വളരെ കൗതുകകരമായി തോന്നുന്ന ഒരു കഥയുണ്ട് മുന്നറിയിപ്പിന്. (മലയാളത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും മികച്ച കഥാകൃത്തുക്കളിൽ ഒരാളായ കാരൂരിന്റെ കൊച്ചുമകനാണ് ഈ കഥയുണ്ടാക്കുകയും സിനിമ സംവിധാനം ചെയ്യുകയും ചെയ്ത വേണു.) എന്നാൽ, കഥയിൽ നിന്ന് തിരക്കഥയും 112 മിനിറ്റുള്ള സിനിമയും ഉണ്ടായപ്പോൾ കഥയുടെ കഥ കഴിഞ്ഞു.

Brain Behind Bars എന്നു പറഞ്ഞ് രാഘവനേപ്പറ്റി വലിയ ഫീച്ചറൊക്കെ വരുന്നുണ്ട്. സെൻ ബുദ്ധിസകഥകളിൽ കാണാറുള്ള തരം നാലഞ്ചു വാചകങ്ങൾ കടമെടുത്ത് രാഘവന്റെ അക്കൗണ്ടിൽ ഇട്ടു എന്നല്ലാതെ, Brain എന്നു പറയുന്ന സാധനം സിനിമ ഉണ്ടാക്കിയവർ കാര്യമായിട്ടൊന്നും ഉപയോഗിച്ചിട്ടില്ലാത്തതുകൊണ്ട് രാഘവൻ എന്ന കഥാപാത്രത്തിന്റെ Brain നമുക്ക് കാണാൻ പറ്റാത്ത ഏതോ സ്ഥലത്ത് ഇരിക്കുകയാണ്.

സിനിമ തുടങ്ങുമ്പോൾ മുതൽ തീരുമ്പോൾ വരെ മിഴിച്ചു നിൽക്കുക എന്നതാണ് രാഘവൻ ചെയ്യേണ്ടത്. അത് മമ്മൂട്ടി ഭംഗിയായി മിഴിച്ചു നിൽക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. നേരത്തെ പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ, തേരാപാരാ ഓടി നടക്കുക എന്നതാണ് അഞ്ജലി ചെയ്യേണ്ടത്. അപർണയും ഭംഗിയായിത്തന്നെ ആ ഓട്ടം നടത്തുന്നുണ്ട്. ജോയ് മാത്യു, രഞ്ജി പണിക്കർ, പൃഥ്വിരാജ്, വി കെ ശ്രീരാമൻ ആദിയായവർക്ക് ഇടയ്ക്ക് വന്നു പോവുക എന്നൊരു പണിയുണ്ട്. അവരും ഭംഗിയായി വരികയും പോവുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.

SECOND THOUGHTS
പത്മശ്രീയുടെ പെയിന്റുങ്ങുകൾ കണ്ട് ഒന്നും പിടി കിട്ടാത്ത പ്രാഞ്ചി “ഭയങ്കര അർത്ഥാ ഇതിനൊക്കെ” എന്ന് വളരെ നിഷ്‌കളങ്കമായി അമ്പരക്കുന്ന ഒരു രംഗമുണ്ട് രഞ്ജിത്തിന്റെ ‘പ്രാഞ്ചിയേട്ടൻ & ദ് സെയ്‌ന്റി’ൽ. ഒപ്പമുള്ള സുബ്രന്റെ മറുപടി ഇങ്ങനെ: “എന്തൂട്ടാ.. തട്ടിപ്പ് പരിപാട്യാ പ്രഞ്ച്യേട്ടാ.. മര്യായിക്ക് ഒരാള്‌ടെ രൂപം വരയ്‌ക്കാനറിയാത്തോരാ ഈ ജാതി ഐറ്റം വരച്ച്‌ണ്ടാക്കണത്.” വേണുവിന്റെ മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് കണ്ടിട്ട് പ്രാഞ്ചിയേപ്പോലെയും പ്രതികരിക്കാം, സുബ്രനെപ്പോലെയും പ്രതികരിക്കാം. (അടിസ്ഥാനപരമായി രണ്ടു പ്രതികരണവും ഒരേ കാര്യമാണു പറയുന്നതെന്നതു വേറെ കാര്യം!)

മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് എന്നാണ് സിനിമയുടെ പേര്. ആർക്കെങ്കിലും ഒരു മുന്നറിയിപ്പു കൊടുക്കുന്നതായി സിനിമയിൽ കണ്ടില്ല. ഒരുപക്ഷേ, സിനിമ കാണാൻ പോകുന്നവർക്കും സിനിമ എടുക്കാൻ പോകുന്നവർക്കുമുള്ള മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് എന്നായിരിക്കുമോ പേരിട്ടവർ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ചത്? (മുന്നറിയിപ്പ് കാണികൾക്കാണെങ്കിൽ ഫലിച്ച മട്ടുണ്ട്. ഒരു മമ്മൂട്ടിച്ചിത്രത്തിന്റെ ആദ്യദിവസമായിട്ടു പോലും സിനിമ നടക്കുന്ന ഭാഗത്തേക്ക് വന്നവർ വളരെ കുറവ്. എങ്കിലും, പാലഭിഷേകവും പൂച്ചകരച്ചിലുമായി ആരാധകഭ്രാന്തന്മാർ ഇല്ലായിരുന്നു എന്നത് വലിയ ആശ്വാസം.)

LAST WORD
ഓലൻ പോലെ ഒരു വികാരവുമില്ലാത്ത ഒരു സിനിമ. സെക്കൻഡ് ഷോ കഴിഞ്ഞു വന്ന് ആദ്യം ചെയ്‌തത് രണ്ടു സവോളയും ഒരു തക്കാളിയും നീളത്തിൽ അരിഞ്ഞ് പെട്ടെന്നൊരു റ്റൊമാറ്റോ ഫ്രൈ ഉണ്ടാക്കുക എന്നതാണ്. അഞ്ചാറ് അല്ലി വെളുത്തുള്ളിയും ഒരു ചെറിയ കഷണം ഇഞ്ചിയും ഇത്തിരി കറിവേപ്പിലയും നല്ല ചോരച്ചുവപ്പുള്ള കാശ്‌മീരി മുളകുപൊടിയും ചേർത്തു വഴറ്റിയ ഉപദംശം, മോണിങ് ഷോയിൽ നിന്നു ബാക്കി വന്ന രണ്ടു ചപ്പാത്തിക്കുള്ളിൽ വച്ചു ചുരുട്ടികഴിച്ചപ്പോഴാണ് നഷ്‌ടപ്പെട്ട രുചി മനസ്സിനു തിരിച്ചു കിട്ടിയത്. (എന്റെ പുന്നാരഭാര്യേ, നിനക്ക് നന്ദി!)