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Rajamanikyam
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'Rajamanikyam' A Rollicking Comedy

By P. Sreekumaran
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com

It used to be said of Malayalam megastar Mammootty that comedy is not his cup of tea. Rajamanikyam proves the doubting Thomases and carping critics wrong.

The megastar has sprung a pleasant surprise with a performance notable for its perfect sense of timing – a timing which is the monopoly of that comedian par excellence of Malayalam cinema, Jagathy Sreekumar, match.

In

fact, Jagathy himself is on record that Mammootty would not make it to the top five Malayalam actors. His reasoning: Mammus is not a flexible actor! I am sure Jagathy himself would revise his opinion after watching Rajamanikyam.

It is a two-and-a-quarter-hour rollercoaster ride embellished with comedy at its best. And Mammootty has acted out of his skin, so to say! Of course, he has revealed the flair for comedy earlier too -- like in Kottayam Kunjachan and Thaskaraveeran. But Rajamanikyam is the 'mother' of it all.

Debutant director Anwar Rasheed and scriptwriter TA Shahid are partners in this rollicking comedy tale, which has been lapped up whole-heartedly by an admiring public.

The story unfolds in a village called Udayankoil that nestles near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.

Mammootty is Rajamanikyam or 'Bellary Raja' as he is known in Bellary where he spends the earlier part of his life after being disowned by his own mother.

A buffalo dealer, Rajamanikyam's return to Udayankoil village in Pollachi town is prompted by a will left behind by his step-father and business magnate Rajaratinam Pillai (brilliantly enacted by Sai Kumar). The will wants Rajamanikyam to look after the property for 25 years and ensure that it is returned to the rightful claimants.

Rajaratinam Pillai has a son Selvam (Manoj K Jayan) and a daughter (Sindhu Menon) from his first wife. The brother and sister have no love lost for each other. He marries Mammootty's mother after the death of his first wife. She conceals the fact that she has son of her own.

Enraged by his father's actions, Selvam has him framed in a murder case. Rajaratinam Pillai is jailed and murdered. In this evil deed, Selvam is helped by Nadar (Ranjit). But Pillai leaves behind the will which calls upon Rajamanikyam to be the caretaker of the properties.

Mammootty is assisted in the complex task by his own confidants Raju (Rahman), Varkichan (Bheeman Raju) and Dasappan (Salim Kumar).

The fun parade begins from here. Rajamanikyam speaks the Thiruvananthapuram lingo, which has been the staple of many a comedy movie. And Mammootty mouths the lingo in great style to the delight of the audience!

How Rajamanikyam accomplishes the task forms the theme of the second half of the movie which is running to packed houses in Kerala.

Director Rasheed and scriptwriter Shahid must be given full credit for the lively narration and punch-packed dialogues laced with humour which raise the movie to great heights of hilarity.

Since it is a Mammootty show all the way, others in the cast have had to play second fiddle to the megastar. Mammootty's chelas, Rahman, Salik Kumar and Bheeman Raghu also do a competent job though they do not have much to do.

Girish Puthenchery's lyrics and Alex Paul's music mesh well with the mood of levity that is the hallmark of Rajamanikyam.

Sanjeev Shankar's camera is eloquent and comes up with delightful frames of life in a somnolent Tamil Nadu village.

At the end of the day, Mammootty proves, if proof were needed, that he is second to none when it comes to doing comedy. Congratulations, Mammookka for giving us two hours of pure and classy comedy.

Watch it and have your funny bone tickled well and truly!

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