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'Lion' Witty and Sarcastic

By P. Sreekumaran
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com

Malayalam actor Dileep has, to use cricket language, delivered two 'back-to-back centuries' in quick succession: Chaandupottu followed by the Joshi-directed ‘Lion’.

The success of ‘Chaandupottu’ seems to have boosted Dileep's confidence sky-high. The changed body language is visible in ‘Lion’. In ‘Chaandupottu’ he did an offbeat role -- of a man with pronouncedly feminine characteristics. It was a huge success.

In

‘Lion’, Dileep has, of course, changed track. He is once again back at what he does best: comedy. ‘Lion’ is an out-and-out political drama laced with wit and sarcasm. It is a telling comment on the prevailing political ethos in Kerala, tinged with a dash of humour.

The protagonists remind you of a father-son politician duo bestriding the contemporary Kerala political stage.

Of course, Joshi has mixed the ingredients in the right proportion to ladle out a fare appetizing both to the lowest common denominator as well as the cognoscenti. No wonder, Dileep is laughing all the way to the bank!

A potent factor that ensured success of ‘Lion’ is the delectable on-screen chemistry of the lead pair – Dileep and Kavya Madhavan .

As usual, Dileep has embellished his comedy act with a super sense of timing - a trait he shares with that comedian par excellence Jagathy Sreekumar.

Writers Sibi.K.Thomas and Udayakrishnan deserve kudos too for penning a script that is a sure-shot winner. It is a patchwork quilt fashioned out of the political developments which rocked Kerala of late: the people's fight against the Coca-Cola plant at Plachimada village in Palakkad district and the friction between a politician father and his son.

Chandanakkatil Bala Gangadhara Menon (Kalasala Babu) is a politician with enormous clout. Education minister in the ruling coalition, Menon is corrupt to the core and known for his Machiavellian cunning.

Menon's co-accomplices in the crime are his sons-in-law, Sai Kumar (IAS) and Shammi Thilakan (IPS).

But the father meets his match in the son Krishna Kumar (Dileep). An honest and no-nonsense student leader, Kumar pits himself against his father's anti-people activities.

Having realised that he cannot do much without power, Kumar contests against his father and wins the elections. Now he is the Home Minister of the state. The son, fired by a missionary zeal, goes about cleansing the system.

In between he finds time to fall in love with teacher Shari (Kavya). The romance climaxes in marriage.

The remainder of ‘Lion’ is taken up by Kumar's battle against the corrupt system and his father.

‘Lion’ has another first: the film has two song sequences picturised in New Zealand. Then, Bollywood singer Udit Narayan sings for Dileep.

Dileep and Kalassala Babu walk away with the acting honours. Jagathy is at his comic best. Vijayaraghavan, Salim Kumar and Innocent also acquit themselves well.

A word of caution to Kavya: she has put on weight and needs to slim down. Deepak Dev's music and Ouseppachan's background score add to the ambience of the rib-tickling political comedy.

Now the minus points: the film is too long and the end is predictable. Besides, a bit of chopping would have made it slicker.

'Roaring' its way into the box office!

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