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Rasathantram
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'Rasathantram' - A Family Entertainer

By P. Sreekumaran
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com

Chemistry counts not only in real life but in its reel version, too. When megastar Mohanlal and ace director Sathyan Anthikkad team up, sparks fly. The duo have recaptured the old magic, albeit after a gap of 12 years! No wonder, their latest film together, ‘Rasathantram’ (Chemistry) has turned out to be an engaging family entertainer.

‘Rasathantram’ does not boast of anything new by way of thematic novelty or narrative norm. The film bears the Sathyan stamp all the way – emotions and humour in a judicious blend. And as in the past, the Mohanlal-Sathyan team has the family audience eating out of their hands as it were.

Premachandran

(Mohanlal) is an expert carpenter who believes in being good to others. In his noble mission, he is assisted by a team of carpenters headed by Manikandan Asari (Innocent).

Others who inhabit Preman’s happy little world are his father, a retired teacher (Gopi), house-owner (Oduvil Unnikrishnan), neighbour (KPAC Lalitha) and a carpenter colleague (Mamukoya).

The happy-go-lucky tenor of Premachandran’s life is disturbed by an incident he encounters at the house of a rich contractor Roy Joseph (Sreekumar). The plight of their maidservant Kanmani (Meera Jasmine) moves him. The do-gooder in Premachandran asserts himself and he manages to save Kanmani from a slavish existence in the house.

Kanmani gets a new lease of life in Preman’s house. But circumstances force her to disguise herself as a boy, Velayudhan Kutty.

But the cat is out of the bag soon. The police get to arrest her following a complaint from contractor Roy. She is produced in the court where she declares her love for Premachandran!

Of course, she is not aware of Preman’s past: he had admitted to a murder -- committed by someone else -- to save the honour of his sister.

Now, Premachandran has an additional responsibility on his hands: to look after Kanmani as well, apart from his father.

Meanwhile, the Government has the entire village evacuated to facilitate a power project.

Story-wise, ‘Rasathantram’ is a bit weak. But Sathyan is an expert in situational comedy. And, in Mohanlal he has master craftsman at work, who excels in comedy.

As in the old Sathyan movies like ‘Gandhinagar Second Street’ and ‘TP Balagopalan MA’, Mohanlal impresses with his perfect sense of timing in the comedy scenes and emoting in the emotional encounters.

Meera Jasmine matches Mohanlal in the comedy act. Especially after she disguises herself as a boy. ‘Rasathantram’ proves again, if proof were needed, that Meera is a class act.

Others in the cast like Gopi, Oduvil, Mamukkoya and Innocent do their respective roles with great panache. One wishes Sathyan had fleshed out Jagathy Sreekumar’s role properly. As a result, in comparison, Jagathy’s contractor suffers, though the fault is not his.

Azhagappan cranks an efficient camera as usual with some fantastic frames on the scenic beauty of Thodupuzha.

Music maestro Ilayaraja also has come up with a few melodious numbers. “Attinkara Orathil…Chattal Mazha…” sung beautifully by Manjari is already a big hit.

No drawbacks? You might wonder. Well, there are : The film drags a bit in the second half when emotions take over and comedy makes the exit. Of course, Mohanlal and Gopi have handled the father-son emotional encounters with bouts of superb acting. But still the film could have been shortened a bit with crisp editing.

Be that as it may, ‘Rasathantram’ is a fun-filled film that leaves you in good spirits.

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