Pranchiyettan and The Saint - A review
Trying my hand at a different genre this time - 'review'.The inevitable phase that all self respecting blogs go through - restaurant reviews, movie reviews, book reviews are some of the common 'sustainability tricks', but end of the day what better way to be creative than feed off some one else's creativity.
Pranchiyettan and yes of course The Saint was a charmingly pleasant experience.First and foremost I am amazed at the deftness with which Renjith blends in the essence of Christian theology into what could otherwise be easily called a 'Comedy Film'.I am willing to argue to no end that the movie is a spiritual one - a new brand of spiritual movies that was pioneered by Renjith in his 2002 hit Nandanam (read my earlier post titled Monsoon Wedding for a little more)and almost perfected in 'Pranchiyettan'. What has gotten into Renjith ? Is it the same guy who delivered obnoxiously loud scripts supporting larger than life movies like 'Devasuram,'Narasimham','Prajapathi' and so on ? I continue to scan the list of movies against his name (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renjith ) and I see a pattern - at regular intervals Renjith has gotten involved with appealing (to me,it is my review I am the reference point) movies like Nandam, Mizhi Randilum and now Pranchiyettan.There seems to be a plan in place - something has been getting into and out of Renjith periodically.
Back to the movie - plot revolves around the quintessential thrissur based rice merchant C.E. Francis (lovingly called Pranchiyettan and not so lovingly as Ari Pranchi).Pranchi epitomises the fun loving, free flowing yet philosophical thrissur karan,played to delicious perfection by Mammooty. Story evolves in flashback as the narration of his life's story by Pranchi to St. Francis of Assisi, his saviour and lord.Mammooty speaks the sing-song thrissur vernacular like he has lived all his life there and leaves the audience wanting for more !. Inevitably Pranchi falls into the pit fall of trying to get ahead of his own inferiority complex, which is fuelled by his lack of formal education.First half is one hell of a fun ride filled with details of all the tragicomic experiences that Pranchi undergoes to get some formal 'respect' from his fellow citizens of Thrissur.Post interval the plot comes alive and throws light into what Pranchi is doing late at night at a church talking to The Saint.Renjith manages to tie the loose ends in a masterly fashion and like I mentioned before blends in the core message of the movie (what I would like to call the 'spark' for/of the movie) without any overt exertion.
Pranchi through his life preaches (Pranchi, Preachy ? Nah !!) a brand of spiritualism which even though uses some Christian symbols remains secular and appealing in much the same way as he used to get the message across in Nandanam.
All in all great fun and some food for thought !
Priya mani has a fringe role that she does justice to and the side kicks of Pranchi in Eeyappan,Subra and Menon played by an actor whose name I could not find out ,Tini Tom and Innocent respectively, play their roles to perfection.Interestingly, Mammooty is playing more and more roles that only he can to such perfection and if not anything else that leaves rest of the current crop of actors in Malayalam (at least) miles behind.
Get out there and watch Pranchiyettan !
M
Pranchiyettan and yes of course The Saint was a charmingly pleasant experience.First and foremost I am amazed at the deftness with which Renjith blends in the essence of Christian theology into what could otherwise be easily called a 'Comedy Film'.I am willing to argue to no end that the movie is a spiritual one - a new brand of spiritual movies that was pioneered by Renjith in his 2002 hit Nandanam (read my earlier post titled Monsoon Wedding for a little more)and almost perfected in 'Pranchiyettan'. What has gotten into Renjith ? Is it the same guy who delivered obnoxiously loud scripts supporting larger than life movies like 'Devasuram,'Narasimham','Prajapathi' and so on ? I continue to scan the list of movies against his name (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renjith ) and I see a pattern - at regular intervals Renjith has gotten involved with appealing (to me,it is my review I am the reference point) movies like Nandam, Mizhi Randilum and now Pranchiyettan.There seems to be a plan in place - something has been getting into and out of Renjith periodically.
Back to the movie - plot revolves around the quintessential thrissur based rice merchant C.E. Francis (lovingly called Pranchiyettan and not so lovingly as Ari Pranchi).Pranchi epitomises the fun loving, free flowing yet philosophical thrissur karan,played to delicious perfection by Mammooty. Story evolves in flashback as the narration of his life's story by Pranchi to St. Francis of Assisi, his saviour and lord.Mammooty speaks the sing-song thrissur vernacular like he has lived all his life there and leaves the audience wanting for more !. Inevitably Pranchi falls into the pit fall of trying to get ahead of his own inferiority complex, which is fuelled by his lack of formal education.First half is one hell of a fun ride filled with details of all the tragicomic experiences that Pranchi undergoes to get some formal 'respect' from his fellow citizens of Thrissur.Post interval the plot comes alive and throws light into what Pranchi is doing late at night at a church talking to The Saint.Renjith manages to tie the loose ends in a masterly fashion and like I mentioned before blends in the core message of the movie (what I would like to call the 'spark' for/of the movie) without any overt exertion.
Pranchi through his life preaches (Pranchi, Preachy ? Nah !!) a brand of spiritualism which even though uses some Christian symbols remains secular and appealing in much the same way as he used to get the message across in Nandanam.
All in all great fun and some food for thought !
Priya mani has a fringe role that she does justice to and the side kicks of Pranchi in Eeyappan,Subra and Menon played by an actor whose name I could not find out ,Tini Tom and Innocent respectively, play their roles to perfection.Interestingly, Mammooty is playing more and more roles that only he can to such perfection and if not anything else that leaves rest of the current crop of actors in Malayalam (at least) miles behind.
Get out there and watch Pranchiyettan !
M
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