Bhaskar The Rascal teams up two stalwarts - Mammootty and director Siddique, but we suggest you take out a DVD of their earlier movies if you want to enjoy their work, writes Paresh C Palicha.
Children seem to be ever present in Malayalam films these days, not because they are central to the plot, but to lend credibility to the ageing superstars who are on the wrong side of 40 but whose names on the marquee still fill theatres.
These actors have to be shown as happily married or single parents as in Mammootty’s Vishu release Bhaskar The Rascal,directed by Siddique.
Mammootty is Bhaskar, an uncouth single parent who is a shame on his young son Aadi (Master Sanoop). He uses coarse language and violence to get things done.
Bhaskar The Rascal teams up two stalwarts - Mammootty and director Siddique, but we suggest you take out a DVD of their earlier movies if you want to enjoy their work.
The director weaves a sentimental back story to account for this behaviour.
Some amount of laughter and chuckles arise out of this situation, but not enough to sustain a two-and-a-half hour movie.
Nayanthara is the just-past-her prime leading lady, a single mother and a working parent.
The director tries to tell the story of a conventional romance with the leading pair being an older couple whose children make the effort to unite them.
This is rather thin as a story line so one of the spouses is brought back from the dead halfway through.
There are enough twists and turns in the wafer-thin storyline to put a daily soap to shame.
Siddique is a pioneer in making mimicry popular, but here the humour feels stale and contrived.
Mammootty’s character must naturally be central to the film, but so much is done to pad out the part, that it just crumbles in the second half.
He looks out of place and fails to muster any enthusiasm in the viewer. His touch in films like Rajamanickam,which made him and the films so popular, is missing here.
Nayanthara, who is said to be making a comeback, does not assert herself much. She has little to say and does not contribute to the comedy which is supposed to be the backbone of the film.
Supporting actors Kalabhavan Shajon and Harishree Ashokan are not given an opportunity to contribute substantially.
As for the two child artists, Master Sanoop and Baby Anikha, one can only feel sorry for them. They carry the burden of this film, which is much heavier than their school bags.
And one wonders how Telugu actor Chakravarthy was roped in to play the main villain in this lacklustre film.
Bhaskar The Rascal teams up two stalwarts - Mammootty and director Siddique, but we suggest you take out a DVD of their earlier movies if you want to enjoy their work.
Rediff Rating: 
