MAARA
Introduction
I had reviewed the 2015 Malayalam movie Charlie a few days back, a movie which I had watched a couple of years ago. Despite that the movie was clearly etched in my memory attributing to its mystical story and the performances especially by its lead pair. This week releases the Tamil Flick Maara on Amazon Prime which is the official adaptation of Charlie. Does it match its feat and turn out to be memorable, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Maara follows the same story as that of Charlie. Now the thing with remakes is to get as close to the original as possible while trying to have some unique quality of itself. Here the key was the essence of the story which had made Charlie unique. And the good news is that the essence is intact here. The screenplay also follows the sane trajectory as the original. The episodes of Charlie are pretty similar here too and have been narrated with as much mysticism and magic. For the people who have watched Charlie will be able to point out that the end has been modified into a more simpler ending. So the slight dramatism is bypassed into a feel good happy ending. In other words, the screenplay is effective here.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are philosophical and filled with magic. I thoroughly enjoyed the music too. Not only is it melodious but it also adds a layer to the eventual storyline. Director Dhilip Kumar had a tall order at hand but he definitely comes out with flying colours.
Performances
Charlie had outstanding performances and it would generally have been an uphill task. But the talent on display here ensure that there are no hiccups along the way. Mouli as Vellaiya is simply excellent, Padmavati Rao as Meenakshi shines in a cameo. Alexander Babunon debut had big shoes to fill that of Soubin Shahir. And he does a pretty good job. Shivada Nair as Kani has a few dialogues but she manages to hold her own through minute glances and her charm in a performance that stays with you. R Madhavan is excellent though it was indeed tough to match the charm of Dulquer Salmaan. Not many people know that my celeb crush is Shraddha Srinath. Not only is she a great actress but also drop dead gorgeous. I could watch her in almost anything. And here as Paaru she is the pick of the actors. She brings simplicity to a complex role and really delivers a memorable performance.
Conclusion
I am not a fan of remakes but Maara is an exception. It matches the footsteps of Charlie. A charming adaptation indeed! Available on Amazon Prime and Highly Recommended.