- Date of Release: 09 February 2024
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Language: Malayalam
Premalu
Introduction
I can’t remember the last time I have consistently laughed in a Rom-Com, something that I did while witnessing Premalu. It is a Monday and the weekend that went by was amongst the driest in terms of new content being churned out. And this gave me an opportunity to visit some of the films that I had previously missed across languages but incidently still running in theatres. With that, I finished watching the new Malayalam film Premalu which had released last week but still running to packed houses. I must admit that I did get to know about the film only from social media but its premise wasn’t really exciting. In fact, it seemed to be an extension of the run on the mill coming of age stories that the Malayalam Film Industry was guilty of churning out in 2023, something that did not allow them to match the brilliance of quality from its previous years. But the word of mouth of Premalu was supremely positive that coaxed me into making a trip to a theatre near me to witness the drama. So then, does Premalu manage to impress, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
Premalu follows the story of a young protagonist who is always rejected by girls with whom he is deeply in love with. Soon, he is acquainted with another girl whose idea of a life partner is very different from what she would get from the protagonist. Will love blossom between the two? The story here is a sweet little tale with not much novelty from a concept point of view. But I would like all the budding writers and directors to take note of how beautifully the screenplay standing at 156 minutes is penned and executed. The writing here is refreshing while creating situations that are a right concoction of being relatable and hilarious that ensures that the drama comes out on top at the end.
The one thing that instantly works in favour of the drama is the setting. It is always an interesting proposition to take a bunch of characters and place them in a setting alien to them, and here most of the characters from Kerala find themselves in the urban city of Hyderabad which itself added a new dynamic to the proceedings. So you are introduced to the protagonist Sachin and his non existential love life early on in the drama, and coupled with the issues at his place with respect to his parents, he wishes to immigrate to UK for work. But much to his dismay, his Visa is rejected every single time. A parallel track involves the introduction of the other protagonist Reenu, working in the IT sector in Hyderabad after newly shifting to the city. Fate brings Sachin to Hyderabad too and their worlds collide with the only question being on whether cupid would get the two opposites attract to fall in love with each other.
Giving you a slight ‘Premam’ vibe at the beginning, the proceedings are engaging and absolutely hilarious despite packing in a bunch of incident that could so easily have had a downward spiral in terms of the drama unfolding. But the writers need to be credited here for a hilarious ride while not losing sight of the tone of the drama for most parts of the runtime. Even the exploration of the vibe of the city of Hyderabad was done accurately, taking you on a city tour from the IT sector to the restaurant joints and some landmarks in the city along the way. This, while the writers accurately establish the character traits of all characters while also introducing a potential love triangle that results in a hilarious game of one upmanship while also being relatable in its presentation..
The events in the film are breezy as you find yourself deeply invested in the characters, particularly Sachin and Reenu whom you secretly root for despite the situation in the drama indicating otherwise at the halfway mark. There is a slight dip post the interval with the action transpiring outside the vibrant city of Hyderabad. But writers soon get the drama back on track while keeping the tone of the drama intact, something that never really weighed down the narrative in the territory of a melodrama which it could so easily have. Even the events leading up to the final are quite hilarious while ending the drama on a practical note which is typical of the Malayalam Film Industry. Overall, there is so much that could have gone wrong if the proceedings were not controlled, but the staging and execution is what made the screenplay excellent in what was an enjoyable and relatable Rom-Com after ages.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are hilarious to the core wherein I found myself laughing and clapping almost throughout the narrative. Also, care has been taken to incorporate the vibe of the city of Hyderabad through the lines which was a positive for me. The music is melodious and blends perfectly with the drama unfolding even with the position of the songs that didn’t break the flow of the narrative. The BGM is excellent, often complimenting the tone of the drama really well while elevating the drama at various junctures. The cinematography is excellent with frames that go beautifully with the vibe of the drama even with respect to the colour grading that results in a vibrant Rom-Com. The editing is crisp and sharp for most parts of the narrative, only briefly faltering in the post interval portions. Director Girish A D does a tremendous job in creating a relatable world with relatable characters and infusing the proceedings with humour from start to finish. The control that he had on the proceedings with respect to the staging is commendable given that the drama did run the risk of being overpacked while going the path of a standard Rom-Com. But if the drama did come out on top then a huge credit must go to the director who was simply in prolific form!
Performances
The performances are incredibly good by the ensemble cast. Mathew Thomas as Thomas is hilariously in an extended cameo that had me cracking up every time he was onscreen. Meenakshi Raveendran as Niharika has her moments to shine and I really liked her presence onscreen that would make you take notice of her despite a limited screen time. Akhila Bhargavan as Karthika is sincere and earnest while being consistently affable throughout the narrative. Her character also falls under the relatable category with respect to the girl that you like(you will know when you watch the film), and she does a pretty good job here. Sangeeth Prathap as Amal is incredibly good too and the banter that he shares with the protagonist is hilarious.
Shyam Mohan as Aadhi plays a character with a forced sense of humour but herein lay his craft given that his slightly off comic timing worked so well for the chatacter. It brings me to think that he is an actor gifted with a great comic timing and he understands the genre(or is directed really well) wherein he makes you laugh uncontrollably with his silly sense of humour. He was incredibly bad here with his comedy(JK – Just Kidding), actually pretty darn good😅. Mamitha Baiju as Reenu has such a charming presence onscreen with a disarming smile that instantly allows you to warm up to her character which is slightly confused in life. Her body language and antics are spot on wherein she does a tremendous job while never losing the tone of her drama. I have always regarded Naslen as an incredibly gifted actor with a pair of eyes that reflect such innocence. And here as Sachin, he is in top form showcasing his vulnerabilities while being prolific with his comedy. He was immensely brilliant and likable in a quietly charming act that will make you laugh while also consistently putting a smile on your face.
Conclusion
Premalu is a hilarious Rom-Com with relatable undertones and incredibly honest performances that had me wearing a smile from ear to ear. It is safe to say that the Malayalam Film Industry has found its mojo again after a brief period of lull in 2023. And I couldn’t be happier! Available in a theatre near you and Highly Recommended.