Chattampi Nadu
By Cine Critic | 29th December, 2009| 14:30:48

First of all, we have to admit that we are glad to see Mammootty in comic and masala roles again. It indeed was becoming tedious to see their versatile actor in very serious roles one after the other. For all those fans who share similar sentiments, Virendra Mallaya is a treat. Forget logic here and just enjoy the new offering from director Shafi and Mammooty.

Chattanmbinadu tells the story of a village on the border of Tamil Nadu , which is ruled by hoodlum because of a fight between two feudal lords. Veerendra Mallaya (Mammootty), the biggest goon of them all, comes here on the behest of the weaker lord Mallachira Chandramohan (Manoj K Jayan), a drunk. The bad guy Kattapilli Nagendran (Siddique) blocks the sale of his ancestral property to tide over his financial difficulties.

The best thing about the film is- it is as entertaining as Rajamanikkam and Thommanum Makkalum. Forget the logic part of the story and the fact that so many characters simply walk in and walk out. Shafi and Mammooty's previous film together was Mayavi. This one is a pretty good follow-up to that film with more mass elements. The script is by Benny.p.nayarambalm .In spite of the number of characters, he have maintained clarity in the narration.

Chattanmbinadu succeeds in its basic purpose i.e. Casting in on Mammootty's aura by making him appear stylish with a designer beard, white outfits and expensive sunglasses (again reminiscent of Rajamanikyam). Instead of dialogue laced with the Thiruvananthapuram accent, as in Rajamanikyam, here his dialogues have a Kannada flavor. There are the stock comic subplots involving Salim Kumar, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Janardhanan. Then there is the back story, which pops up in bits and pieces, in black and white. Everything comes together in a prolonged climax.

The supporting cast of Vinu Mohan's Murugan as Mallaya's educated stooge has a few comic gags and is also instrumental in making the second half heavy.The female lead Lakshmi Rai does not have anything more than ornamental value. Mythili, as the second lead, plays Murugan's mute love interest and is not much of a consequence in the scheme of things. Overall this is a typical superstar film with all the vital ingredients to please all fans - comedy, action, emotions and even a taut mass sequence.

Verdict: Mass Entertainer