Pazhassi Raja  - Review
By Cine Critic | 18th October, 2009| 4:30:48

If the actor happens to take an almost 110 days shooting for a period epic, Pazhassi Raja, you wait with bated breath for the overtly choosy actor to mesmerize his fans and cine lovers yet again. Mammootty's teaming with director hariharan as also Script writer M.T. Vasudeven Nair, names synonymous with quality cinema, conjures images of an ambitious epic that could well be Kerala's answer to the Mel Gibson classic BRAVEHEART

The film is set in the 18th century and is about Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of the Kottayam royal family. Irked by the revenue policy of East India Company in Malabar, Pazhassi Raja's was one of the first voices to be raised against British rule in India, though not many people are aware of him outside Kerala. Recreating history and live up to your expectations is difficult  But Pazhassi Raja succeeds there and talks about the martyr, his heroism, his contribution to India's freedom movement so effectively and immaculately that you can't help but salute the great freedom fighter.

Besides the setting and direction, excellent performances by Mammooty and Sarth kumar are the strong points of the movie. Mammootty, in particular, brings out a brilliant portrayal of Pazhassi Raja not just by his longhaired and royal looks but also by reflecting the simmering intensity of the character. Padma Priya and Kaniha   have marginal roles. Yet the two ladies deliver strong performances. The atmosphere of the mid 18th century’s is recreated with supreme conviction. The excellent cinematography by (Ratnakar Shetty’s), action sequences  (Ravi Diwan) background score by (Oscar winner Rasool Pookutty) and Music by (Ilayaraja) authentically recreate the ambience of kerala of 18th centruy.

To sum up, Pazhassi Raja is a brave attempt on  bring to life an important chapter from history. And make you realize that the freedom we enjoy today is only because of our predecessors, who gave their blood for the nation. The film succeeds in arousing patriotic feelings without a shred of doubt! Considering the high expectations that are being attached to the film, ‘Pazhassi Raja’ turns out to be a finely made brilliant one. Director Hariharan must be complimented for credibly recreating history and showing first sparks of the revolution that culminated into Indian freedom almost 150 years later.

Verdict: Brave and Brilliant