Based on the Japanese movie “ Kikujiro” , Mysskin’s “Nandhalala” is a travelogue with a brilliant background score by Ilayaraja & excellent cinematography by Mahesh Muthusamy. Mysskin the director takes the third place only though he is the man behind the movie as the whole.
Ilayaraja is back with his haunting violins which made movies like “Veedu ” & “Sandhya Raagam ” memorable. He is one musician who knows the value of silence . In many poignant sequences where a customary music director would have tried his level hard to put in some music to fill in the emotion , Raja just makes the silence evocate the emotions in the viewer. Ilayaraja is the foremost person why many would have ventured into the theatres showing this movie & he does satisfy them whole heartedly.
All the three songs that find a place in the final cut "Melle Oorndhu Oorndhu , "Onnukkonnu.”’, "Thalaattu Ketka Nanum" are haunting pieces . Hearing Ilayaraja & K.J.Yesudas after a long time in itself brings back the nostalgic memories in you.
Mahesh Muthusamy is the second most significant person of “Nandhalala” . Movie has lots of long shots & the manner in which he has literally played with the camera in his hand is astonishing. With the aerial shots , low-angle shots which he used to great effect in “Anjathey” in that famous sequence & the number master shots in the movie , Mahesh must have had a ball in showcasing his talents which he has in abundance.
Mysskin , the director has done a decent job while the screenplay writer must have dozed off a bit while the actor is completely off target. The confusion in which he has conceived & portrayed the mentally ill character is average to put it mildly. Bereft of the sensitivity , poignancy & authenticity Myskkin’s mentally ill protagonist is stereotyped , ill-etched & far-fetched from real.
Except that aberration, rest of the characterisation are well-etched and conceived & brilliantly portrayed by the actors , be it Aswath Ram as the other protagonist or Snigtha , the bikers , the shepherd , the lorry driver , the coconut vendor , etc. Nasser , though he comes in for just 20-30 seconds or so , he leaves a mark in your mind . And Mysskin’s speciality is the situational humour & the angst which come out effortlessly onscreen. Rohini is too young to be Mysskin’s mother , atleast some make-up would have done some good to hide her youthful demeanour.
The final 15-20 minutes disturbs you & leave a mark where the director & writer in Mysskin some to the fore but the two reasons why the movie makes a greater impact are one ,Ilayaraja & two , Mahesh Muthusamy.
On the whole , “Nandhalala” is a journey worth travelling .
Bottomline : Thalaatu..!
4/5
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