Om Shanthi Oshaana

My review: Om Shanthi Oshaana

Rarely we get to see a love story told from the female protagonist's point of view in the mainstream commercial format. Jude Anthany Joseph has attempted precisely that in "Om Shanthi Oshaana" with inputs  from Midhun Manuel Thomas in the story and screenplay. It is astonishing how well the duo have understood the psyche of the teenage love from  the girl's perspective which has been the domain of female writers and directors usually. And to give us a thoroughly enjoyable movie that entertains is no mean task. 

First half is breezy and well paced. The exuberance of the teenage love, the attempts that a girl may take to impress her man, the gradual change in the persona and temperament that accompanies with the realization of having fallen for someone are all well executed. Aided with crisp and witty dialogues and comical interludes as well as the scenes that can be categorized as "cinematic memes" make up for a jolly good ride for the first one hour and ten minutes. 

Post interval though the movie begins to lag a little, as the exuberance of the adolescence gives way to the new found maturity of the young adulthood of our female protagonist, Pooja Mathew played very well by Nazriya Nazim. Now the methods become more contrived with occasional sprinkling of brilliance here and there. As one gets to settle for the mundane somber ending, the makers spring in a surprise to leave everyone happy in the end. To sum it up, the movie though has its share of ups and downs, the ups are more and so enjoyable that they don't allow you to focus much on the downs, hence in the end you come out with a happy satiated feel. 

  

Nivin Pauly actually doesn't have much to do. Though it is awfully skewed towards the female lead, Nivin manages to grab the eyeballs with his matured and restrained act. But the movie is through and through a Nazriya Nazim movie, almost giving you the feel of as if its been written solely for her. And she has utilized the platform provided to her well. Not that every other day actresses get these types of opportunities. One would have anticipated playing her age would have been much more easier than the mature part but she gets too cutesy at certain points while playing the teenage character. Movie has a rich talented support cast. Aju Varghese is brilliant with many get-ups of his as David Kanjani. 

Movie has pleasant music and background score by Shaan Rahman and eye-shooting camera work by Vinod Illampally. On the whole, "Om Shanthi Oshaana" is a thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy and  coming-of-age  story told in the female protagonist point of view.

Bottomline: Pick of the Valentine season.

3.5/5