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Malaikkottai Vaaliban Movie Review: Malaikottai Vaaliban is what we get when Lijo Jose Pellissery crosses Indian folklore with a Clint Eastwood Western, enriches it with beautiful frames and stunning shots, and then goes overboard with some of those aspects. It is a film that left me confused as a reviewer in how to judge it - did I witness a masterpiece that simply didn't win me over, or is LJP losing his footing in places in trying to create that masterpiece? Maybe a few more future watches might change my opinion, but for now, I was underwhelmed by what the maverick filmmaker managed to bring on-screen with the great Mohanlal in the lead. Malaikottai Vaaliban: Screening of Mohanlal's Film Halted in Canada Due to 'Cartel' Troubles, Distributor Issues Statement.
The Many Tales of Malaikkotai Vaaliban
In an unspecified period setting, we meet Vaaliban (Mohanlal), a nomadic wrestler who roams from village to village, defeating the local wrestlers there and being an undisputed champion. He is accompanied by his foster father and trainer, Ayyanar (Hareesh Peradi), and younger brother, Chinnappayyan (Manoj Moses). The film is divided into chapters as we see them traverse various hamlets and meet various people - friends and foes. During one such journey, Vaaliban makes a crazed mortal enemy in Chamathakan (Danish Sait), who vows his destruction, and Rangapattinam Rangarani (Sonalee Kulkarni), a performing artiste who is charmed by Vaaliban's prowess.
Later on, Vaaliban also revolts against a couple of Spanish despots while becoming a revolutionary figure for the captured fighters in that place. However, the hero doesn't know the shadows of doom are closer to him than he believes.
Watch the Trailer of Malaikkotai Vaaliban:
A Visual Masterpiece
LJP's films are known for their visual wizardry, and Malaikottai Vaaliban is no different. The formidable Madhu Neelakandan has created so many beautiful frames that if that big white screen in front of me was a mobile screen, I could have taken hundreds of screenshots, and each would have turned into a stunning wallpaper. It felt almost cathartic to see the marriage of the breathtaking horizons, gorgeous production design and brilliant framing (with some nice tracking shots) that you just cannot keep your eyes off the screen even when the slow pace of the narrative keeps challenging you. Another major asset for Malaikottai Vaaliban is the score. Prashant Pillai's songs turn unconventional earworms, while the background score either becomes this sweet tribute to Ennio Morricone or becomes a powerful harmony to elevate a scene.
Benefitting from these technical aspects, Malaikottai Vaaliban works well in the first couple of acts while embracing its desi fairy tale-meets-Western narrative. The wrestling sequences are done well, though the film works best in its quieter, reflective moments. Like the scene where a princess tells Vaaliban, post-coitus, the story of a prince and a horse that actually becomes their own story, or later in the movie when Vaaliban contemplates his own existence after we see him pulling off a near-impossible victory. Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam Movie Review: Mammootty's Dual Performance is Unsurprisingly Fabulous in Lijo Jose Pelissery's Confounding Dramedy.
The Sneak Lalettan Movie Nods
LJP also plays around by tributing some of Mohanlal's earlier films. The bullock-cart meetup snarky-banter turned romance of Chinnappayyan and Jamanthipoovu (Katha Nandi) reminded me of Thenmaavin Kombathu (both the actors share an incredible chemistry that I yearned the film to keep returning to them). There was one portion of the movie that reminded me strongly of Guru, one of Mohanlal's most underrated films (that deserves a re-appraisal in these times). And so on...
Sholay Meets Errr... Double Barrell?
However, there is one particular sequence where LJP goes beyond Mohanlal movie influences and seeks inspiration from Sholay is where Malaikottai Vaaliban, which occasionally struggled with pacing but wasn't bad otherwise, faced its major roadblock from which it seldom recovers. Visually, it is a well-shot sequence, but tonally, it took me out of the immersive experience and made me go, 'What exactly was LJP smoking when he thought of going with this?' What's funny is that this sequence is supposed to be Malaikottai Vaaliban's crowning glory, an action spectacle that, for some reason, chose to pay tribute to those commercial Bollywood entertainers of the '70s and '80s where the climaxes usually took place in the villain's den.
Look, I don't mind when a movie takes retro inspirations - Sriram Raghavan does great work with those, seen even in his recent film Merry Christmas. But the scene should not jar in comparison to the rest of the film. So when in Malaikottai Vaaliban, an item dance is set around the chained hero, and the Spanish villains start dancing as well, it raises needless hilarity in a film that was so grounded till then. The problems don't end here. The rest of the action sequence is a sequence of over-stretched slo-mo shots that may look visually appealing but test your patience while also testing your intelligence. I know such questions don't matter in a supposed fantasy film like this, but I had to ask - why do soldiers who have guns don't shoot at Vaaliban and his aides when you are in a clear shot of them? Agreed, the royal tells them to capture Vaaliban alive, but why not shoot the rest when they can? To put it briefly, the whole sequence made me recall the weakest film in the director's filmography - Double Barrell - and that was simply unacceptable.
The Dark and Underwhelming Epilogue
In any other film, this particular sequence would also have been the climax of the movie, where the hero emerges victorious while defeating his biggest foe. But LJP is hardly the one going for the conventions, so he stretches Malaikottai Vaaliban a little further by weaving a tale of romantic jealousy that leads to tragedy, except it comes with certain character turns that feel rushed. Churuli Movie Review: A Rare Lijo Jose Pellissery Misfire That Is Still Fascinating and Mystifying.
Rangarani's transgender friend, for example, was a hero just a couple of sequences back but suddenly acts like Manthara from Ramayana. A case of misunderstanding between the three principal characters didn't feel credible because the plotline felt hastily done. It is not that the movie ever lost its visual magic - the yellow-drenched festival sequence is awe-inspiring to look at, especially considering the number of extras used in the scene, and there is one astounding moment when LJP quietens the din for Vaaliban and the audience to embrace a shocking moment that isn't immediately shown to us. But even then, the magic is spoilt by the return of the slo-mo shots that just keep wrestling with your urge to look at your mobile and see how long the film is just meandering on to get to its point.
The Complete Actor Mohanlal
Yet, despite all its fallbacks, there is one consistently great factor in Malaikottai Vaaliban, and that's Mohanlal. It is a perfectly impressive show from the superstar, whose physicality has been smartly used by the director to give him an imposing aura in the fight sequence.
Even when he has to act drunk or bring out his womanising behaviour, Mohanlal puts a welcome restraint on his act - which he never managed to do in some of his recent (mis) endeavours - and that works so well for the character. The actor is particularly fantastic in the scenes where he brings an emotional vulnerability, and I hope whatever fate awaits Malaikottai Vaaliban at the box office, Mohanlal continues to take on these kinds of roles that challenge the actor within him.
Danish Sait - From Standup Performer to Standout Performer
Among the supporting cast, standup comedian and actor Danish Sait turns out to be the most surprising performer. As a humiliated foe who turns into this demented psychopathic personification of chaos (even breaking the fourth wall at one moment), Chamathakan is one of the most engaging antagonists in recent times, and the actor does full justice to the role, despite some dubbing issues.
The dubbing issues become a bit more obvious in Sonalee Kulkarni's performance, particularly evident in the scene where her character reveals her feelings to Vaaliban, though she owns the scene in her intro dance performance. Hareesh Peradi is excellent as Ayannar, a mentor with a dark secret. Manoj Moses and Katha Nandi are very likeable.
PS: Is it me, or did LJP take inspiration from Brahmastra with its sequel tease? Also, what's with the trend of some recent films that are ending with ambitious sequel teases that promise larger scale, scope and stakes? Brahmastra, Salaar, HanuMan and now this!
Final Thoughts on Malaikottai Vaaliban
Malaikottai Vaaliban is a visual masterpiece marred by a slow pace, an underwhelming narrative, and some peculiar creative choices. Mohanlal's performance is excellent, and the dedication of Lijo Jose Pelissery and his team in crafting each frame is evident. However, the lack of an engaging screenplay and tighter editing becomes the Achilles Heel for this story of an unassailable wrestler.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 30, 2024 11:28 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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