Ganagandharvan review: Mammootty impresses with humor and surprising plot twists

Ganagandharvan starring mega star Mammootty in the lead role is a thorough entertainer which finely blends light hearted humor, moments that create anxiety and a bit of contemplation on some relevant topics as well. This is the second directorial outing of popular comedian and actor Ramesh Pisharody. In the movie, Mammootty plays Kalasadan Ullas, a ‘gaanamela’ (concert) singer who amazingly renders old melodies on stage to floor the live audience. It is for the first time in his entire career that the screen icon has essayed the role of a singer who performs on stage.

The story, screenplay and dialogues of Ganagandharvan are jointly penned by Ramesh Pisharody and Hari P Nair. The movie has an ensemble cast of Mukesh, Manoj K Jayan, Suresh Krishna, Maniyan Pillai Raju, Sidhique, Dharmajan Bolgatty, Hareesh Kanaran, Sunil Sukhada, Athulya and Shanti Priya. New comer Vanditha plays the female lead.

Plot

Ullas is one of the lead singers of the Kalasadan troupe which presents music concerts and stage shows. He is a commoner who struggles to make the two ends meet with his minimal income. The plot of the movie takes a twist when a woman, with hidden motives, enters Ullas’ life. Ganagandharvan is about Ullas’ struggles and efforts to disentangle him from the problems that he unintentionally lands up in.

The first half of the movie throws in some light hearted humor that genuinely elicits some good laughs in the theaters. Meanwhile, the second half keeps the audiences on the edges of their seats, with an unexpected twist in the climax as well. The movie projects how seemingly harmless fibs can grow into an impenetrable fort of lies and deceit, which can eventually take a toll on the families and relationships.

A few movies, in other languages, that had grabbed attention lately have moved away from the cliched portrayals of scary male villains and have amazingly shown strong female characters in the negative roles. Bollywood movies like Badla and Andhadun are fine examples of this. A similar treatment can be seen in Ganagandharvan as well.

One of the most relevant topics that the movie deals with is how the rules that are meant to protect women are being increasingly misused. In most cases, the women are projected as hapless victims while the men are often the cruel predators. However, the movie reminds that the truth may not always be so. What makes Ganagandharvan relevant in these contemporary times is its attempt to reiterate the significance of timely changes in the laws, so that no one would be wrongly indicted.

Impressive performances

Mammootty, through a handful of spectacular movies, has already proven his mettle for delivering scintillating performances as the ordinary man who struggles in life. In Ganagandharvan too, the award winning actor has portrayed the struggles and emotions of a commoner with such authenticity. He impresses the audience, both on screen and off screen, with his flawless performance.

Barring a few glitches in the dubbing, Athulya who played a character with negative shades did a commendable job. Suresh Krishna is another actor who grabs the audiences’ attention with his amazing performance. Actors like Manoj K Jayan and Dharmajan too have done justice to their respective roles.

Behind the camera

After his debut movie Panchavarnathatha Ramesh Pisharody’s incredible growth as a director could be clearly perceived in Ganagandharvan. The camera is cranked by ace cinematographer Azhagappan who offers some impressive frames. Songs play a significant role in this movie and music composer Deepak Dev has composed some catchy tunes that gel with the plot. Lijo Paul’s flawless editing is what perfectly binds the sequences together, without losing the element of excitement and intrigue. Sreelakshmi, Shankar Raj and Soumya Ramesh have bankrolled Ganagandharvan for Ichayees Productions and Ramesh Pisharody Entertainments. Badusha is the production controller. The film is distributed by Anto Joseph Film Company.

In short

Director Ramesh Pisharody has successfully presented a small yet relevant subject without making the audience feel tedious or irksome. This movie is sure to cater to the interests of all kinds of audience.