Movie review: ‘Kallanum Bhagavathiyum’ merges fantasy and humour in right doses

‘Kallanum Bhagavathiyum’ narrates the story of Kallan Mathappan, a petty thief, with a heart of gold. Elements of fantasy, humour, great visuals and soulful songs are added in equal doses in this family entertainer. Interestingly, veteran filmmaker East Coast Vijayan makes a comeback into direction after a long hiatus through ‘Kallanum Bhagavathiyum’ based on a novel of the same name by K V Anil.

Mathappan Unni aka Kallan Mathappam has not been able to commit a major robbery even though he is a known thief in the village. Dejected and helpless, Mathappan decides to end his life. However, as a final effort, Mathappan plans to rob the idol of Lord Krishna from the village temple. Meanwhile, Priyamani too decides to leave the house as she is unable to reclaim the house that her father had pawned to Somasekharan, a local loan shark. Priya who bids tearful adieu to her bedridden mother and Mathappan who hides in a church after the temple robbery goes wrong, meet each other at the cemetery. The duo then share their life stories.

It is Priya who advises Mathapan to steal the idol of Goddess Bhagavathy in an abandoned cave temple across the river. Meanwhile, Bhagavathy or the Goddess appears in front of Mathappan who swims across the raging river and braves the deadly forest to steal the idol. She requests Mathappan to give her refuge until the idol could be reinstalled at the temple. There begins the story of a beautiful bond between the thief and the Goddess.

Excellent screenplay and direction ensure that the audience remains in a world of fantasy until they leave the theatre. Meanwhile, the movie shares the message that there would always be a ray of hope for those who have lost everything in life. In the contemporary world of rationality and logic, some might feel the conversations between the thief and the Goddess as unrealistic. However, Mathappan’s dialogues are filled with genuine humour and Bhagavathy’s replies are equally enjoyable. Meanwhile, the cinematography plays a pivotal role in adding a spiritual aura to the scenes. The soul-soothing tunes composed by Ranjin Raj add to the overall impact created by the movie.

Vishnu Unnikrishnan shines as Kallan Mathappan while the role of Priyamani is safe in the hands of Anusree. However, it is Bengali actress Mokksha who delivers a spectacular performance as the titular character of Bhagavathy in the movie.

The actress has been able to make the audience laugh and think and even elevates them to a state of spiritual bliss. She exudes charm and perfection as the Goddess. Meanwhile, Rajesh Madhavan who plays the role of Mathappan’s friend never fails to elicit laughter from the audience. Pottakuzhi Radhakrishnan, played by Johny Antony, appears in just a scene but stands out for its relevance and entertainment factor. Maala Parvathi essays the character of Priyamani’s mother while Jayan Cherthala plays her father. Salim Kumar dons the role of the parish priest while Prem Kumar appears as the police inspector. Noby who plays a policeman, Sreekant Murali and Jayasankar too did justice to their characters.

‘Kallanum Bhagavathiyum’ is a small yet entertaining movie that captures the audience’s imagination through elements of fantasy, realism and simple humour. The movie is bankrolled by East Coast Communications, which pioneered a revolution in the regional music industry in the 1990s is sure to excite the audience with its novel theme and amazing picturization.