'Madanolsavam' Review: Suraj Venjaramoodu leads a laughter-filled romp through politics

'Madanolsavam', Suraj Venjaramoodu's latest film, is a political satire centred around the protagonist Madanan. Director Sudheesh Gopinath has skillfully blended politics, satire, and comedy to create a decent family entertainer. With Suraj returning to his comedic roots, the film garnered high anticipation from the audience.

The story follows Madanan Mallakkara who dyes chicks to make ends meet and to support his elderly aunt. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes embroiled in a power struggle between two political parties, ultimately having to fight for survival. Despite his gentle nature, Madanan must navigate through the murky waters of politics to survive.

In his recent projects, Suraj has tackled more serious roles, but in 'Madanolsavam', he may be switching gears back to comedy. Unlike his iconic characters like 'Dashamoolam Damu' or 'Theepandam Raj Boss', Madanan, the character he plays, is not inherently funny. Rather, it is the situations occurring around him that can be seen as satirical or amusing to viewers. After the unexpected death of his friend, Madanan takes on the responsibility of caring for his friend's wife, Alice (portrayed by Bhama Arun), and daughter. The plot of the movie revolves around Madanan being coerced into becoming a dummy candidate for a local political party to split the votes of their opposition candidate, Madanan Manjakkaran (played by Babu Antony). Throughout the first half of the movie, Suraj's Madanan is clueless about what is happening to him and around him. His life becomes a cat-and-mouse chase between him and those seeking power and benefits.

The second half of the movie sees Madanan struggling to survive after losing his job and running out of money. Viewers are taken on a journey as Madanan adapts to his new circumstances and learns to fend for himself. Through his trials and tribulations, Madanan transforms, growing into a more confident and self-reliant individual.

The movie features a talented ensemble cast including Babu Antony, Bhama Arun, Rajesh Madhavan, and Swathi Das Prabhu in supporting roles alongside Suraj. While Suraj delivers an impressive performance, his portrayal of Madanan may not stand out as much as some of his previous comedic characters. The scenes with his stepdaughter, however, offer glimpses of his outstanding performance in 'Action Hero Biju'. Madanan appears to be a combination of his previous characters, lacking any distinct traits.

Babu Antony's return to the screen as a powerful politician adds to the film's entertainment value, with his character, Madanan Manjakkaran, having a comical element to him.

Sudheesh Gopinath skillfully utilizes Babu Antony's height and demeanour to portray the role of a don-like politician. Rajesh Madhavan's portrayal in the film adds a unique and refreshing twist to the storyline. It's not often that we see a slender, local thug character in movies, making his character stand out. 'Thallumaala'-fame Swathi Das Prabhu has also added to the comedic element of the movie. Although Bhama Arun's role as Madanan's wife is a typical portrayal, her on-screen chemistry with Suraj Venjaramoodu is undeniably charming.

It is commendable to see how the movie starts with a subdued tone and gradually transitions into a darker shade as the lead character faces greater challenges. While not entirely bleak, the muted colour palette adds to the overall sombre atmosphere of the film.

Overall, the movie's plot is not entirely novel, and while there are moments that elicited laughter from the audience, it's debatable whether those instances would be enough to make up for the rest of the film. Nevertheless, Suraj once again proves his versatility as an actor, capable of taking on a variety of roles. The movie's overall atmosphere is quite dark, with the tone becoming increasingly bleak as the lead character's situation deteriorates, which is praiseworthy.

Madanolsavam is a great choice for viewers who are looking for a movie that is not too serious but still funny and entertaining.