When Nna Thaan Case Kodu hit the theatres, everyone was smitten by autorickshaw driver Suresh and Sumalatha teacher's love track in the film, which ran parallel to the hilarious court case the movie centred around. Director Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval, who earned critical acclaim for the film, lost no opportunity to recreate a spin-off on these quirky characters through his latest film 'Sureshinteyum Sumalathayudeyum Hridayahariyaya Pranayakatha'. The film has a vibe similar to his previous work, though the theme focuses on a love story with spoof elements. The treatment of Suresh and Sumalatha's love story is higher on theatrics, unlike the low-key approach used by the filmmakers in narrating a story of a reformed thief who takes a politician to court in 'Nna Thaan Case Kodu'. This is probably why 'Sureshettanum Sumalathayude...' may not seem as relatable to the audience like 'Nna Thaan Case Kodu', which addressed social issues – potholed roads and painstakingly-slow court cases.
Rather, Suresh and Sumalatha's love story is closer in treatment to Poduval's 'Kanakam Kaamini Kalaham', a boisterous and experimental work featuring Nivin Pauly and Grace Antony in lead roles. That is why, you may be disappointed if you are expecting a typical love story. After all, the romance between the duo in 'Nna Thaan Case Kodu' was lovely because it felt different. The film kicks off with Suresh (Rajesh Madhavan) returning to his village in Kannur after his grandmother's death. He is in love with Súmalatha (Chitra Nair), who is Narayanan's (Sudheesh) daughter. He devices a plan to get closer to Sumalatha by directing a play featuring her father. Ratheesh brilliantly blends the play with the actual story, giving the audience plenty to smile about.
Rajesh Madhavan who has appeared in some career-defining roles in the past, makes his debut as hero in 'Sureshettanum Sumalathayude...' His mannerisms evoke mirth at the right places, especially in scenes where he wears sunglasses and appears to be speaking to Sumalatha's father, while indirectly conversing with her instead.
Chitra as Sumalatha and actor Gayathrie as Suresh's sister-in-law play their roles to perfection, so does Sudheesh and the rest of the actors. Ratheesh manages to give sufficient space to the women characters in the film and often lets them utter some punch-lines.
Some of the dialogues are thought-provoking, but Ratheesh has managed to hide the political undertone through subtle humour. The characters often mix English with Malayalam in their conversations. While it manages to create some laughter, it falls flat in most places. The songs by Dawn Vincent are catchy, with 'Premalolu' and 'Nadake Nadakam' contributing to a peppy feel.
