Despite the commendable special effects and efforts of the ensemble cast, a weak screenplay spoils the story with immense heroic and emotional potential.
more than preparing for two wars at the center of Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Singham, If there is anything going on in the film on a war footing, it is character introductions. Almost an hour into the film, new characters are still being introduced minute by minute, each of them getting just a minute or two to make an impression on the audience, who sometimes stand out from the crowd on screen. are left stunned. The star cast is so large that it is possible that at times the screenwriters must have wondered where to fit some of them.
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It’s probably this approach, which focuses more on the grandeur of the whole thing — whether it’s the budget, the star cast, the elaborate battle sequences or the visual effects — that made them lose sight of the basic building blocks that need none. Spend Millions: Screenplay. Director Priyadarshan, who co-wrote the script of the film with Ani. IV Sasi was tasked with creating a cinematic story around the famous story of Kunjali Marakkar, the naval chief of the Zamorin of Kozhikode, who led a valiant battle against the invading Portuguese in the 16th century.
Fantasy embellishments come in various forms, including the short-lived marriage of young Markar (Pranav Mohanlal) to Ayesha (Kalyani Priyadarshan); The love affair between Marakkar’s trusted lieutenant Chinali (JJ Jakrit) and Archa (Keerthy Suresh), the daughter of a local ruler; And not to forget the many palace intrigues against Marakkar. But, one of the reasons why all these fictional additions to the original story lack emotional core is that the audience doesn’t get time to get used to most of the characters. Even someone like Manju Warrier, as the unhappy wife of a man from Marakkar, fails to make an impression, even though she has a crucial role to play in the narrative.
Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea
- Director: Priyadarshan
- Cast: Mohanlal, Pranav Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Nedumudi Venu, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Arjun Sarja
- Duration: 181 minutes
- Story: The legend of Kunjali Marakkar, the naval chief of the Zamorin of Kozhikode, who led a valiant battle against the invading Portuguese in the 16th century.
Stars like Arjun Sarja, Prabhu and Suniel Shetty get roles that are interchangeable with each other, with no defined character. Character development also suffers in the case of Marakkar (Mohanlal), who doesn’t even get a few worthy lines to deliver. Some lines end up as unintentional comedies in the saddest of situations, while some seem out of place in a period film. Some references to Priyadarshan’s own films are placed at inappropriate junctures, such as when Markar tells Ayesha to jump off a cliff, promising to catch her.
The film’s promotional USP was the visual effects of Siddharth Priyadarshan and Sabu Cyril’s production design, both of which are commendable by the standards and limits of Malayalam cinema. The dated background music only serves to remind viewers of Hollywood movies that the battle scenes are directly “inspired”.
By the time one walks out of the hall, after three hours of exhaustion, he or she struggles to remember a single memorable line or scene apart from the special effects-filled scenes. The failure of the writers to bring such moments out of the story with immense heroic and emotional potential is an even bigger disappointment. Kunjali Marakkar certainly deserved a better tribute. In the end, it’s not about the crores you spend, but about how well you manage to engage and move audiences.
Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea is currently playing in theaters
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