Directed by:Jithin Laal
Written by:Sujith Nambiar
Additional Screenplay:Deepu Pradeep
Starring:Tovino Thomas,Basil Joseph,Krithi Shetty,Aishwarya Rajesh,Surabhi Lakshmi
Cinematography:Jomon T. John
Edited by:Shameer Muhammed
Music by:Dhibu Ninan Thomas
Production
companies:Magic Frames,UGM Entertainments
Release date:12 September 2024
Language:Malayalam
A.R.M aka Ajayante Randam Moshanam,is a Malayalam-language action adventure film directed by Jithin Laal and written by Sujith Nambiar. Jointly produced by Listin Stephen and Zachariah Thomas, the film stars Tovino Thomas in the title role, alongside Basil Joseph, Krithi Shetty, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Surabhi Lakshmi. The music was composed by Dhibu Ninan Thomas.
Pan Indian tagged movies from Mollywood that came with great expectations turn out to be huge failures, where Ajayante Randam Moshanam stands out because of the weightlessness of expectations. Recent Malayalam cinema history shows that it will benefit the cinema. Tovino Thomas’s own movie 2018 is a good example of that. Ajayante Randam Moshanam is sure to do wonders at the box office if the word of mouth is positive for Onam, the most profitable season in Malayalam cinema history! There is no doubt that Tovino Thomas will become an integral part of commercial Malayalam cinema with another hit. Let’s check it out.
Is another hit for Tovino?
Ajayante The Randam Moshanam story revolves across three timelines and involves the father and grandson and the startling happenings in their lives and how it impacted them and society. The first half mostly focused on character development and world creation in Ajayan. The director Jithin Laal succeeded it brilliantly through folklore mood. We are familiar with too many fairy tales, but we aren’t exploring their potential in Malayalam cinema. Odiyan is a perfect example of the failed attempt, where ARM wins and creates attention to the thread.
Dhibu Ninan’s music backbone for the film, especially in the background score elevates the scenes, adding depth and emotion to the narrative.
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Move In the second half, the movie shifts into treasure hunt mode and creates impact with terrific visuals by Jomon T. John’s captivating cinematography enhances the film’s visual richness, while the VFX and CGI are top-notch.
Jithin Lal’s debut directorial venture, ARM ambitiously blends folklore, social commentary, and a thrilling narrative across three timelines: 1900, 1950, and 1990. Sujith Nambiar’s story is impressive and brilliantly explores the world of Kelu, Maniyan, and Ajayan beautifully. The film delves into the complexities of North Kerala society, exploring themes of caste, deceit, and the enduring legacy of promises broken.
The film’s initial narrative hook is intriguing, and the screenplay is engaging. Laal deftly weaves together these diverse elements, creating a sense of suspense and intrigue Tovino Thomas came up with stellar performances in three roles. As the warrior who saves the king, he looked royal and made his presence felt. In the role of the robber Maniyan, he showed various expressions and made a stunning impact. In the role of Ajay, he showed variations according to situations, as a lover, as a son who faces all the insults from society silently and who also shows courage in the case of adversaries.
Krithi Shetty is okay in her role and has limited scope to show her performance. So is the case with other actors Aishwarya, who was confined to one scene, and Surabhi Lakshmi to a couple of scenes. Rohini made her presence felt, showing emotions as a mother.
The execution of the film is a major drawback. While the story has potential, it is somewhat predictable and lacks depth. Krithi Shettyβs role feels underdeveloped, with her scenes feeling like fillers rather than contributing meaningfully to the plot. Jagadeesh’s role also underdeveloped one and has more potential in the script.The director missed opportunities to introduce more wow factors, such as exploring Maniyanβs vision for the treasure, which would have added intrigue. Shameer Muhammad’s editing is good but could have been more crisp.
Bottomline
Decently made folklore fairy tale has flaws but still managed to entertain with technical superiority and story-telling style. Winner!!
