Manorathangal Review: A befitting ode to MT Vasudevan Nair’s literature and cinema

Manorathangal Review: The MT Vasudevan Nair anthology series, streaming on Zee5, is a befitting ode to the legendary writer and a celebration of cinema itself, with mostly hits and some misses.

Manorathangal official posters

Manorathangal

Manorathangal Plot: ‘Olavum Theeravum’, the Priyadarshan directorial, which stars Mohanlal in the lead role, depicts the tragic romance of Bapputty and Nabeesu. ‘Kadugannava’, directed by Ranjith and stars Mammootty in the lead role, is an autobiographical work, inspired by a real-life incident of MT Vasudevan Nair. Shyamaprasad’s episode ‘Kazhcha’ which stars Parvathy Thiruvothu, revolves around the liberation of a simple Malayali woman. Priyadarshan’s second segment, ‘Shilalikhitham’ deals with the dilemmas of Prof. Gopalan Kutty, who revisits his native with his teenage daughter. ‘Vilpana’, directed by Ashwathy Nair, depicts journalist Sunil Roy’s meeting with Mrs. Parekh, which takes an unexpected turn.

‘Sherlock’, the Mahesh Narayanan segment that stars Fahadh Faasil and Nadhiya Moidu, deals with Balu’s struggles to adjust to his new life in the USA. ‘Kadalkkaattu’, directed by Rathish Ambat, revolves around Keshav, who is torn between his uneducated and dutiful wife and his modern girlfriend. ‘Abhayam Thedi Veendum’, the segment directed and shot by Santosh Sivan, follows a nameless man who relocates to his native village, after many decades. Jayaraj’s ‘Swargam Thurakkunna Samayam’ narrates the story of the bedridden Madhavan Mash and his children, who await his death.

Manorathangal Review

Showrunner Priyadarshan’s black-and-white film ‘Olavum Theeravum’ is a mixed bag that works big time with its exceptional technical aspects, and music. Mohanlal and leading lady Durga Krishna shine in their roles. But the superstar’s inconsistent dialect dilutes his performance at parts. The artificiality in the narration and dialogues, and odd casting choices (a much younger Surabhi Lakshmi as a mother figure to the leading man) make the iconic work of MT Vasudevan Nair stick out like a sore thumb in the Manorathangal anthology.

Also Read: Manorathangal episode guide: Runtime, cast and all you need to know about the MT Vasudevan Nair’s ZEE5 anthology 

‘Kadugannava’, the Ranjith directorial headlined by Mammootty, is a wonderful watch for both film fanatics and anyone familiar with the signature style of MT Vasudevan Nair. The megastar plays Venugopal, the senior journalist who visits the Sri Lankan town Kadugannava to find his long-lost step-sister, to near perfection. Mammootty's simple yet effective narration elevates the storytelling. The casting choices of Vineeth and Anumol work big time. The minimal dialogues, soulful background score, and visuals make the segment heartwarming.

‘Kazhcha’, the Shyamaprasad segment, emerges as a lovely watch, thanks to the great making, music score, and effective performances of Parvathy Thiruvothu, Narain, and Harish Uthaman. ‘Shilalikhitham’, the second episode by Priyadarshan in Manorathangal, scores with its visuals and the performance of leading man Biju Menon. But, the staging, narration, and some of the performances, are quite artificial.

Also Read: Manorathangal: Mammootty, Mohanlal to blame for Netflix opting out of MT Vasudevan Nair anthology? 

‘Sherlock’ by Mahesh Narayanan stands out with its modern approach in making and performances. Fahadh Faasil and Nadhiya Moidu shine in their respective roles, along with the titular character ‘Sherlock Holmes Shinde’, played by an adorable cat. The top-notch technical aspects and crisp dialogues make this episode an intriguing watch.

‘Vilpana’, directed by Ashwathy Nair, emerges as the weakest episode of the anthology. The artificiality in Asif Ali’s get-up, Madhoo’s unconvincing performance (and the unbearably dramatic dubbing by Bhagyalakshmi), and the tactless making made the episode a passable watch. Rathish Ambat’s ‘Kadalkkaattu’ is memorable for most of its parts, thanks to the natural performances by Indrajith Sukumaran and Aparna Balamurali, and the music score. But Ann Augustine was wasted in a badly-written character, and the lengthy English dialogues just failed to make any impact.

Also Read: Priyadarshan on MT Vasudevan Nair’s Manorathangal: ‘I was jealous of Bharathan, Hariharan because…’ | Exclusive 

‘Abhayam Thedi Veendum’ by Santosh Sivan is a stunning watch, thanks to the impeccable visualization, music score, and brilliant performance by Siddique. However, the narrative juggles between reality and delusions a bit too much, thus making it difficult for the viewer to connect with it. Jayaraj’s ‘Swargam Thurakkunna Samayam’ is achingly beautiful. The emotional ride of bedridden Madhavan Mash (a wonderful Nedumudi Venu), and the indifference of Kutti Narayanan (the extraordinarily simple Indrans), emerge as a memorable watch, thanks to its making and performances.

The MT Vasudevan Nair anthology is unarguably one of the finest web shows produced by the Malayalam industry so far. Manorathangal, which brings together the best of talents in both its star cast and technical crew, is a wholesome treat for both the Malayalam literature enthusiasts, and the cinephiles. However, viewers, who are not familiar with MT Vasudevan Nair’s literary works and his signature style, might not feel the same about the Zee5 web series.

Verdict

Manorathangal is a befitting ode to legendary writer MT Vasudevan Nair’s literary works, and the cinema itself. This mammoth collaboration of Malayalam cinema’s finest talents comes with many hits and a few misses. However, this Zee5 anthology series is strongly recommended to all cinephiles out there.

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