Enkilum Chandrike review: Suraj Venjaramoodu, Basil Joseph’s chaotic comedy entertainer will leave you in splits

4/5

Story:

Pavithran(Suraj Venjaramoodu), Kiran(Basil Joseph), Abhi(Saiju Kurup) and Amal(Aswin Vijayan), a group of friends and the proud members of club Sumalatha, are shocked to learn that the marriage of their friend Bibeesh(Abhiram Radhakrishnan) has been fixed and he had not said a word of this to anyone. Shocked and hurt, they decide to confront him, which leads them to uncover even more surprises. Chaos follows, as the friends decide to wreak havoc on Bibeesh’s ‘love story’, with the elated groom-to-be none the wiser.

Review:

Suraj Venjaramoodu, Basil Joseph, and Saiju Kurup have established themselves as aces when it comes to the comedy genre, and fans definitely had high hopes for Enkilum Chandrike, which saw the trio share the screen for the first time. Suffice to say, the film did not disappoint at all when it came to hilarity, with the brilliant writing and outstanding performances making sure that audiences are in for an out and out comedic treat.

Enkilum Chandrike starts off with the story of Suraj’s Pavithran, one of the eldest and most respected members of the group who seems to have rotten luck when it comes to finding a bride. Not one to let it dull his optimism and good nature, Pavithram even leaves his most recent bride to be, who reveals her disinterest in marriage, with the promise that he would be willing to help her out with whatever she needs, despite her rejection. A promise which causes Pavithran more than a bit of trouble in the future.

Elsewhere, his friends, Kiran, Abhi and Amal get quite a jolt when they learn that their friend Bibeesh is about to be married, and did not inform them of the news himself. In the midst of confronting the elated groom-to-be, the trio uncover some unpleasant truths and set out on a mission to cause chaos as Bibeesh is about to embark on a new chapter in his life.

In his debut film Adithyan Chandrasekhar seems to have pulled out all the stops to give audiences an out and out entertainer that will leave audiences in splits at every turn. Be it the performances, the outrageously witty story or the razor sharp writing, Enkilum Chandrike has everything needed in a comedy film, made all the more better with its clever twists that very few will see coming.

Each character in the Sumalatha group is written and portrayed to perfection. Be it Suraj’s humble and gracious, true to his name, Pavithran, the innominate ‘leader’ of the group, who always puts others before himself, a trait which lands him in trouble more often than not. Then there’s Basil’s Kiran, an aspiring director who thinks too much of his artistic skills for his own good, and is persuasive enough to get his easily corruptible friends to join his grand ‘plans’. Kiran’s character is almost meta, hilariously explaining cinematic tropes and shots to his wide eyed friends, although he rarely manages to execute a single one of them without hiccups. Saiju’s Abhi, the hopeless romantic who remains more true to the former part of his moniker, makes for a hilarious addition to the mixed bunch, ending up being the poor dancing monkey who goes along with everything, only to taste disappointment at every turn. Despite not having a prominent role, Aswin aces his character of Amal, with his witty commentary against the backdrop of the Sumalatha team's blunders making it all the more enjoyable. The dynamic between the four also make for some of the best moments in the film.

Even the supporting characters and cameo roles are given their due share, by writers Arjun Narayanan and Adithyan. From Pavithran’s sharp tongued aunt to his older mentor/sidekick, everyone is given enough in the story to work with, and they shine. Maniyanpilla Raju’s unexpected cameo offers yet another multitude of laughs.

And how does the titular protagonist Niranjana Anoop’s Chandrika figure into the equation of the Sumalatha group? That’s a tricky question to answer without giving away spoilers, but despite her and Tanvi Ram’s Sujina being a core part of the film’s story, the duo have a limited screen time. Nonetheless, the characters certainly have enough mettle in them to be memorable. The film’s music and cinematography are also worthy of praise. Both the beautiful shots of the rural setting, as well as the sprightly sequences of the friends, seem to be filmed in a way that matches the emotions that the sequences call for. The music also matches the same.

A lot of the humour in the film may be a tad over the top and impractical for sure, but the unexpected and borderline silliness of it all seems to elevate the film as a whole. With some unexpected twists and turns that few can see coming, Enkilum Chandrike definitely has everything needed to keep viewers engaged from start to finish.

Verdict:

Adithyan Chandrasekhar knocks it out of the park with his film debut in the form of Enkilum Chandrike. With charismatic performances and brilliant writing and storytelling, the film lives up to its tag as an out and out comedy entertainer, that keeps one guffawing at every turn. Some unexpected cameos and twists in the story also adds to the delight the film offers.