Princy Alexander

in OnManorama

Lijomol stands out with a controlled, emotionally assured performance and navigates a role that occasionally flirts with stereotypes.

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Strong music and striking cinematography add to the film's tense atmosphere, creating several memorable moments.

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Bibin Ashok’s songs suit the youthful hostel setting, while Shankar Sharma’s background score wisely avoids excess, heightening tension only when necessary. Ajith Achuthan’s art direction adds texture to the campus spaces. Predictable turns aside, ‘Prakambanam’ remains an easy watch. It is a film that understands its audience and plays to its strengths, even if it stops short of fully reinventing the genre.

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Coupled with a tightly written screenplay and memorable characterisations, ‘Thudakkam’ manages to rise above its shortcomings.

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That said, “Kalamkaval” is not flawless. It feels like the protagonists have relatively narrow arcs, like the cop seeking justice and the killer driven by compulsion. The flow looks one-dimensional, at times. Then, there is definitely a trade-off. It is this: clarity and focus come at the cost of psychological depth. Supporting performances, especially from some central women actors, occasionally pierce through. Sometimes, we feel that the stories behind them deserve more space.

in OnManorama

Asif Ali, who has had some brilliant outings in the recent times, including the intense family drama 'Kishkindha Kandham', is definitely making some good choices in recent times. Anaswara Rajan may not have too much screen time in the movie, but she nails her role and brings in the right conviction needed for her character in the movie. It is interesting to see veteran actors Harishree Ashokan, Jagadish and Indrans come together to be part of this movie. With just a few sentences, Harishree manages to give us some laughs in the film. The songs by Mujeeb Majeed and the costumes by Sameera Saneesh are also a highlight in this movie, which is intense and engaging at the same time.

in OnManorama

Devadath's script has a certain balance. The film is not dark, though there are some heavy moments. Nor is it an outright comedy drama, despite some well-crafted humorous moments in the movie. Instead, 'Dheeran' is a mix of both, and the writer weaves in some convincing tricks to keep the tale engaging.

in OnManorama

Princy Alexander of Onmanorama praised the cast performance, music, and praised for delving into the themes of social media influence, sexual exploitation, sexual revolution, and nudity "with a certain boldness." She wrote, "Overall, the film thoughtfully explores a range of themes, provoking reflection while maintaining a strong grip on the viewer’s attention."

in OnManorama

The music and songs by Rajesh Murugesan worked well for the movie, which serves a hard-hitting message with some heart.

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Unni Raja, best known for ‘Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam’, also plays an interesting character.

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Princy Alexander of Manorama Online wrote LLB: Life Line of Bachelors is not a film that wishes to explore the life of students in law colleges or their firebrand politics, which was explored in movies like Jana Gana Mana.

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Princy Alexander of Onmanorama wrote "Overall, the movie is a neatly crafted tale of friendship that triumphs over the survival drama".

in OnManorama

What is impressive is how the makers effectively and convincingly interconnect each situation, without leaving any room for loopholes. This is probably why the film felt lengthy in the second half. The film’s strength also lies in the performances of all the actors. Basil Joseph is pure gold in this film. His mannerisms will remind you of his character Rajesh in ‘Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey’, but he also manages to pull off a Jagathy Sreekumar in the road-to-hospital scene. Nikhila Vimal joins Basil Joseph again after Vipin Das’s ‘Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil’, but this time, she plays his wife. Though her role is limited, she performs her part well. However, it is Grace Antony, whose performance will blow your mind. Siddique, Manoj K Jayan and Baiju Santhosh also do a good job in the movie.