Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham

Name: Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham
Director: Priyadarshan
Genre: Action
Released: 2021-12-02
Cast: Mohanlal, Pranav Mohanlal, Arjun Sarja, Prabhu, Keerthy Suresh

Directed by Priyadarshan

Mixed How TezScore works IMDb 5.9/10

181 min 2 Dec 2021

Wikipedia IMDb

Synopsis

Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham

During the late 1500s, the empire of Portugal allies with the kingdom of Kochi in Malabar, Kerala. This is in order to colonise the region by overthrowing the powerful kingdom of Kozhikode, a long time war rival of Kochi. Portuguese military commander Alfonso de Noronho trains Kochi soldiers to use firearms and offers them cannons in exchange for trading crops and spices. However, the Malabar natives are displeased with the new Cartaz license system they've established which impedes trade with the Arabs. Kuttiyali Marakkar, an influential merchant, finds a way to trade while bypassing Portuguese customs laws, but he's sold out by his brother-in-law Moidu who is allied with Alfonso. In the past, Kuttiyali and his sons, Kutti Poker Ali and Pattu Marakkar, were commanders of the Kozhikode navy and helped resist Portuguese rule, but they resigned and became merchants after Poker died in battle. In the present, Poker's son Muhammad Ali is newly married to Aisha, his childhood sweetheart. However she, Muhammad's mother, and Kuttiyali are all killed that night by Alfonso in a raid. Kochi's king frames it as a civil massacre and blames Muhammad and Pattu, who had survived and escaped. In retaliation, the two assassinate Moidu and manage to flee by raft, but a storm causes them to land in Ponnani, Kozhikode. There they start a new life and meet the kingdom's military commanders, the arrogant and spoiled Achuthan, and the compassionate Anandan.

Director: Priyadarshan
Release: 2 Dec 2021
Run time: 181 min
Language: Malayalam

Cast & crew

Mohanlal Cast PR Pranav Mohanlal Cast AR Arjun Sarja Cast

Prabhu Cast

Keerthy Suresh Cast

Sidhique Cast

Kalyani Priyadarshan Cast SU Suhasini Maniratnam Cast

Innocent Vareed Thekkethala Cast BA Baburaj Cast

K. B. Ganesh Kumar Cast HA Hareesh Peradi Cast FA Fazil Cast

Priyadarshan Director AN Ani I. V. Sasi Writer

Antony Perumbavoor Producer

Tirru Cinematographer RA Rahul Raj Composer

Reviews

Indian-media reviews, grouped by reception.

Review snapshot

Mixed

The available source-linked Indian-media review for Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham is mixed.

IMDb is a reference rating and is not counted as an Indian-media review.

Best forViewers looking for action and drama in Malayalam cinema.

Reception Order

All 1 review shown

The New Indian Express

Marakkar is yet another testament to the director's remarkable ability to paint in broad strokes. Unfortunately, it falters when it comes to the emotional stakes. In that regard, it comes nowhere close to Kaalapani. It's a pity. Marakkar is a weird movie. In multiple instances, it seems as though some of the actors came prepared for a comedy but were told at the last minute that it's a serious movie. This tonal inconsistency often works to the detriment of an epic that we are supposed to take seriously. The heightened theatricality of the performances -- which gives one the feeling of watching a play -- and the clunky dialogues -- which seemed to have difficulty shaking off the Kilichundan Mambazham hangover -- end up diluting the potency of the narrative to a considerable extent. I wanted to be moved by it, but I was left feeling cold.

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