Malayalam cinema’s dream run at the B.O that kicked off with Premalu might as well turn into a marathon with this homage of sorts to vintage Priyadarshan movies. So, I guess to say that it’s a film that exists in a space between Chandralekha and Kakkakuyil is most apt, considering the premise and the experience as a viewer. If it’s predecessor and the incumbent at the B.O catered to a younger audience in terms of content and visual language, Guruvayur Ambala Nadayil places itself as a product that appeals to a wider audience whose staple diet was Priyadarshan – Sathyan Anthikad – Siddique/Lal- Rajasenan movies, in their prime.
It’s the pace of the film that saves it in it’s weakest moments, that are rather rare. Prithviraj almost outshines Basil who again is on a dream run himself. The spoofs and references to other movies work well though you might wonder if it was a bit overdone towards the end, but you don’t really mind when it’s good fun. Though it’s not the kind of a film that needs any dissection or analysis, one can’t help but notice that the narrative is in stark contrast to that of the director’s previous, Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey. Nikhila Vimal has three lines and maybe two expressions to deliver – not sure if this a spoiler- that’s all the film demands of her too. Anaswara Rajan has little to do here.
There’s a bunch of actors, old and new, playing ensemble characters namely Jagadish, Baiju,Rekha, Irshad, Kottayam Ramesh, PP Kunjikrishnan, Kudassanad Kanakam, Siju Sunny, Saafboi, Aswin Ramesh, Joemon Jyothir and yeah, Yogi Babu, who does their bit to add to the mad fun in their own ways playing roles in situations thought up by Deepu Pradeep who along with Vipin Das is earnestly determined to give you two hours worth of laughs. Would be a crime to not mention Ankit Menon’s score that adds to the madness on screen. Guruvayur Ambala Nadayil deserves a darshan!
gopakumarpurushothaman 