Pathemari Review

Today’s big release in Malayalam film industry was the Mammootty starrer flick named Pathemari directed by Salim Ahamed who had won the national award with his first film Aadaminte Makan Abu. This is his second film along with Mammootty in the lead and raised quite a bit of expectation among the spectators as well before the release. The film was set release in the Onam season or may be before that. But some legal problems made it postponed to September 18 first and then to this very date of October 9. Mammootty fans and film lovers had to wait for the film quite a long time as well. The film has been distributed by Eros international all over.

Pathermari dealt with the life of Non Resident Indians specially who works and lives in the gulf countries. The protagonist of the story is Pallickal Narayanan played by Mammootty and the flick travel through different periods of his life starts from around 1960’s. Narayanan who went to gulf in a pathemari at his younger days had to struggle throughout his life for his family till his death. But still he couldn’t make a peaceful life out of it. Pathemari tells us that story of his life struggle.

It have to say that Salim Ahamed as a writer and director did a fantastic job in making yet another movie which has a certain level of class and quality. Unlike his previous film he tried to make this more commercial as well but have to doubt how much that effort had succeeded. Because while the emotional depth of the character Pallickal narayanan and his family gives strength to the plot the same emotional elements works as an overdose as well at places which makes the film lagging at places.

The technical side of the film brilliant with Madhu ambat’s DOP stands out from the rest. The sound design by Rasool Pookkutty is good and cannot be termed as extra ordinary although. It may be because of the average only sound system of our theaters. Bijiapal’s music was really went well with the theme of the film and it was good for our ears as well. Vijay Sankar’s cuts was also nice and hope that the lag came in the film due to the theme and setting of the film and not because any negative came from the editor of the film. We are saying so because sometimes that may also happen.

And performance level in the one which had really gave the film the above mentioned high class quality. Mammootty as Salim Ahamed said was missing in the film. There is only Pallickal Narayanan. He was superb in his portrayal of the different mental conflicts and situations through which that character went through in the story. But have to say that with only limited role to play the performance of actor Siddique as Velayudhan is the best when compared to all others as his was one of the career best from him and really one step ahead of all.

Salim Kumar, Sreenivasan, joy Mathew, Saju navodaya all did good job and Jewel mary was also did a very mature and brilliant job as the wife of pallickal narayanan. Siddique’s son Shaheen also made his debut memorable with a neat performance in the film. Pathemari is an emotionally touching film which can move your heart. It’s not an entertainer but film that makes you see the life some people lives on whose efforts we are depending on. A film for the people who loves class and emotional films.

Director : Salim Ahamed
Release Date : 9/10/2015
Cast : Mammootty, Jewel Mary, Sreenivasan

Review : Harikrishnan