Mandharam Review: This Mandaram has an awkward Bloom

When a trailer is released, it should prompt the populace to be interested and they should feel the compulsion to go to the theatre. The compelling aspect is the story, the songs or the star value. The movie Theevandi focussed on its songs, instead of a logical plot. The well placed humour also made it easy. But even the trailer of Mandharam fails to arouse any kind of interest.

Produced under the banner of Magic Mountain Cinemas, Mandharam is directed by the debutant, Vijeesh Vijay. Yes, we understand that there’s hell lot of engineering graduates, but when all the movies show the same jokes and situations, it has a bad effect on the audience. Why not an art student? Of course, this is an opinion, but all these movies suggest an idea that only a strict engineering college produces passionate love stories. Coming to the character of Asif Ali, as that of a lover, his goofiness is the trait that clicks. Well, almost all lovers maybe goofy. But that’s how his characters have always been. A change from this oft used persona might have also worked good for the movie. To be honest, we have had enough of campus love. The director could have been creative in his ideas. Either it’s an engineering college or a government college that boils with politics. Maybe it’s a move to fill the psychological void inside the viewer. It is the story of Rajesh a man who is heartbroken from his two love interests and how it transforms his life in adulthood is what Mandharam is all about. More than Harsha, it was Anarkali who gave a convincing performance. Harsha has the chances of getting future roles in the industry and Mandharam, inadvertently gives that. But her role is just another long list of women, donning the role of a prized possession, but in the process reducing the possibility of acting. The same has to be said with the character of Asif Ali, who is just too familiar. The problem is that, the plot doesn’t demand him to, which was seen in Iblis.

Heartbreaks and light hearted laughs occupy the first half and the second half is a bit more serious and relatable. But then, bike rides in the upper North is not something new. But a connection is lost between the two parts and seems to take a very abrupt jump. The songs Kanne Kanne and Nooru Vattam are not particularly catchy and comes off as mildly interesting. As said earlier, it is the repeatedness that makes a viewer go ‘meh’ after an hour into it. What stands out is that the camera with a sepia touch, and has made the scenes much more delicate, especially the scenes shot in Haridwar. The Ultimate verdict is that this Mandharam fails to bloom.