Odiyan Review: It races forward, stumbling at places

Odiyan is a part of the rich folklore of Northern Kerala. Mentioned in the legends and myth compilations, the Odiyan myth has entertained generations. More of a private assassin for upper-class Brahmins, the technique or ‘Odi Vidya’ is mastered by those among the lowest sections, too seek fortune and fame by spreading fear. Gruesome dark magic practices and mysteries surrounding many murders adds flavour to this particular character. This was seen or believed to have been practiced until the end of the Nineteenth century. By making use of the cover of night and a mastery over shape-shifting techniques, the idea of Odiyan is said to have been extinct by the ascent if electricity. The myth was even made popular by P Kannankutty novel of the same name.

However, there are considerable differences in this Mohanlal-starrer from the original story. Thenkurishi, the small village from which our Manikyan hails, is not exactly an ideal social setup. The narrations are done through flashbacks and explains the reasons why Manikyan was absent for almost 15 years. Although we have to take away the realism in stunts and expect a lot of mass moments similar to that of Pulimurugan. The first half is mainly a build up, that introduces all the characters, including Prakash Raj and Manju Warrier.

The over the counter-hype for this movie makes one go without expectations. Some graphics scenes were badly framed and the hollow plot didn’t succeed in materializing the legend of Odiyan. Although one must say, scenes at night, scaring people, was almost perfection. At the end of the day, one can say that the movie is average, and the acting quotient is a bit low when you take all the star actors present. Background score is all good only in the trailer and the rest of the music does not have any lasting impact. Sreekumar’s amateur handling is quite evident in a movie that stitches many things together. The climax is a little relief for the logical viewer where everything seemingly falls into place. The cinematography is also quite average and is often a mimicry of other language big budget movies.

To conclude, Odiyan as a movie fails in many aspects but doesn’t offer much to compensate for that loss. Surely a Christmas treat for the fans, Odiyan brings the charismatic side of the ‘complete’ actor and is a testimony to the versatility that Mohanlal is famous for. Roles by Nandhan and Narain did not disappoint and sticks to their position in yet another hero-centric epic.