പഴശ്ശിരാജ കുവൈറ്റ് ടൈംസില്‍

Though a once-in-a-life time enterprise, south Indian period film, Pazhassiraja, running 2nd week in Kuwait, is simply not convincing. Its brush with fame and heroism has inadvertently played like a boomerang. Much disappointment comes after the high expectations one would have about the renowned team behind the epic saga – including literary stalwart MT, Oscar winner soundman Rasul Pookkutty and music maestro Ilayaraja.

Pazhassiraja, a heroic, larger than life, 3 hours plus narrative about an 18th century Kerala chieftain who revolted against the ruling British is told in a restrained, but cinematically appealing tone. It’s 1796 and Pazhassi, who worked under the British as their tax collector turns against them after his tax collecting right was taken away. Pazhassi, arguably the first Indian to revolt against the British, took the help of tribals and their gorilla war tactics. The film takes you through arrow versus gun tit for tat till the final encounter where the British sergeant proclaims, ‘He (Pazhassi) was a great man!’

Those special effects fight scenes, semi-clad damsels moving about, glorified heroism spread throughout and dialogues soggy with eulogy, fill your head with a detailed wow, leaving your heart wishing more. The film, despite its technical brilliance, fails to evoke empathy to the lead character predictably played by mega star Mammootty. The sets at the backdrop of picturesque Wayanad in Kerala where much of the film was shot look as though artificially created stand alone pieces. Lead actors’ muscles sans passion, heroine’s ill-charming demeanors and a familiar story add to the boredom that is usually the curse of war films.

But leave that prospect, the film is worth watching, positively. You have to take into account that Malayalam, the language in which the movie is produced is the least returning cinema industry in south India. In our own ‘London Dreams’ era where Bollywood, and Indian filmdom in general, habitually stays away from historical movies, the Pazhassiraja team’s venture to bring forth a ‘dead piece in history’ with contemporarily presentable nature is creditable. The camera (Ramanath Shetty), editing (Sreekar Prasad) and direction (Hariharan) are other plus points besides Rasool Pookkutty’s sound and an array of versatile actors and technicians.

And watch it if you like a package: martial arts, scenic beauty, drama and information culminating in tragedy. If you take the film seriously, that would be the real tragedy!