Fed on umpteen love-at-first-sight narratives, it can be rewarding when you get into one of those stories where the relationship has progressed beyond the initial stages. In Mayaanadhi , we begin following Mathan (Tovino Thomas) and Aparna Ravi (Aishwarya Lekshmi) at a point when she has almost given up on him.
Even in their individual lives, they are facing myriad crises. Mathan, driver for a gang that deals in counterfeit currency, is on the run after accidentally murdering a policeman in Tamil Nadu. He is in Kochi to win her love back and flee the country. Aparna, an aspiring actress, is yet to taste success in any of her auditions and survives by emceeing at weddings.
It is not a pretty scene, when they meet. All the stories from their uncomfortable past, still not known to the audience, fly around them invisibly, as hints for us. She is about to explode with all the pent-up anger while he is a picture of guilt. There is talk of trust, and the breach of it, which keeps recurring at key points in the movie.
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Even when they re-kindle their love, Aashiq Abu does not allow the couple, or the audience, much comfort, as he keeps reminding us of Mathan’s recent past catching up on him. Syam Pushkaran and Dileesh Nair take their own time in fleshing out the two lead characters. Without that, things could have probably slipped out of hand.
Out of the two, we are told less about Mathan’s background, other than the tragic story of his family or his fascination for the latest gadgets. He is not painted completely as a victim of circumstances, but there are moments when his vulnerability comes forth. On the contrary, Aparna is someone who is sure of herself, except when she is auditioning. The thought processes of the policemen, who are hot on Mathan’s trail, have also been brought forth quite well. None of them are judged for what they are.
The mood that Rex Vijayan’s background score and Jayesh Mohan’s cinematography manages to create goes a long way in keeping us engaged with the story, even at those places where the narrative slips a bit.
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After the success of Salt N Pepper , Aashiq Abu has made it a point to move towards fresh subjects with every movie of his, but often the final results have been less than satisfactory. But with Mayaanadhi , he seems to have achieved a solid return to form. This is his best yet.
S.R. Praveen