It has been after almost a dozen for Mammootty films in the last eighteen months, that one movie is coming out with a softer, likable Mammootty in its narratives. The new flick from Johny Antony, 'Thappana' qualifies as a reasonably good entertainer, provided, you keep your deep sense of logic back at home.
A mix up of mass masala fares with half a dozen fights and witty one-liners, the movie can be expected to clear off the deadlock of flops from Mammootty. A typical Johny Antony, this flick is not any sort of serious tales but a funny escapades and one-liners, 'Thappana' can qualify for an one time watch in this festival season'( definitely for those who had clapped for his 'Chattambi Nadu' and 'Thuruppu ghulan').
Admirably giving a credit line for an inspiration to the work of Ashapoorna Devi, the movie has Mammootty as a thief named Samson with a pinch of positive virtues, who is ready to take up any dangerous job if he is paid well. And also Who has problem in spelling out the alphabet 's', Samson is shown as a drifter who spends much of his time behind bars at Kannur jail, enjoying his life with the friends and policemen inside.
The movie opens with Samson released from jail. And the very same day he finds another beautiful lady named Mallika, who also is freed from jail after her five years sentence for a murder. Samsun finds an instant linking to her and with nowhere to go, Samsun follows Mallika, but soon finds her soaked in blood following a road accident. Samsun takes care of her at the hospital and on her insistence follows her to her village amidst the hilly terrains of Karipa. But once they are there, Samsun and Mallika are forced to face some unexpected problems that they never thought of.
'Thappana' has a simple story line, which works well for its plot freshness. The half of the movie is evenly paced and resemble a uncomplicated travelogue, but the scripts by Sindhuraj in the later half seems wandering much to reach that expected and predictable climax. Apart from Mammootty no other characters has well fleshed out roles and Vijayaraghavan as a John is over the top and ridiculous, unless taken in very lighter veins.
The highlight of the movie is definitely Mammootty, around whom much of the story is weaved. He is there in almost every frames and makes the best use of the opportunity to test his comic timing, in fact after a gap of two years from his last hit 'Best Actor'. He manages to make you laugh, though many a times supported by Vijesh and Shajon, as his trusted aides. Charmi is perfect in her role as Mallika, while the rest of the cast including Murali Gopi as the antagonist plays as per the demands of the role.
The songs by Vidyasagar, particularly the 'Oorum perum Ariyathe' is good and is also well visualized. The BGM is also effective. Johny Antony is supported by the fine technical sides, headed by Raja Ratnam behind camera and Ranjan Abraham in editing. The movie has half a dozen fights, some of them unwarranted. The CG and Chroma Keying in some sequences but appear amateurish.
On the whole, 'Thaappana' is not an unique work, but offers an ordinary watch that may please you for this festival season. If marketed well, 'Thappana' may also end the recent flop show of the Superstar.
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