Ajayante Randam Moshanam Movie Review: Tovino Thomas shines in triple role but execution is flawed

The plot

The story begins with Kunjikelu, a Kalaripayattu warrior who lived in the village of Haripuram in the 20th century. Kunjikelu’s fame stems from the fact that he rescued the sacred Chiyothi Vilakku (Chiyothi lamp) from those who had come to plunder the kingdom of Edakkal. The king asks him what he wants as a reward for this and Kunjikelu requests that he be allowed to install the lamp in a temple in Haripuram so that people of all castes can worship the deity. His wish is granted and he returns triumphant, but unfortunately the Chiyothi Vilakku remains inaccessible to the lower castes.

It is then that we meet Maniyan, a notorious thief against whom the entire village of Haripuram has revolted. Maniyan has extraordinary skills in theft and the ability to escape the clutches of the law. Though the village people, especially the upper castes, try to catch him, it is in vain and when Maniyan’s grandson Ajayan is born, he unfortunately bears the label of being a potential thief thanks to his legacy. Ajayan, unlike his grandfather, is a simple electrician and runs Radiant Electronics. He lives at home with his mother (Rohini) and is in love with Lakshmi Nambiar (Krithi Shetty), an upper-caste girl from a wealthy family. But things take a turn when Sudev Varma (Harish Uthaman) arrives in Haripuram and the Chiyothi Vilakku is at stake once again. What happens to Ajayan? How does his life relate to Sudev and the sacred lamp?

The verdict

Tovino Thomas has tried to pick a challenging film for his 50th film and the big question is whether Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM) is the right historical film for him. Mammoth and Mohanlal have played triple roles in their films and while Tovino’s ambition should rightly be applauded, how much did Jithin Lal and Sujith Nambiar deliver?

Sujith Nambiar, who has written the script, has created a mix of action, fantasy and drama in ARM and has provided ample scope for Tovino to showcase a variety of acting skills. While the main theme of the film is caste discrimination,

As a star, Tovino has been visually enhanced in the film and in the scenes; for example, the first shot we see of him captures the actor riding majestically on a horse, while in another scene, Tovino opens the door of his humble shack with a captivating, intimidating and menacing look.

However, the script jumps back and forth between time periods and this can be a bit confusing for the audience. Also, the pace of the film is slow and the highlights of the film are limited to Maniyan who clearly stands out in terms of screen presence.

As a result, the script gets boring at certain points. And the fact that ARM is Jithin Lal’s first feature film would be another reason why the film failed in its execution. The film fails to keep the audience interested throughout due to its simple plot that does not incorporate any engaging twists and turns.

About the performances

In terms of performance, ARM relies on Tovino Thomas” shoulders and he really is the star of the film. His performance as Maniyan surpassed the other two roles and proves that Tovino can play the role of a negative character with aplomb. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy this role as well.

In each of the three roles, Tovino exhibited a different set of traits and mannerisms, and he deserves all credit for his skills. Basil Joseph, as always, did his duty and the rest of the cast, including Krithi Shetty, Rohini, Aju Varghese and others, did what was required of them.

Aishwarya Rajesh He didn’t have much to do in this film. However, Harish Uthman doesn’t turn out to be a convincing villain and one feels that a different actor could have made a more powerful impact on the film. Technically, Jomon T John’s cinematography stands out, but Dhibu Ninan Thomas’ songs don’t. However, Thomas’ background score worked well in the film. Tovino Thomas shines in ARM, but the execution is, sadly, flawed.