While Ganesh Raj's Aanandam (2016) was a total entertainer relevant for people of all ages, this comedy drama is mostly directed at married folks.
Leelamma (Rajini Chandy) is a grumpy old woman who lives with her married son Siby (Suraj Venjaramoodu) and his family at a sprawling countryside home in Kerala. She is annoyed by and annoying to everyone in the house - from her daughter-in-law Jean (Lena) to her granddaughter Alice (Aparna Balamurali) - everyone wants her out. Siby is the only person in who can sustain Leelamma's loud and unnecessary squabbling, considering his dilemma. As a viewer, even you will come to hate her in the first 10 minutes, which may be enough to turn you off. However, if you wait patiently for some time, and consider the "why" in Leelamma's actions, you may begin to relate with the story. The narrative then takes its viewers to her life story as she recites it to Jean's mother Soosamma (Bhagyalakshmi) and Babu (Krishna Prasad) while Siby and his family go out for a two-week holiday.
The first half is fun to watch, that is only if you sustain Leelamma's endless arguments. Why some people behave in a certain way often has a cause to it, and the film uses that form to construct the story. Director Joseph has carved a beautiful and well-written tale to convey an important message about how parents are mishandled and dumped in old age homes by their adult children. It has become a relevant topic in these recent years, and the film takes an amusing approach to convey few hard truths. However, the preachy climax which proves that the whole story was contrived to reach to that point, does affect its credibility.
The makers have used a comical container to drive the point home, and that should be enough for potential viewers to consider the film. Having said that, there is not a single scene in the film that induces boredom, which is a very rare thing in Indian cinema. With brilliant performances by Lena, Venjaramoodu, and Bhagyalakshmi, this one will ignite a sense of merriment in you. Balamurali and Vineeth Sreenivasan also do a good job, well-supported by the likes of Vijayaraghavan, Rajeev Pillai, and the director himself. It would be difficult to praise Leelamma, but her casting is nothing but perfect. Special mention to Krishna Prasad for nailing the role of Babu, a Bengali home caretaker with "intentions". His performance will make you cast in him your film even if you are not a filmmaker.
All in all, with a social message at the end, this second film by ace director Joseph does not disappoint. Try it out!
BOTTOM LINE: Jude Anthany Joseph's "Oru Muthassi Gadha" may not be at par with his 2014 hit film, but it definitely has a lot of heart in it, driven solely by the fierce protagonist whose bucket list also includes a wish of living a day as a man. Rent a DVD now.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
