There is a constant lack of conviction in Shyamaprasad's Hey Jude, an unpleasant comedy drama that tries too hard to please. Whether it is in the amateur writing, lazy direction, or lethargic performances, the film starts and ends without a bang. Nivin Pauly plays Jude, a man with Asperger's Syndrome who lives with his ignorant parents. Unable to blend in with people, Jude keeps his own company to observe the world and understand what's right and wrong with it, until he meets Crystal, an outgoing lady with her own set of problems. For an average moviegoer, these characters look extremely pretentious, a quality that is further aggravated by the sloppy direction. Trisha's dubbing is horrendous, with a voice that does not suit her and does not complement her average acting. Pauly is calm and composed but Shyamaprasad does not utilize his acting prowess, which enable supporting actors to shine better. Vijay Menon and Siddique are the players who put up a tasty show; and when you adore these characters more than the film's protagonists, it becomes clear where the film is heading. With a story sampled from countless other pieces of art we have consumed elsewhere (Aamir Khan's Taare Zameen Par (2007), for instance), Hey Jude goes on a rambling streak about how the world is full of mad people and that there is no time to be normal. It has alarming gaps at every juncture in the plot-line owing to unimaginative writing, and despite the dry comedy, succeeds in boring the average viewer. There are more issues in the film than there are in the two characters combined, which is why Hey Jude is a long shot from being a feel-good film. At least that's what you get from 140 minutes of pretentious drama. A huge disappointment from Shyamaprasad. TN.
