With his recent film 'Gangster' featuring Mammootty being heavily criticized by both audience and critics for its lack of good script and inability to engage the viewers, Aashiq Abu really needed to make it to the top. After a long gap, he has finally presented us 'Rani Padmini' with his wife Rima Kallingal as Rani and Manju Warrier as Padmini.
Padmini is a typical good and well-mannered malayali women who goes to Delhi with her husband (Jinu Joseph) after their marriage. One day her husband leaves her and after not hearing from him for days, she comes to know that he has signed a mutual divorce petition application. It hurts her really bad. She decides to go to Himachal Pradesh all by herself to meet her husband who is participating in Himalayan Car Rally. During her journey she meets Rani, who is more bold, daring and extrovert in nature compared to Padmini. Both soon becomes friends and Rani assists Padmini to guide her to Himalayas. The adventures they face and the blissful, paradisiac beauty of the cold mountains, moon-lit night sky which mesmerizes them on their path to Padmini's husband, which also makes them closer to each other, are the highlights of the movie.
The pre-interval portion of the movie is just 50 minutes. Post- interval session is about 1 hour and 40 minutes. The reason for this might be the makers didn't want to interrupt the flow of the movie once Rani and Padmini embark on their journey which begins after the interval. The title sequence featuring the childhood of Rani and Padmini which also highlights their differences was well made with the song 'Varu Pokaam Parakkaam'. Similarly there were two short films inside the film which were portrayed as stories told by Rani and Padmini to each other.
Performances of Manju Warrier, Rima Kallingal and Jinu Jacob were outstanding. The supporting cast including Sreenath Bhasi, Sajitha Madathil and Soubin Shahir also made their performances noteworthy. The chemistry between Manju and Rima worked out well which led to many funny and good moments in the movie. The fun factor is one important element which helped engage the audience in the long second half of the movie. Sound design and sound mixing was brilliant. Cinematography by Madhu Neelakandan brought the Himalayas to life on screen. It was classy and beyond perfect in capturing the richness of the scenes into every frame. Background score and songs by Bijibal were good and was the key factor mostly in connecting the viewers to the movie. These 3 aspects raises the movie to Hollywood perfection.
Overall, 'Rani Padmini' is a movie that raises the idea that women aren't just meant to be stuck doing household chores, held back by family responsibilities or locked up inside social barricades and should spread her wings and fly out of their comfort zone to explore all the beauty, thrills and happiness that nature has in store.
Not a typical malayalam flick and definitely not everyone's cup of 'tea or coffee or whatever'. An adventure drama movie with an exceptionally good direction from Aashiq Abu. This is definitely a comeback for him and the way he executed this movie in his unique style makes me wait for his next flick. 'Rani Padmini' is a must watch - for those who love 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' or that kind of adventure drama flicks - to be experienced from theaters.
Padmini is a typical good and well-mannered malayali women who goes to Delhi with her husband (Jinu Joseph) after their marriage. One day her husband leaves her and after not hearing from him for days, she comes to know that he has signed a mutual divorce petition application. It hurts her really bad. She decides to go to Himachal Pradesh all by herself to meet her husband who is participating in Himalayan Car Rally. During her journey she meets Rani, who is more bold, daring and extrovert in nature compared to Padmini. Both soon becomes friends and Rani assists Padmini to guide her to Himalayas. The adventures they face and the blissful, paradisiac beauty of the cold mountains, moon-lit night sky which mesmerizes them on their path to Padmini's husband, which also makes them closer to each other, are the highlights of the movie.
The pre-interval portion of the movie is just 50 minutes. Post- interval session is about 1 hour and 40 minutes. The reason for this might be the makers didn't want to interrupt the flow of the movie once Rani and Padmini embark on their journey which begins after the interval. The title sequence featuring the childhood of Rani and Padmini which also highlights their differences was well made with the song 'Varu Pokaam Parakkaam'. Similarly there were two short films inside the film which were portrayed as stories told by Rani and Padmini to each other.
Performances of Manju Warrier, Rima Kallingal and Jinu Jacob were outstanding. The supporting cast including Sreenath Bhasi, Sajitha Madathil and Soubin Shahir also made their performances noteworthy. The chemistry between Manju and Rima worked out well which led to many funny and good moments in the movie. The fun factor is one important element which helped engage the audience in the long second half of the movie. Sound design and sound mixing was brilliant. Cinematography by Madhu Neelakandan brought the Himalayas to life on screen. It was classy and beyond perfect in capturing the richness of the scenes into every frame. Background score and songs by Bijibal were good and was the key factor mostly in connecting the viewers to the movie. These 3 aspects raises the movie to Hollywood perfection.
Overall, 'Rani Padmini' is a movie that raises the idea that women aren't just meant to be stuck doing household chores, held back by family responsibilities or locked up inside social barricades and should spread her wings and fly out of their comfort zone to explore all the beauty, thrills and happiness that nature has in store.
Not a typical malayalam flick and definitely not everyone's cup of 'tea or coffee or whatever'. An adventure drama movie with an exceptionally good direction from Aashiq Abu. This is definitely a comeback for him and the way he executed this movie in his unique style makes me wait for his next flick. 'Rani Padmini' is a must watch - for those who love 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' or that kind of adventure drama flicks - to be experienced from theaters.