hyped garbage

Great Film overall

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

"This movie isn't for everyone!" a line that I have used time and again and while it may sound like an easy bail for a movie that I'd enjoyed yet can't recommend others, I can't emphasize the line enough here for one of the best Malayalam movies this year. Munnariyippu starring Mammootty and Aparna Gopinath, isn't going to turn a lot of heads or be discussed among the casual movie-goers. But it was able to etch its impressions in my head and invoke a multitude of emotions, from sheer helplessness to supreme fear, and ending in being haunted even after the credits had rolled in. If you find yourself as immersed as myself in this movie, you are warned and assured you will go through similar range of ires as well.Veteran cinematographer turned director Venu's second offering (since 1998's Daya) Munnariyippu tells the story and life of C K Raghavan portrayed by Mammootty and how a meeting with him changes the life of an aspirational freelance journalist Anjali Arakkal played by Aparna Gopinath. Its extremely slow paced and yet I found myself intrigued with the titular characters. My first impression was that it was gonna go the usual artsy movie route and the ending would be something ironic yet hard to comprehend. As the movie progresses, every turn, even if they are less in number and minute in magnitude, will keep you guessing and try to make you foresee the ending. But its safe to say that predictability takes a backseat here and nothing would prepare you for the ending, not that the ending is what made the movie.You'll be able to say if this movie is for you or not from the titles itself. There was this line about Kafka that Prathap Pothens character utters in the movie. It was sheer coincidence that a movie had something about Kafka just a day after I'd finished reading one of his books. If you are familiar with the works of Kafka you'll see the essence almost instantly here.Bijibal's haunting score is another gem in the crown. It was almost reminiscent of Mica Levi's score from Under The Skin, and by reminiscence I meant the haunting goodness of it. Much like the movie even the score had equal tones of liberating calm and disturbing melancholy.While others near me shrugged in their seats, muttering to themselves "When'll this be over?" and "Why did I even come for this", I was completely invested in this movie, thanks to the awe inspiring performances from Mammootty and Aparna. Mammootty was inexplicably terrific as C K Raghavan, having minimal lines and acting mostly through body language. This will be hailed as one of his most challenging and complex roles ever. Aparna Gopinath effortlessly slides into the shoes of Anjali and brings out the bold that we've usually seen her portray but at the same time we also get to see her charming and vulnerable sides as well.Sharing what I'd exactly thought about the movie in itself would act as a super-spoiler and I wouldn't want in the world to spoil this for you. I could easily tag this movie with a certain genre but then again that tag would be yet another spoiler. Sitting through till the end ain't easy, but when you are sucked into the simple narrative complemented by tight direction, an enthralling script and sincere performances from both the leads, nothing else matters.

Just awesome. I have no words to describe. A movie you must watch. Increases your thinking. Best movie in Mammootty's career till now. The point is this : "Living a life without considering our interests, freedom etc is pointless". Mammootty was living as C.K. Raghavan in this movie. - Unni R's brilliant script is the unparalleled positive thing about this flick, no gimmicks, no masala, nothing but pure class. The dialogs he has written are mind blowing and you'll realize the depth of many only after you leave the theater and start thinking about it. At a point during the second half,we can't really predict how the movie is going to end because there is lots of missing links and also very less time.But the script is so brilliantly written that all our doubts are cleared at the very end.

Munnariyppu, directed by the Senior Cinematographer Venu and penned by famous writer Unni.R, is focusing on a particular point we have to follow in our life. The three main persons who came to Anjali Arakkal's(Aparna) life is talking about this point. But all the threes' approach to the point is different. This is the specialty,I felt in Munnariyippu.The point is this : "Living a life without considering our interests, freedom etc is pointless".C.K.Raghavan(Mammotty), while sitting in the BAR, tells, 'We want to go forward in life, by avoiding the things that make restrictions on us.'Anjali's would-be says to her, 'Life will go smoothly if we live it by doing what we like to do. Otherwise we will get older very early.'Anjali's mom tell her, 'Leave the job if its that much stressful. Peace of mind is what we want'.All these three things are pointing to a single point of life. As told earlier, "Living a life without considering our interests, freedom etc is pointless". But each of them approaches this in different ways. How they approach and how that will effect in their lives is what 'Munnariyuppu' deals with.Considering this part, 'Munnariyippu' is a must watch movie. But were it fails is the ending portion. A normal viewer won't be convinced with such an end or such a sudden end. The makers must have done some more homework in this part. That part makes the movie not every ones cup of tea.

Munnariyippu tells the story of Anjali Arakkal, the freelance journalist who makes her living being a ghost writer. During one of her assignments to write an autobiography for jail superintendent, she meets an inmate-C.K Raghavan, grows interest in his story and character and decides to write a feature on him. C.K Raghavan had been sentenced to life for homicide of two ladies. But even after completing his term of 14 years, he prefers to continue in jail. The story then revolves around how he comes out of jail , how Anjali pursues him to write what really happened in his life and if the audience really get to learn all those.Aparna Gopinath is a revelation. I was impressed with her debut in ABCD but from there onwards,it had been a downhill for the actress whether its the movies she had been part of or the characters she portrayed. Here in Munnariyippu though she stuns one and all matching up to the veteran Mammootty in many scenes. Its her earnest portrayal of a journalist who is determined to succeed and scale greater heights in life that brings an urgency to the otherwise sedate proceedings. Nedumudi Venu is a treat as always and brings few chuckles on our face. I wish Malayalam Cinema utilizes this actor more often. It has started to irritate to see Joy Mathew in every other movie these days but in this one, he did a fine job. Renji Panicker continues to be a natural in front of screen. Prithvira's cameo has nothing much to do but provides an important turn in the story with an advice he gives Aparna. 2012's National award winning child artist, Minon once again leaves a mark as the kid who befriends Raghavan and around only whom Raghavan is cheerful during the days he is out of jail Cinematographer Venu makes a stellar return to direction after a long break and its his novel theme and intriguing story that is the winner in Munnariyippu all the way. Unni.R's screenplay provides the right impetus needed to this story. The technique these makers have used to tell the story in a lethargic pace to the point that the viewers finally start to get bored and then suddenly hit them with an ending like a ton of bricks has reaped in huge rewards. Bijibal's haunting background music helps the movie a great deal too. But above all, what Venu primarily needed was an actor who would not reveal anything at all about what C.K Raghavan is about and maintain the mystery surrounding him till the very end. Mammootty does that job with great aplomb , once again you only see the character the actor plays and not the actor himself.It is very rare in a terrific movie where Mammootty has played the lead role ,that you walk away from the cinema halls not taking with you the brilliant acting moments by the actor. But Munnariyippu is one such movie and Mammootty has actually nothing to do with it . Its because C.K Raghavan does not reveal much on his face. He doesn't emote at all. He behaves differently from others. Even his ideologies and philosophies are different. Mammootty's ability to become the character he plays coupled with an astounding work of Venu and Unni.R in molding Raghavan delicately and perfectly might have given us a new entry to the list of Malayalam Cinema's finest movie characters ever. In Munnariyippu, its not the acting nuances that haunt you when you leave the halls, its the whole character.Copy Paste from - Fahir