I recently saw an Instagram post right after Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil was released: “Verum poli climax.” (What an amazing climax!) Ironically, the climax is exactly where I lost interest in the movie.

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Guruavayoor Ambalanadyail has a lot to be excited about, the star cast being one that instantly stands out. There are things to like about the movie and a couple of things to not like as well.

Allow me to decode them below.

Plot of Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil

The plot of Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil is intriguing, with the combination of Basil Joseph and Prithviraj proving to be refreshing and likable. Their chemistry is palpable and well-established in the first half of the movie. The humor and camaraderie between them make the first half highly entertaining. However, the second half is where things start to fall apart.

The film loses its essence and feels unnecessarily dragged. The climax, which seems to aim for Priyadarshan-style chaotic comedy, ends up feeling disjointed and fails to deliver the expected impact. The background score and music do compensate to a certain extent for these weaker moments in the movie.

Performances in Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil

I’m honestly surprised Prithviraj Sukumaran took on a role where he’s not the main character. Though he is one of the central characters, he isn’t the lead (I mean the guy has a huge star value). Moreover, he ventures into humor, which he has done before but isn’t really his strong suit. Despite this, he pulls off the humor well in the movie, though there are moments where his performance feels slightly over the top.

Opposite Prithviraj, Basil Joseph shines in his element. Humor is his forte, and he demonstrates impeccable comic timing, which seems to be an intrinsic part of his personality. However,I can’t help but wonder: Is comedy all he can do as an actor? Would he fare in more emotionally demanding scenes? It’s challenging to envision him in such a context, but let’s wait and see how he evolves as an actor.

It’s a relief to see women in Malayalam cinema again, especially after a noticeable gap, but unfortunately, their characters aren’t the strongest in this film. The narrative is still very much male-centric. Anaswara Rajan, for instance, looks stunning but appears too young for her role as Basil Joseph’s romantic interest and Prithviraj’s sister. This might be a controversial take, but I believe she often selects roles where she looks much older than she is.

I still don’t understand why she agreed for a 15 min irrelevant role in her last outing Malayali from India. Anaswara is one of the most promising actresses in Malayalam cinema today, capable of much more significant roles that better suit her age and talent, and she needs to pick up more challenging roles.

Nikhila Vimal is heavily underutilized in the movie. Known for her good comic timing and talent, the film doesn’t exploit her abilities to the fullest. This is a missed opportunity, as she could have added more depth to the narrative.

Final Verdict

Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil is, ultimately, a forgettable movie. Despite its promising start and the potential shown in the performances of Basil Joseph and Prithviraj, it falters in the second half, losing its charm and coherence. It’s a film that might be best enjoyed when it eventually makes its way to OTT platforms, where the expectations are lower, and the convenience of home viewing might make its flaws more forgivable.

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