Malaikottai Vaaliban Movie Review! (Hotstar)-Mohanlal’s Quest Against British Rule
Movie Name: Malaikottai Vaaliban Release Date: February 23, 2024 Cast: Mohanlal, Sonalee Kulkarni, Hareesh Peradi, Danish Sait, Manoj Moses, Katha Nandi Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery Producer: Shibu Baby John – Achu Baby John Music: Prashant Pillai Banner: John & Mary Creative
Malaikottai Vaaliban, starring Mohanlal as the lead, initially hit theatres on January 25 and began streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from February 23 in Telugu and other languages. Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery and produced by Shibu Baby John – Achu Baby John, this historical film features Mohanlal in a distinctive role.
The movie unfolds during the British era, centering around a formidable warrior, Malaikottai Vaaliban (played by Mohanlal), renowned for his unbeatable prowess in traditional wrestling. Along with his mentor (Hareesh Peradi) and brother Chinappayyan (Manoj Moses), Vaaliban travels in a bullock cart, challenging and defeating wrestlers across various regions.
The narrative escalates when they confront wrestlers from ‘Mangot’, leading to Vaaliban teaching them a lesson upon discovering their deceit.
In the same village, Chinappayyan falls in love with Chamanti, who reciprocates his feelings. With Vaaliban’s consent, she joins their journey, much to the mentor’s displeasure, fearing potential troubles her presence might bring. Vaaliban, unable to deny his brother’s happiness, silently consents.
The leader of the ‘Mangot’ wrestlers, unable to accept defeat, secretly follows Vaaliban, seeking revenge. During this journey, Vaaliban meets a dancer named ‘Rangarani’, who becomes infatuated with him. She informs him of her journey to Malaikot, a kingdom under British control, revealing Vaaliban’s connection to the place and his inability to tolerate the enslavement of its people by the British.
Determined to liberate his people, Vaaliban decides to drive out the British, prompting both the British officials and a ‘Mangot’ man plotting his demise to take action against him. Upon realizing he won’t achieve his goal, Rangarani’s thoughts also shift.
The story progresses, exploring Vaaliban’s mission to expel the British, the ‘Mangot’ man’s vengeance, Rangarani’s changed perspective, and the significance of the teachings of Vaaliban’s mentor, along with revealing Vaaliban’s past.
Director Lijo Jose crafted a story set against the backdrop of the British era, focusing on a wrestler’s life. However, the screenplay fails to captivate the audience, with the narrative reminding one of barren landscapes due to the protagonist’s travels to less-populated hamlets to issue challenges.
The anticipated climax falls flat, leading to an underwhelming continuation of the story, even introducing a twist that feels forced.
The antagonist’s absence is felt, as the narrative lacks a strong opponent to match the protagonist, a wrestler. Moreover, the design of key characters following the main character seems inadequate.
Mohanlal’s portrayal as a wrestler, performing fights beyond his character’s age, also appears unconvincing.
The movie‘s standout feature is its cinematography, with commendable visuals and lighting. However, the background score sometimes feels disconnected from the scenes, and the editing could have been tighter. The mention of a sequel towards the end leaves the audience puzzled about the film’s actual essence.
Malaikottai Vaaliban Movie Review