“Paleri Manikyam”, how one can wreck a film with terribly flawed scenes!

I just read a post some weeks ago that this film is awaiting a third release, and this time in 4k and I’ll get straight to the point. Do watch this film for just one thing, Gowri Munjal’s scenes where she is smoking cigarettes wearing traditional Indian attire. The way Mammooty is saying his dialogues walking around this woman is one that’ll forever be etched in my mind as one of the most absurd in Malayalam films. Why? Simply because GOWRI MUNJAL HARDLY KNOWS HOW TO SMOKE A CIGARETTE! And how the makers of this film, director Ranjith and veteran actor Mammooty and others were oblivious to this is a wonder. And not once or twice but repeatedly Gowri is shown smoking a cigarette and how more absurd can it get. I am not a smoker but even I know how to hold a cigarette between the fingers of my hands and the way she takes it to her mouth and back, OMG! you’ll have to watch the scenes to believe it. To know how well a Mallu girl can smoke a cigarette, just check out YouTube short film “Ente Narayanikuttiku” or direct Gowri Munjal to this short film. If Gowri ever smoked a cigarette in her life, then she would understand what I am trying to say here. Even several other simple activities of hers, such as walking seemed totally uncomfortable (for her) and I am wondering how they cast her in a movie that Mallus are claiming as a landmark film. For me all the good in the film pales because of these terrible scenes involving Gowri.

The then up and rising star Mythili with her Unni Mary (Deepa in Tamil movies) looks adorable and is portrayed as the helpless victim of a crime where the chauvinistic male from a particular community seemed to have total control of things despite a government in rule.

Watch it for the absurdity mentioned or better still check out those scenes on YouTube if you can find them.