Producer- K. Mohanan (Seven Arts) and Vinod Vijayan
Director- Rajiv Ravi
Cast- Fahadh Faasil, Andrea Jeremiah, Sunny Wayne, Shine Tom Chacko, Ranjith, Aashiq Abu etc.
Music- K
Cinematography- Madhu Neelakantan
Editing by-B. Ajithkumar
Screenplay by- Santhosh Echikkanam
Review By : Unni R Nair (Kerala9.com )
Cinematographer-turned-director Rajiv Ravi gives us a very impressive ‘Annayum Rasoolum’ for his debut directorial venture. I bet most of the youngsters who come to watch the film are attracted by the songs (especially “Kandu Randu Kannu…”) and by the presence of Fahadh and Sunny Wayne. Most of these youngsters are evidently a bit disappointed with the film, which for them is slow-paced and “not-so-loud”. I didn’t hear anyone boo aloud or talk when the film was on, but afterwards I saw most of them reply with a shrug and a “so so” kind of response when those waiting outside asked opinions about the film. This is what happens when you go to see films with preconceptions. Go watch ‘Annayum Rasoolum’ with a free mind and you’d realize that it’s one of the most delicately crafted movies to come out in Malayalam in recent times.
‘Annayum Rasoolum’ has as its narrator Ashley (Sunny Wayne), who tells us the story of the love between Anna (Andrea Jeremiah) and Rasool (Fahadh Faasil), who meet and eventually fall in love. Rasool, who drives a cab happens to see Anna one night and falls instantly in love with her. He goes after Anna, who too gets attracted to him. But she’s reluctant to express her love as she feels it won’t be easy for them since they belong to two different religious communities. Ashley is a part of all this, not just as a narrator, but as a new-found friend of Rasool and a neighbour and friend of Anna. He has his own story, narrated on the sidelines of the main-plot and interwoven with it in a delicate manner. Eventually Anna expresses her love and the story takes off.
Well, the film impresses you firstly with its narration. You feel as if you are taken in and become part of the whole proceedings. The way the scenes are conceived and shot and the dialogues rendered give you the feel that you are being presented with slices from real life. The key characters are very much human and less ‘filmy’. They are sensitive, touchy, foolish, vulnerable and impulsive and their lives are controlled and shaped by lots of things and factors outside their sphere of influence and control.
This is a film that may not go down well with youngsters who want to clap and sing and dance and ‘enjoy’, but this is a film that would go down well with people who have some amount of sensibility in them. This is not a film for young people alone, it’s a film that could be seen and liked by anyone. Well, I am planning to re-visit it with my family in a day or two.
Performance
Fahadh Faasil gives yet another impressive performance as Rasool. He is the real highlight of ‘Annayum Rasoolum’ and is an asset to the Malayalam film industry. Andrea is very much a good choice to do the role of Anna. Sunny Wayne delivers yet another good performance as Ashley. Aashiq Abu proves that he is a good actor too and plays to perfection the role of Hyder, Rasool’s brother. Director Ranjith, who appears as Rasool’s father is good, though he doesn’t have much scope for performance. The others in the cast too impress.
Technical aspects
Madhu Neelakandan is the show-stealer among the film’s technicians. He has done a brilliant work of the cinematography and renders good support to director Rajiv Ravi, who is himself an ace cinematographer.
Music
The background score is good and among the highlights of the film are the two old-time songs “Kandu Randu Kannu…” and “Kayalinarikil…”, sung by Shahbaz Aman.
Script
Santhosh Aechikanam, who is in charge of the script, has done a fabulous work. The way the film narrates the happenings in the lives of Anna and Rasool and the other characters as well is real commendable.
Direction
Good work Rajiv Ravi. The cinematographer-turned-director is very much in control of things. Of course you may tend to say that the film is a bit slow-paced and a bit long, maybe Rajiv Ravi could have made it a bit shorter and a bit more fast-paced. Or maybe not…In my opinion, ‘Annayum Rasoolum’, as it is, is a good film, a film definitely worth a watch or two…
Verdict- Impressive, definitely worth a watch or two…
Rating: 3.5/5