Review of movie Mandharam

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Rating:3/5

Mandaram begins with the all too familiar trope - the schoolboy who spends his days dreaming about his childhood sweetheart and classmate, who, at the end of school, lets him know that she has a 'muracherukkan'.

Rajesh (Asif Ali) decides to stay single for the rest of his life, until he comes across Charu (Varsha Bolamma) years later.

However, the relationship with Charu is not destined to be either, and Rajesh turns into a free soul, who takes on impromptu bike rides to temples in the North. The first half is predictable and basically old wine in new bottles; instead of a village, it’s an engineering college in Bengaluru where the hero and his group of friends pursue women, and the object of affection is an aspiring fashion designer who he meets in cafes. Asif Ali’s act as the confused lover boy offers nothing new in the first half, and the only interesting bit would be the comic relief provided by his group of friends played by Jacob Gregory and Arjun Ashokan, who seems to capable a carrying a film all by himself.

The various ups and downs in Rajesh and Charu’s relationship seems to make no sense at all and the heartbreak seems repetitive and tedious. The writer seems confused whether youngsters should follow their hearts or obey their parents. However, Asif Ali’s look and demeanor as the bohemian traveller in the second half is interesting, so are his relationships. The film is not boring by any means, and the contrast between the pastel colours and soft lighting during the Charu episode is in stark contrast with the more sober and darker final episodes.