August 1 , which got released in the late eighties was based on 1971 novel, The Day of the Jackal, by English writer Frederick Forsyth. 23 years later, S.N.Swamy and M.Mani(the producer of August 1)have come up with it’s sequel tilted August 15.Mammooty reprises the role of Perumal, (who was the DySP, CB-CID 23 years ago)in this sequel directed by Shaji Kailas.

The plot and the characters:V.G(Nedumudi Venu) is the C.M. of the state of Kerala. He is in loggerheads with the secretary of the party(Saikumar). The lottery,Sand mafias want the C.M. to be killed. So they hire an Assassin(Siddique)to get their job done. What happens next is what August 15 is all about.

Mammootty as Perumal: Mammootty is Perumal,the CBCID . Perumal looks good, rides a Royal Enfield, attends calls in his mobile,walks in slo-mo with a peculiar gait and a loud BGM playing behind, teases his superior officer Peter Zachariah(played brilliantly by Lalu Alex)to kill his time, plays with Photoshop and even cracks funny dialogues like this through his mobile phone(which rings with a ‘Nokia tune’ all the time!)

Perumal: (to someone called Ammini George)-Hello, Ormayundo ee mukham?.
Ammini: Pinnillathe,Engane marakkananu!

Siddique as the killer: Siddique,who is a really talented actor is wasted in this poorly written role . A cat and mouse game between the assassin and Perumal was what we had expected from this movie, but sadly there is nothing of that sort here. Siddique repeats his ‘Bada Dhosth’ act here also.

Loop Holes galore:  Siddique,the assassin gives an anonymous call to all the leading newspapers and the visual media.Alas,the content of what he told them is the headline of all the newspapers,the next day!  The doctors who are treating the C.M, the private secretary to the C.M and a couple of other insignificant people are always a part of the super confidential meetings called by Perumal and co to find out the killer!  The super intelligent Perumal browses the poison page in our good old wiki and finds out the toxic substance that the killer has supposedly used to harm the C.M.!

The Best Scene:  The confrontation scene between Perumal and the ADGP Peter Zachariah (at Peter’s office) . This one is a pretty hilarious scene, thanks to the brilliant actor Lalu Alex. As Peter Zachariah,he is a real treat to watch and is unarguably the only saving grace in this otherwise dumb movie. The scene at the Party secretary’s house involving Perumal, Peter and the secretary(Saikumar dressed up like the CPI(M) secretary,Pinarayi Vijayan)is also a cracker.

Meghna Raj and Swetha Menon– The 2 main female characters in the movie have less than ten minutes of screen time in the whole movie. They blabber something and fade into the oblivion.

Background score – The re recording is competent. It serves the purpose of waking up the few who have already gone into deep slumber.

Good Acting:  Lalu alex as the ADGP is the only good thing about this movie. With his impeccable comic timing,he steals the show.

Shaji Kailas’ direction:  Nothing worth writing about. There are a lot of weird shots in the movie. Multiple extreme close up shots of tea being poured into the tumbler are included in this movie, the reasons for their inclusion is known only to the director, I guess.

What went wrong: S.N.Swamy repeats the same mistakes which he made in Sagar Alias Jackey, Baba Kaliyani, Positive, Rahasya Police. The Perumal in August 15 is only an extension of the character played by Mohanlal in Baba Kaliyani. The styling, body language et al are repetitive and even reminded the iconic ‘Sethuramayyar’ at places. The story is exactly the same as that of August 1.To spice up the proceedings a bit,the recent clash within the CPI(M) is also dealt with topically but the treatment and the writing is so bland that it fails to become even remotely interesting. Nothing much happens in the first half. But the most terrible thing with the script is that the mission, the assassin, the motive, the conspirators, the method and almost everything else get revealed way too early(within the first fifteen minutes to be exact)leaving behind Perumal nothing much to do for the next 2 hours or so. So we can’t really blame him for walking in slo-mo and mouthing silly dialogues, right?

The climax: Some 25 minutes before the climax we are made to believe that the assassin(Siddique) has a deadly plan to carry out on the 15 th of August, the Independence day. But even after the end credits started rolling, neither Perumal nor I had any clue about what S.N.Swamy was talking about. A badly choreographed action sequence shot in some C class theatre followed by the mandatory S.N.Swamy twist (which is the end result of the ‘inky -pinky-ponky’ game between the script writer and his characters)were what we had in store instead!

Verdict: Drona 2010, the Shaji Kailas directed M.Mani production with Mammootty in the lead role was a disaster .The gentleman he is, Mammootty gave dates to the producer M.Mani again so that he can make up for the losses incurred in his previous film, thus August 15 was born. We wish Drona 2010 had never happened.

Rating- 3/10(Stay away from this dud)

Reviewed by nikhimenon@gmail.com,nikhimenon.blogspot.com

Sify.com reviews:

Panikkar’s film as usual is the latest update on the socio-political scene in Kerala, as seen through the eyes of his protagonist. An upright, honest and fearless cop who is fighting the system from within. There is nothing new in story or presentation but what makes Roudram work is Mammootty’s characterization of the cop ‘Nari’. He steers this uneven high-on-punchlines film to the winning post.

The plot definitely evokes a sense of déjà vu, like a cop ‘Dirty Harry’ Narendran who is a one-man army who grapples with a corrupt society run by mafia’s with political support, inefficient and rotten police administration and a chief minister who is more concerned about his whealer-dealer son than the people who voted him and his party to power.

India Glitz Comments: (This time they didn’t wait for MM’s review to be out to write theirs)

So you are here in familiar territory, complete with all the Renji Panikkar regulars in ‘Roudram’. Here, the difference offered is definitely Mammootty, who is teaming up with the director in the role of a police officer.‘Roudram’ offers all the regular fare identified with this genre. However, for die-hard fans of the genre, this two-hour-forty-minutes flick is partially entertaining, if not riveting.

The one reason ‘Roudram’ may not work is that the movie’s framework is too similar to the template of Panikkar’s  previous hit ‘Bharatchandran IPS’. The story is all about Narendran, an honest ACP, who has the guts to take on the corrupt system, fulfilling his father’s wish (he was also an officer who died during an operation). Narendran — popularly called Nari — is offered a case to work on, directly from the Chief Minister’s office: a case of the murder of Kambilikandam Jose, a drug dealer.

Rediff.com says:

If you are looking for any kind of novelty in this film, you will be royally disappointed. Everything from the narrative structure to the vague profile of the protagonist remains unchanged except for a spark here and there.

Even the good and bad supporting characters are stereotypes — the corrupt man with a soft corner for the hero (Lalu Alex), an advocate-wife who left her practice to take care of a sick child, and the CM who is a puppet in the hands of a caucus. The only comic relief is in the form of a superior officer played by Rajan P Dev.

Mammootty tries to rise above the script with little success. He mouths lines in Malayalam as well as English and also translates them all the time. He confronts his adversary with a pistol or bare fists to win an argument or simply to prove a point.

We had great expectations for Sibi Malayil’s come back movie, but he seems to have lost sense of cinema during the time he was off. How else do you explain the fact that he agreed to direct such a movie, which is losely based on Manichithathazhu in which Sibi himself worked? The reviewers unanimously agree that this movie is torture and Mohanlal’s failure streak continues.

IndiaGlitz writes

The plot, even though half baked, is little appealing but it is the screenplay and the dialogues that proved to be the biggest negatives of the film. The director, Sibi Malayil and the scriptwriter s Bhasurachandran has miserably failed to make the film an engrossing affair, as the first half with cliched sequences is a little dragging with none of the sequences inviting our interest. Instead of shooting in different unexplored locations and dressing up your lead stars in the best of costumes, the makers could have looked for a better contrived plot. The film’s graph climbs up only after Siddhique, as the circle inspector, makes his appearance in its later half and there after the film takes the plight of an investigative thriller than the intended psychological thriller.

MovieBuzz is more brutal

Half way through, the audiences are left wondering where this film is heading for. No one knows, and no one cares as half the full house theatre was empty by the time it was over. Mithun Madhavan, the Mohanlal character appears 35 minutes after the film starts and just like in Manichitrathazhu makes a dramatic and comic appearance in black like a Sabarimala pilgrim. And why did the director and his script writer show Mohanlal as ‘man for all seasons’- an IT professional, a magician, a Kalaripayattu expert, when he is supposed to be a renowned psychiatrist?

After the film was over, we wonder- “Does Mohanlal ever read the script of a film that he does?” Unfortunately Flash is a proof that he does not, as the film drives us crazy and is not a wonderful experience after 2 hours and 42 minutes!

Paresh Palicha attempts something of an analysis which seems as pathetic as the movie itself.

Mohanlal tries to be charming by making exaggerated movements of his hands, as if trying to hypnotise the audience into liking what is going on the screen. But he
clearly does not succeed.

Paravathi has screen presence. With the gamut of emotions she has to display, she looks surprisingly convincingly.

No other actor has anything worthwhile to write about. Even the veteran Jagathy Sreekumar, wearing a weird wig, is reduced a character reminiscent of his role in Hallo.

It is hard to believe that Flash is the work of the talented Siby Malayil. The film is a huge letdown.

Reviewers have come up with varied opinions, which is not a good sign for long sustainability of the movie in theatres. Looking at Ranjit’s recent track record, he will have to go back to drawing board or get his brain rewired.

IndiaGlitz, didn’t copy from Movie Mazaa‘s review this time.

But certainly the film can be passed off as yet another also-ran film. The light hearted plot has seemingly endless stream of gags and stressful jokes that pad the movie up and down and sometimes, slightly take away from the parts that work. Post interval, the film gets quite emotional and heavy. It’s here that the film tends to drag a bit. If you dig silly stuff, they’re here, but they’re an unworthy compliment to a flick that was meant to be carefully shot fun ride, which at least offers a difference in story lines.

The story is largely believable but goes ridiculous in many places like a world-famous percussion artist running after many, to get a song tuned and the introduction scene of Syedapet Giri, which we had seen umpteen times before. We can very well anticipate the ending, we know what’s going to happen even before it does. And even when it does, Renjith, with his huge experience in scripting, still could have made it better. But, most likely, you will pardon the director for these disregards because this is an entertaining film and is slickly constructed with a hip soundtrack by Vidyasagar and good art direction by Sunil.

tvmtalkies says:

Good:
1. Add Chandrolsavam to Hallo, add a few more jokes and a few tit-bits here and there, drain out any storyline that would have crept in – You Rock n’ Roll. And the movie entertains full two and a half hours.

2. Mohanlal plays Mohanlal, rather than playing a disaster like AliBhai. His liberal values and monologues, classic dialogues, jokes. Some of us can watch Mohanlal for hours, when he is at his easy going self, like in the first half of Chandrolsavam. Rock n Roll provides Mohanlal VSOP.

Sify.com’s review says:

The film affirms the fact that the superstar driven Malayalam movies of today have hardly any script. It is just rehashing the same old stories, the stars larger-than-life image and clich?d situations over and over again. All the talented lead players cannot prop up the dilapidated screen play and maintain a balance in the face of over-the-top direction.

Mohanlal looks tired and ridiculous in outfits and a get-up that do not suit him and hams to the hilt! Lakshmi Rai looks beautiful, but finds it difficult to emote. It’s sad to see an ensemble cast of some of the finest actors in Malayalam- Jagathy, Mukesh, Manoj.K.Jayan, Siddique, Rahman, Asokhan, Sooraj and Lal reduced to nothingness. There is no real catchy tune from Vidyasagar in a film based on music industry, except the number O Mama Chandra mama

Thatsmalayalam was brutal in it’s analysis.

And Rediff.com’s review had some analysis for a change.

The director seems to be at a loss to create a story around these characters. So, he weaves a lame love story around Chandramouli. But we are told in the beginning that this fellow does not believe in love. He argues that there is only the physical need in man and woman, and that is misinterpreted as love (doesn’t this remind us of Prof Nathan of Ore Kadal?).

So, it becomes a big deal when he feels infatuated by the new singer Daya Sreenivasan (Lekshmi Rai) whose song he has given beats to. He employs techniques of a college student to win her over, which looks utterly stupid (a lesser word won’t do) considering that he can philosophise on happy matrimony to his friend Isaac and his wife. And, above all he has had experiences with women all around the world.

Performance-wise Mohanlal tries very hard to rise above the script, which is in tatters, but beyond a point, he fails amuse us. Whether it is the philosophical hyperbole or downright buffoonery; there is sincerity in his effort.

Who is more desperate for a hit? Mohanlal or Renjith? That is a matter of debate. With the help of movies like Chandrolsavam, Prajapathi,Nasrani, Alibhai and Paradesi, this duo have made crores of rupees disappear. After involving in three movies with Mammootty (Prajapathy, Kaiyoppu, Nasrani), Renjith tries his luck with Mohanlal in this movie.

Ranjit’s musical entertainer Rock & Roll is ready for release on November 15. The film features Mohanlal as a drummer in a musical troupe consisting of Mukesh, Manoj.K.Jayan, Jagathy, Harisri Asokhan, Suraj Venjaranmoodu, Siddique and Lal. Lakshmi Rai is the heroine and Shwetha Menon makes a cameo appearance.

According to writer and director Ranjit : “Rock & Roll is an out and out musical entertainer set in Chennai milieu with the background of a recording studio and the world of music directors. It’s a fun movie with Mohanlal leading the pack of merry men.”[Ready to Roll]

We’re wary of the phrase -”Mohanlal leading the pack of merry men”, just like Chotta Mumbai. Like environmentalists, Renjith’s been recycling stories for a while now. Of course, Kaiyoppu was an exception. But then, if the movie lives up to Ranjit’s words, then Ranjit and Mohanlal can heave a sigh of relief, else Mohanlal and Renjith will have to spend the next few months watching Azhagiya Thamiz Magan and Chocolate running to packed houses.

Photo courtesy: Sunday Kaumudi 

Madhavan was taken under the wings of Don Shekharan (Murali) when he was a kid. At this point, we thought that Sekharan would be killed by a rival gang and Madhavan would kill all of them by throwing English words. First time director B Unnikrishnan surprised us by not going down that cliched path. He also surprised us with some family drama and a great twist in the plot involving Sekharan’s family members.

A Don family cannot exist in isolation. There has to rivals and there has to be police officers. Smart City has all of them and the interplay between them takes the narration forward. The name of the movie comes from the Smart City project that we all have heard about and in the movie the rival faction tries to do a land deal against the declared motives. People from whom the land was taken get a raw deal and thus the Dons with the heart of gold, Sekharan and Madhavan take action. Then there are murders and counter-murders, but then a twist in the narrative happens which holds Madhavan back. Then the twist is unwound through some family melodrama and all ends well.

Suresh Gopi plays a subduded Don, where he does not verbally abuse people, but instead keeps things moving by beating the pulp out of them. If that does not attract you – he has a new hair style. He does not have a love interest in the movie and both Lakshmi Gopalaswamy and Gopika play his sisters.

Like any other Suresh Gopi movie, three fourths of Malayalam industry is in the movie. They include Rajan P Dev (cameo as Achyutanandan), Siddique, Jayasurya, Gopika, Lakshmi Gopalswamy, Rajmohan Unnithan, Shammi Thilakan, Kunjan, Manoj K Jayan and sundry other gooda looking characters who get terrible deaths. In Suresh Gopi movies, like Rajnikanth movies, it does not matter who else is there for they all have to push Suresh Gopi to get in front of the camera to get their 10 on screen minutes.

Ultimately there is only one question about a Suresh Gopi movie. It is not about the story or artistic content, but something simpler: Is it watchable or will you become a Don after seeing it? Smart City is definitely watchable and it helps if you have seen Pathaka before it. B Unnikrishnan has done a good job with the story, screen play, dialogue and direction and if he had cut out the songs, it would have been better.

Reviewers have given verdict that Hello is a fun film, with Mohanlal performance matching his yesteryears best. All the reviews complain about lacklustre Second half, but overall it seems that movie is worth watching.

Rediff.com reviews:

The film belongs to Mohanlal; it is his breezy performance as the semi-conscious drunkard with some witty dialogues thrown in that never gives us a dull moment in the first half. He gets ample support from Jagathy Sreekumar, his friend with a limp in one leg.

The second half is a bit of a letdown as it gives soap-opera-ish feel with stock characters — Salim Kumar handles the comic track, Siddique (with a bald pate and menacing clean-shaven look), Risa Bawa and Shaiju Kurup as the villainous trio, and Madhu, the wise patriarch.

Sify.com comments:

Rafi Mecartin has taken bits and shreds from various sources to stitch together this 2 hour 22 minutes of fun and entertainment. The duo has borrowed the plot of David Ellis’s Cellular (2004) and mixed it well with their own Punjabi House, Tenkasi Pattanam and scenes from various Bollywood films to come out with this comedy mixture. There is nothing new in the film or presentation, as the second half drags after a racy first half. The murder mystery is solved by the hero in a long drawn out dialogue drama instead of presenting it in a visually appealing and logical way of investigation.

These are but minor warts in a film, which is thoroughly enjoyable due to its star cast of actors who have great comedy timing- Mohanlal, Jagathy, Salim Kumar and the new guy Sooraj Venjaranmoodu. Their bickering and bonding makes it a scream. Is there a better actor in Indian Cinema who can play a comic drunkard as good as Mohanlal? Clearly he is at home playing this type of character and the film is unthinkable without him. A tall, svelte Parvathy Melton looks fresh and charming. The comedy tracks of Jagathy, Salim Kumar are funny.

IndiaGlitz.com says:

The film which flows into two and a half hours belongs to Mohanlal, the one man entertainment troupe, who shoulders the weight of the heavy twists in the plots, all by himself. He is thoroughly adorable and endlessly endears himself with his sensitivity and comic timing and easy-going camaraderie with Jagathy Sree Kumar his friend with a limp in one leg.

Adds color and vitality to the film, the performances from the entire cast is commendable. Debutante Parvathy Milton has proven that she is not just a pretty face and impress particularly with her dancing skills. Siddhique with his more than menacing looks and Suraj as an S I do their roles effectively while Risa Bawa, Shaiju Kurup, Madhu Warrier, Janardhanan and Ganeshkumar are in their usual self.

The second half is a bit of a letdown and drags in and around stock characters — The film often defies logic in their story lines, but who cares for logic in such a racy comedy. The murder mystery is solved by the hero in a long drawn out dialogue drama in the end reminding you of a similar longer sequence line.