Malayalam cinema has rarely ventured into the spoof genre, and with Chirakodinja Kinavukal, the genre gets a glorious welcome.
Starting with a cheeky narration (by Lal Jose, and then by Sreenivasan himself), the film is a film inside a film. Our neighborhood aspiring writer N P Ambujakshan (Sreenivasan) from Azhakiya Ravanan (1996) is reciting his script to potential producers. With lots of textual graphics surrounding this narration, the introduction is full of potshots aimed at the conventionality of Malayalam cinema. One better learn to read Malayalam or he/she may miss the textual inferences.
The film inside the film is a love story between a tailor (Boban) and Sumathi (Mrs. Abu) whose relationship is jeopardized by a third character, the UK man (again Boban). Now this story is what is recited by Ambujakshan with frames shifting from this story to the actual recitation. And boy, is it fun to see the stories unfold.
The humor is created by screwballing the characterization and the plot, slipping in absurd situations sporadically. Since it is a spoof movie, one does not search for logic in the plot line and that itself, per se, is the single greatest factor that the film enjoys in preventing itself from being kicked off as nonsense. Filled with jokes about social and current affairs, cinema, politics, social media, world affairs, and relationships, the film is a definite entertainer. It parodies and refers so many films that if I start listing, I may end up making a bestseller. From Sibi Malayail's Thaniyavartanam (1987) to Sameer Thahir's NPCB (2013) - all are referred in this quirky comedy that falters only at the climax.
So many other things are spoofed here even the statutory warning video about cigarette smoking is not spared. You may have seen unconventional ways of conveying the message about the perils of cigarette smoking in Ohm Shanti Oshana (2014), but this here is some creative overload.
Apart from that, the whole rendition is irreverent if we compare it to similar ventures like Oru Vadakkan Selfie (2015) that entertained us earlier this year. Plus, many of the characters here don't have names; instead they are addressed by what they really are (for example, Boban's double role is called UK kaaran because he hails from UK). I believe this was a brilliant idea which surely ups the ante.
Kallingal is all shimmering throughout the film, and so is Boban in his funny double role. Supporting cast is great, as well. Having said before, the climax is weak compared to what we were served initially. Roping in Innocent to salvage the climax also doesn't work out properly. But of course, nothing is perfect, and for this experimentation, I am even ready to forget it.
BOTTOM LINE: Chirakodinja Kinavukal is a well-directed, well-written spoof comedy that has to be seen if one needs to know why years down the line, it will be called a cult classic. 7/10 - recommended!
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
