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Smart City film
Smart City review
'Smart City' cashes in on Kerala
politics (REVIEW)
By Paresh C. Palicha,
Film: "Smart City"; Cast: Suresh Gopi, Murali, Manoj K. Jayan,
Lakshamy Gopalaswamy and Gopika; Director: B. Unnikrishnan;
Producer: Seven Arts; Music: Manikanth Kadri
Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi joins hands with debutant
director B. Unnikrishnan for his Christmas offering, "Smart
City".
The goings-on in Kochi furnish Malayalam filmmakers with ample
ideas for their scripts. The real estate boom, involvement of
mafia, greedy politicians and builders... all
provide good material for directors trying to churn out mass
entertainers.
And Unnikrishnan takes this route to make his first film. The
title is derived from the ambitious Info City plan drawn up by
the previous Kerala government in partnership with Dubai
Internet City. But the plan was stalled by then opposition,
which is now the ruling coalition.
The story of this celluloid city begins when the incumbent
finance minister, played by Shammi Thilakan, tries to revive the
project with the dubious intention of turning the
land into a luxury housing colony.
But he has to face Shekharan (Murali), an aging mafia kingpin
who had helped the then rulers to procure the land believing
that an automobile factory will be set up there and generate
employment for local youth.
Shekharan's activities are looked after by his trusted
lieutenant Madhavan (Suresh Gopi), who is just like a family
member.
Madhavan successfully stops the finance minister in his tracks.
From here on things take a gory turn with blood smearing the
screen at regular intervals.
The screenplay also has its emotional and sentimental moments
with the two leading ladies, Lakshamy Gopalaswamy and Gopika,
playing Shekharan's daughter and
Madhavan's adopted sister respectively.
They provide the scenario to bring in few twists to the
proceedings. The former is married to an honest town development
officer (Jayasurya) who turns out to be the villain in the
second half and the latter romances the brother (Siddique) of
the city police commissioner.
For a change Suresh Gopi gives a somewhat subdued performance.
He is believable as Madhavan, with emotions that don't look
monotonous. But the sprinkling of English
remains.
It feels good to see Murali in a full-length role. His character
is an assimilation of roughness and smoothness and he carries it
with ease. We wonder whether Shekharan was named to induce
nostalgia as he has played Suresh Gopi's mentor in "Pathram"
with the same name.
Manoj K. Jayan, in his villainous avatar, goes royally
overboard. Siddique is his usual self. Jayasurya is reduced to a
side character, but he can find solace in the fact that he has
one song with Gopika that will be repeatedly played on
television channels.
The debutant director deserves a pat for doing a decent job.
This page is related to :
Malayalam film review, Smart city
review, suresh gopi film smart city,
Malayalam movies, Malayalam reviews, Suresh Gopi, Murali,
Manoj K. Jayan, Lakshamy Gopalaswamy and Gopika;
IANS.
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