Pranav Mohanlal shines in ‘Aadhi’
Director Jeethu Joseph takes viewers on a roller coaster ride as he follows the life of an aspiring musician falsely implicated in a murder
Directed and scripted by Jeethu Joseph of Drishyam fame, Aadhi brings Pranav Mohanlal back into cinema.
The son of Malayalam star Mohanlal began his career as a child actor in 2002 with Onnaman. With his second film Punarjani, he won the Kerala State Award for Best Child Artist. Aadhi marks his debut in a lead role.
The film’s plot is simple but not new. Aditya Mohan (Mohanlal), the only child of his parents (played by Siddique and Lena), is an aspiring composer looking for his big movie break.
With the help of a friend, he gets an opportunity to perform inside an elite club in Bengaluru, a city frequented by Tamil and Telugu music directors. Aadhi, as he is fondly known, hopes to impress one of them. There he bumps into Anjana (Aditi Ravi), a friend from school, and they catch up and bond over old times.
An unwarranted incident at the hotel overturns his life. Aadhi finds himself falsely implicated in a murder. Arjun Reddy, son of notorious business magnate Narayana Reddy, meets his end from the roof of the hotel. With Reddy (Jagapathi Babu) out to avenge his son’s death, Aadhi goes on the run. Joseph’s neat writing rolls out a screenplay that is slickly executed and keeps viewers fixed on the screen.
Mohanlal’s Aadhi is the boy next door without the trappings of a superhero image. He shares a close and informal equation with his parents — mother Rosy is a Christian who eloped with Mohan, a Hindu. Moments shared between Aadhi and his parents are beautifully portrayed by Lena and Siddique — the two natural performers make their characters real.
With Reddy’s goons on his heels, Aadhi finds shelter in a stranger’s home. Sharath (Sharafuddin), a Malayali living in Bengaluru, sees a common enemy in Narayana Reddy. Aadhi’s parkour training also comes to his rescue while on the run. Giving an adrenalin rush are well choreographed action scenes as Aadhi races through alleys, leaps over walls and jumps across rooftops.
Joseph’s supporting characters are well created. Sharafuddin’s Sharath is someone you trust wholly. His elder sister Jaya is all bark with no bite. Jagapathi Babu easily slides into the villain’s shoes — it’s not a new role for him, but here it’s quieter and subdued.
Satheesh Kurup’s cinematography complements Joseph’s story and the splendid climax is captured brilliantly.