Maranamass (Malayalam)
Luke PP (Basil Joseph), a self-proclaimed ‘sigma male,’ is the prime suspect in a series of killings targeting senior citizens. Meanwhile, his girlfriend wants to break up, and the townsfolk want to pack him off from the country. In a bizarre turn of events, Luke lands inside a bus with his girlfriend, a dead body, the real serial killer, a man grieving the disappearance of his father, a bunch of ripe bananas, and ‘convincing star’ Suresh Krishna. Things can spiral in any direction, and they do, royally.
Directed by Sivaprasad and cowritten by him and Siju Sunny, Maranamass is a fun ride with quirky characters, many of whom – like Tiger Sir, a police officer addicted to Tiger Balm – will most likely rule the Malayalam meme universe in the days to come. The film is co-produced by Tovino Thomas, with Rapheal Pozholiparambil and Thanzeer Salam.
Blending situational humour with references to popular culture, the narrative glides smoothly from dark to funny. If one scene builds tension over who is to blame for a dead body, the next scene opens in a cemetery, where a couple dressed as Dracula and Kalliyamkaattu Neeli are romancing away for a pre-wedding shoot.
Even though the second half slows down the film a bit, the idiosyncrasies of the characters help keep it alive.
Basil brings distinctness to Luke PP, modelled on controversial YouTubers like Thoppi and Vickypedia. Luke is problematic, like Basil’s Rajesh from Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey, but also funny, with a signature Basil-esque sense of humour. But unlike his previous outings like Ponman, where the comic element almost solely rests on Basil, in Maranamass, everything and everyone is roped in to deliver the punches. Including a bunch of bananas.
Sivaprasad and Siju invest deeply in the characters, playing not only to the strengths of the actors who play them, but also to each actor’s on-screen legacy.
Suresh Krishna, for example, plays a bus driver in his middle age, desperate to make his wedding happen. The writers unleash the actor’s fan-coined persona as ‘convincing star’ in crucial scenes. The moment Suresh asks those in the bus to guard the dead body while he goes to inform the police, the entire theatre cracks up.
Puliyanam Poulose anchors the plot with his performance as the dead body. It is indeed a performance because, unlike other dead bodies in films, Poulose cannot just lie down. We see him hanging by the collar from a rod, being dropped like a log, and being dressed in a jacket, with a headphone fitted to his face. Not for a second does he make us feel that the body we see being tossed around is actually a live, elderly person.
Siju Sunny, who plays Suresh’s aide, a bus conductor whose father disappeared many years ago, does a neat job. Anishma Anilkumar as kick-boxer Jessi, whose best friend is a pepper spray gifted by her grandmother, delivers a solid performance. Nadira Mehrin, a former Bigg Boss Malayalam contestant, also makes her short appearance memorable.
Babu Antony, as the cop who is looking for his beloved dog, also gets his moment in the film. Pooja Mohanraj and Joemon Jyothir are a hoot.
The one who takes the cherry on top of the performance cake, though, is Rajesh Madhavan. His SK, demure and empathetic on the outside, is quite a roller coaster as we get to know him. The actor delivers an assured, versatile performance.
However, even with so much going for it, Maranamass is slightly disjointed, falling a little short of realising its full potential. The storytelling loses steam in the second half, with too many loose ends trying to tie themselves together. In the process, the film slips from pace, making it quite predictable. The suspense about the serial killer also comes apart too soon, leaving very little to anticipate.
JK’s music and Neeraj Ravi’s cinematography keep things moving.
The climax is quite violent, and the film also has some scenes showing violent stories being narrated to children. Maranamass has a U/A certificate, and parental guidance would be advisable.
If you let the flaws pass and focus on the laughs, Maranamass is a fun watch.
Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither TNM nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film’s producers or any other members of its cast and crew.