Aavesham review: A one-man show by Fahadh Faasil

Director Jithu Madhavan, who debuted with Romancham in 2023, delivers yet another mass entertainer with Fahad Faasil’s Aavesham.

And this time too, he draws inspiration from some real-life incidents in Bengaluru, where he lived 11 years.

The tagline, “Reintroducing Fafa” (Fahad Faasil), in the title card meant introducing Fahad Faasil as a mass hero. And guess what? The actor rocks in this new massy avatar.

Aavesham does not have a breakthrough story or thrilling scenes, but it has all the elements like music, comedy, and action that make it a perfect mass movie. Here’s why:

Synopsis

The story is set against the backdrop of an engineering college in Bengaluru.

Three students (, played by Hipster, Mithun Jai Shankar and Roshan Shahnavaz) join the engineering college, but they face ragging and even get stabbed by their seniors.

Intending to seek revenge, the trio decides to befriend goons in Bengaluru. After untiring efforts, they come across Rangan (Fahadh Faasil), a ruthless don in the city.

How they befriend Rangan makes for a hilarious watch and is a turning point in the movie.

Ranga offers them free accommodation, food, and other facilities. The trio even takes revenge with the help of Ranga and his gang.

The trio is happy and enjoys Ranga’s company. However, a certain incident forces them to get rid of the goon.

Will they abandon Ranga? What will be Ranga’s reaction when he learns about the incident? — are best watched in a cinema hall.

Analysis

This action-comedy has quirky writing similar to some of Mammootty’s films like Rajamanickam (2005) and Pokkiri Raja (2007). This is because Mammootty used different dialects of Malayalam in these flicks, where his characters delivered humour.

Fahadh Faasil’s Ranga speaks a language that is a blend of Malayalam and Kannada, making it fun.

Ranga’s character is similar to a caricature. His mannerisms are pretty different — something that Fahadh has never done before.

The comedy element of this goon leaves the audience in splits in theatres.

Ranga’s background story reveals why he isn’t involved in physical fights but only orders his henchmen. It makes sense.

Also Read: ‘Maidaan’ is a treat for football buffs and Ajay Devgn fans

Highlights

The treatment of the story, written by Jithu Madhavan, is the major highlight of Aavesham.

The story can be told in different styles. Comedy getting more preference in the action-packed film works in favour of the Fahadh Faasil-statter.

Ranga is the major USP of the flick. The way the director moulds this “caricaturish” don interestingly makes it a worthy watch.

Fahadh Faasil sports two different looks. The one with a moustache is already known through the posters and the trailer, the other look without a moustache also appeals to the viewers.

Mansoor Ali Khan plays Reddy, Ranga’s mentor. Their combination scenes are crucial in the movie.

The college, the bar, the house, and the streets make for a perfect setting for the characters to assemble.

There are eight songs in the film and they really help the plot. They are all picturised well.

Sushin Shyam’s background music has a superb effect on the screen. The BGM particularly elevates the fight sequences.

The breathtaking visuals by Sameer Thahir are another major takeaway in Aavesham. Every frame is a visual treat, particularly the morning and night shots and the action sequences.

The other technical crafts like colouring and editing are apt.

Performances

Aavesham is a one-man show by Fahadh Faasil. The actor revels in the role and is an eye candy on the silver screen.

Ranga is a loud person and his body language as the ruthless don is one of the best performances in Fahadh’s career.

He excels in every scene, especially in the dance sequences and the climax portion, where he has to be cruel and sad at the same time.

Fahadh Faasil did play eccentric roles in Trance (2020) and Kumbalangi Nights (2019. But Aavesham establishes him as a mass hero.

Sajin Gopu, as Ranga’s henchman Amban, is an interesting character to watch in the film. The actor, who excelled in Romancham, gets more scope to perform in Aavesham.

Sajin gets equal importance as Fahadh. He also delivers some fun moments. The actor had to let go of a role in Mammootty’s Bramayugam (2023) as he was working on Aavesham.

There aren’t any major female characters in the flick.

The three students played by Hipster, Jaishankar and Shanavaz deserve appreciation. They do justice to their roles.

Final take

Aavesham is a pakka mass entertainer with an in-form Fahadh Faasil delivering a power-packed performance.

Director Jithu Madhavan scores another hit after Romancham.

(Views expressed here are personal.)