Vipin Das's latest directorial is all about flawed characters and ego clashes, which lead to a comedy of errors.
Vipin Das's directorial 'Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil' is a slapstick comedy. (X)
Finally, the wedding day has arrived! Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Basil Joseph, is a comedy entertainer with the backdrop of many confusions that arise during a wedding.
Directed by Vipin Das, the movie has been written by Deepu Pradeep — known for his famous caricaturish characters in Kunjiramayanam (2017) and the recently released web series Perilloor Premier League (2024).
As claimed by the makers, the film has the potential to be a laugh riot.
Now, let’s check how it fares:
Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil focuses on the bromance between the groom (Vinu) and the bride’s brother (Anandan). Basil Joseph and Prithviraj Sukumaran respectively play Vinu and Anandan in the film.
Though they don’t see each other — Vinu works in Dubai and Anandan at a factory in Jamshedpur, the duo form a cool relationship.
Though the wedding of Vinu and Anjali (played by Anaswara Rajan) takes centre stage in the flick, Vinu and Anandan take the story forward.
Nikhila Vimal plays Parvathy, Anandan’s wife. She, too, is one of the pivotal characters in the movie and her backstory creates a major conflict in the story.
How Anjali and Vinu overcome the obstacles in their wedding form the crux of the movie. Interestingly, all these obstacles are the after-effects of the misunderstanding between Anandan and Deepu.
‘Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil’ is a family entertainer. (Supplied)
Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil reminds us of Priyadarshan’s trademark slapstick comedy.
Flawed characters and ego clashes against the backdrop of a wedding lead to a comedy of errors in the film.
One of the major highlights of the movie is the transformation of the relationship between Anandan and Vinu. The two loud characters keep the audience engaged till the end.
Deepu Pradeep’s characters always have depth. In his latest outing, his Anandan and Vinu represent the typical men in a patriarchal society.
They both are flawed; while one doesn’t trust his wife, the other finds fault with his old girlfriend and presents her in a bad light.
However, Anjali and Parvathy always take their stand and express their views when needed.
The characters and the humour don’t demand a logical treatment. This is evident from Yogi Babu’s Saravanan, Vinu’s friend. Yogi Babu effortlessly pulls off a serious role in his debut Malayalam movie.
Thanks to the well-written script, most characters get a good placement in the plot.
Another highlight of the film is its climax sequence shot in the replica set of Kerala’s Guruvayoor Temple.
The climax makes the audience nostalgic. It reminds us of evergreen Malayalam comedy films like Thenmavin Kombath (1994), Vettam Punjabi House (1998), and Thenkasipattanam (2002).
‘Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil’ is directed by Vipin Das. (Supplied)
Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil also has several elements that work in its favour.
The music by Ankit Menon is a huge takeaway.
The three songs elevate the scenes. The wedding song and the “Krishna” song carry a good vibe.
The background score in crucial scenes involving Prithviraj and Basil Joseph has come out well.
The reference to the Tamil song “Azhakiya Laila” from the film Ullathai Allitha (1996) draws applause in the theatres.
The film also refers to Prithviraj Sukumaran’s debut film Nandanam (2002), which featured the Guruvayoor Temple in a crucial scene.
Further, actor Aravin Akash, who appeared in Nandanam, plays a key role in Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil, too.
Prithviraj in ‘Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil’. (X)
Prithviraj Sukumaran as Anandan is a show stealer.
After donning serious roles in his recent releases — Aadujeevitham, Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, the actor gets back to comedy.
The actor is in full form and gives his best to the full-fledged comedy role after Amar Akbar Antony (2015).
Though his second directorial venture, Bro Daddy (2022), also had comedy, Prithviraj hits it out of the park in Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil. The film marks a solid comeback for the actor to the slapstick comedy.
Basil Joseph seems to be evolving as an actor with each film. Though the actor proved his mettle in his previous works, he leaves an impact as Vinu in Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil.
Nikhila Vimal as Parvathy delivers a fine performance.
Anaswara Rajan is back after her powerful performance in Neru (2023) and Abraham Ozler (2024). As the bride, she gets equal screen time as the male leads.
Yogi Babu has a perfect debut in Malayalam. His Saravanan plays a prominent role in the second half and the audience can see him in his usual form.
Siju Sunny, Jagadeesh, and Baiju do justice to their roles.
Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil releases at a time when slapstick comedy is slowly fading from mainstream Malayalam cinema.
Prithviraj Sukumaran and Basil Joseph offer only entertainment, entertainment, and entertainment. They are an eye feast!
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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