With the arrival of electricity in the region under the British rule, the Odiyan clan that possesses the supernatural powers to assume animal form find it difficult to survive as they are ruthlessl...
VA Shrikumar Menon's feature film debut 'Odiyan' is all about the shapeshifting larger-than-life character Odiyan Manikyan who is portrayed by Mohanlal. Being one of the most awaited releases of the year, 'Odiyan' had a great start. But due to some issues (which would be touched upon in this review) the Lal-starrer got an array of negative comments even from his fans.
The "average" spectators' main concern was regarding the director's failure at keeping his promise. He had assured that 'Odiyan' would be a mass entertainer which, however, turned out to be just a 'humble project' as Mohanlal puts it. While it is true that Menon misinformed the world about the true nature of his film, 'Odiyan' is still a well-crafted masterpiece which can boast of a unique way of storytelling (one which requires the spectator to pay keen attention throughout the run time). The overlapping timeline has been decently conceived, although, at times, it is hard to digest.
The kernel of this film, without a doubt, is Mohanlal. His two year long preparations for this role have paid off. He keeps the narrative together when it falls apart at many places. It might also seem to the (above) average spectator that Manikyan is the only round character in the film which has an abundance of one-sided characters like Ravunni - the evil villain, Prabha - the compassionate aristocrat who befriends the downtrodden, Meenakshi - the innocent village belle, Damodaran Nair (Siddique) - the know-it-all tea seller, and a group of young men who are mean for no apparent reason. They resemble the antagonistic college bullies who used to be the staple in campus films of the 90s and early 2000s. This takes us to the next point.
This film seems a lot like a late 20th century flick. I'm not only talking about the costumes and the setting, but also about the temperament and the fundamental nature of the characters (including Manikyan). While reading between the lines, the film has the "graceful" sexism and racism that one finds in 'Aaram Thamburan', 'Narasimham', 'Devasuram' and so on. However, one cannot say that there is a similar celebration of the hero's masculinity in 'Odiyan', since the character is not a 'Thamburan' but a Dalit. He is portrayed as the victim in many instances. Yet, his manhood is protected through 'odividhya' which was taught to him by his grandfather. Another striking and somewhat disturbing recognition is regarding the characterization of Ravunni whose villainy is often corelated to the colour of his skin. "The dark skinned man as the villain" is so twisted an idea. On a deconstructive level, however, this aspect acts as a sort of explanation or justification for his 'evil' deeds. That is, as a person who has been tormented since childhood about the colour of his skin, Ravunni has every right to act the way he does. The fact that even Odiyan Manikyan, the underdog, is fairer than him might have had a gargantuan effect upon this Nair's psyche.
While paying attention to the technical aspects, it would be unjust to go about without mentioning Shaji Kumar's captivating cinematography which held the movie together when everything else fell apart at times. The visual effects and (or) CGI, on the contrary, seemed cartoony at most times. It certainly did not look suitable for a big budget film like 'Odiyan'. Peter Hein's action sequences could make a decent impact on the spectator, though it lacked the spontaneity that one finds in 'Pulimurugan' especially in the final fight scene. The frequent cuts have affected the continuity of certain moves (again, this is only the case with the climax fight sequence). The background music and other sound effects especially during 'odividhya' were blissfully thunderous.
Therefore, 'Odiyan' wasn't an utter disappointment. It can be simply regarded as a film which should have been made a decade ago. Odiyan Manikyan is comparable with Mohanlal's classic characters like Kunhikkuttan (Vanaprastham) and Balan (Thazhvaram). It is just that he wasn't given much of an opportunity to showcase his acting prowess to the fullest since 'Odiyan' could not fully contain Odiyan Manikyan.
