The movie was very good of course, except that they should have spent a little more money and effort on getting decent and believable-looking actors for the Brit characters and a bit more of effort(research)on dress, uniforms, furniture, and yes, weapons (in a scene where the EIC soldiers are charging, you can actually see “bayonets” about to drop off the end of the rifles!) used by the Brits. At least twice, I saw English officers snapping off American military-style salutes.

Yes, Sharath Kumar was a suprise package with occasional glimpses of vulnerability coming out through cracks in the uber macho tough guy-hardbitten soldier facade that Kungan wears around him like an armour.

Its a bit unfair to compare this to “V.Veeragatha” because MT had a much smaller canvas and theatre there and could therefore produce a character and story that were almost Shakespearean.

PS. The scene were Pazhassi appears for the first time in the lamp-lit room, coming into the old man’s vision from blurred to sharp – I think I actually gasped, forgetting the fact that my tastes are straight!!

@ Babu Syde: If you feel yourself burdened by the hype created by this post, I recommend a great theater review penned down with a pinch of humour. Check it out here…nice read …

http://journosworld.blogspot.com/2009/11/kerala-varma-pazhassi-raja-1775-1805.html

I still watch vadakkan veeragaatha whenever its on tv…but i am not sure of this movie.

the most important thing that the movie lacks is strong script, it doesn’t go into detail of how it all began….though its titled on pazhassi, nothing of his early life is shown, neither the other characters.

of the 3.5 hours, it could have atleast dedicated 20-30 minutes on that, and then built up the story…….also the reason / or the way people turn against Pazhassi is hardly shown……they should have shown the greed or the discomfort/unhappiness that led to them turning their back……for eg., Nedumudi’s character suddenly arrives, and shows him ditching for a bottle of whisky and tobacco leaves….its totally unbelievable, there is no substance in it, knowing the position / control he possess.

comparatively if you look at vadakkan veera-gaatha the build up of the story is so beautifully done, that lends substance to the whole script.

the other things, like music is average. the background score and cinematography is brilliant. the fights, especially the guerilla ones of manoj and padma are really good, while the others, especially the one-to-ones were quite matrix style and a bit over the top.

in all a good attempt, and one of the watchable film of the year…..if rated on a scale of 5, it gets 3, though the box-office collections will break records, no doubt.

I agree that Sharat Kumar came off better than Mammotty ( May God forgive me for I worship Mammooty – but truth needs to be told!)

Abt Sound recording – Pookkutty justified the 2.5 Cr he has charged by making it cacophonious than anything!

And Good Old kalaripayattu gave way to Matrix like stunts…. Made me want to go back and watch one of those Prem Nazeer movies again…..

i blieve GG bein an astute money spinner wud hav said an even louder YUPP to this..butt with a small little condition of a minor tweak in the cast..sharathkumar may switch over as the nue pazhassi raja an mammooka wud adorn the role of “The kunkan”..a la chandu of Oru Vadakan veeragatha..
Be it for GG or for ny avge malayalee the films biggest USP is the the ulti combo of MT-hariharan an Mammooka..an as long as this team remains, a change in NAYAKAN wud have never really mattered!! the reason 4 pazhassi raja might jus be to have a whole big canvass of n era many dont know!!
Angane allathundo gopalletta!!