Avaraachan and Sons Movie Review:
Biju Menon has a peculiar penchant for humour. After starting with serious, mostly villainous roles, the actor reinvented himself in the 2010s, mainly with his flair for comedy. Marykkundoru Kunjaadu, Seniors, Ordinary, Vellimoonga, Kunjiramayanam, Padayottam, Rakshadhikari Baiju Oppu... the actor was on quite a roll before he applied the brakes — either to avoid repetition or evade typecasting. In the last few years, he has largely stayed away from such roles, yet again focusing on intense roles, which he was always good at. That is why Avaraachan and Sons comes as a whiff of fresh air, beautifully balancing the veteran's strengths. It has Biju Menon operating largely in his delightful 'Maamachan zone', but with much more emotional heft. As the titular character Avaraachan, Biju Menon is the anchor to this rocky boat that braves a few dips before reaching shore smoothly.
Director: Thamby
Cast: Biju Menon, Ganapathi, Sreenath Bhasi, Pauly Valsan, Grace Antony, Akhila Bhargavan, Parvathy Babu
Chellanam's coastal backdrop and the dysfunctional family at the centre of this story keep reminding us of Kumbalangi Nights. If that was an endearing story of four brothers almost always at loggerheads, here it's about a father and his two sons. For a change, the troublemaker is the father. We first meet Avaraachan rolling a joint for his foreign friend who's on Interpol’s lookout list. This is not just a fun intro for a fun character, but a crucial plot point that has a major say in the narrative.
The sons, Jaison (Sreenath Bhasi) and Jaimon (Ganapathi), don't get along with their father, but don't despise him either. Every time Avaraachan kicks up trouble, they somehow manage to find a way out. The interpersonal dynamics between the family members are one of the film's strong suits. Avaraachan is a doting father-in-law, a yearning grandfather-to-be, a wayward younger brother, but a failed father. In a beautifully performed scene featuring Biju Menon and Pauly Valsan, with minimal dialogues, we get a peek into why Avaraachan turned an alcoholic and his own troubled relationship with his father.
Yet, for all the promise in this family setup, the film doesn't always stay with them long enough. One would have liked to see more of them at home, their rapport with their father, the cracks in their relationship, and what keeps them together. Sreenath Bhasi, the poster boy of carefree Malayali youth, gets a refreshing role this time as a responsible, working adult, and the actor plays it with total conviction. The character doesn't express a lot, but has the wits to understand what others are going through. A grounded valyettan, one could say. Ganapathi is also restrained and dignified in his portrayal of a love-smitten youngster. However, the film leaves us wanting more from the brothers as sons.
That said, Avaraachan and Sons is not just about Avaraachan and his sons. Women orbiting their lives also make a strong presence, especially Avaraachan's elder sister Eliyamma (played by the wonderful Pauly Valsan) and her neighbour, Bincy (Grace Antony). Biju Menon and Pauly Valsan share excellent chemistry as siblings, with the writing aiding them in performing their parts without any theatrics. It is, in fact, a pressing quality of the film overall — minimal melodrama, despite scope for it. Be it romance blossoming between a young couple, or someone grieving a friend's death, or a family patching up, director Thamby is cautious not to overdo the drama by peppering humour throughout. And with able actors, the job is already half done.
The film, however, takes an extended detour with a subplot featuring Vinay Forrt and Grace Antony. The former plays a creep, constantly stalking his ex-wife under the pretext of love. Though the character gets a comic treatment initially, he becomes increasingly vile and threatening. It's a complex role, but Vinay walks the tightrope quite convincingly. Though this segment aids in Avaraachan's evolution into a more responsible, emotionally available person, it comes at the cost of leaving the family out of the picture for a long stretch. Perhaps the film's real interest lies not in the family as a unit, but in Avaraachan's late coming-of-age. It is an interesting choice, although it leaves some of the film's more promising relationships hanging. But all this while, Biju Menon's performance ensures the film manages to be alive and kicking.