Mahaveeryar Movie Review: Nivin Pauly, Asif Ali's experimental film misfires

Director Abrid Shine's Mahaveeryar, featuring Nivin Pauly, Asif Ali, Lal, Siddique and Shanvi Srivastava, is a time travel fantasy film that offers a satirical take on many topics. The film, however, misses the mark, says our review.

Mahaveeryar, right from its inception, stood out as an experimental film. By marrying the time-travel concept with fantasy elements, director Abrid Shine's film is a perfect example of out-of-the-box thinking and writing. The film is also a social commentary on bias and perception, among others. But, has this experimental film worked?

Mahaveeryar introduces us to a mighty king (played by Lal) who has persistent hiccups. He isn't able to rule the kingdom because his hiccups don't stop. He asks his minister (Asif Ali) to bring home the most beautiful girl in the kingdom, as he believes that she can cure him. Meanwhile, we see godman Apoonananthan (Nivin Pauly) in the present day, who gets accused of stealing a temple idol. He fights the court case and defends himself. How do these stories join forces? Will the characters achieve their purpose?

If this isn't the most bizarre plot, we don't know what it is. The first half is a courtroom drama featuring exceptional performances from Nivin Pauly and Siddique, who plays a judge. We survive the first half because it acts as a dark comedy. The lines are subtle and thought-provoking as well. The second half concentrates on marrying the two genres and concentrates on the king's hiccup problem, which is now being dealt with in court.

It looks like these are two different films and the point when the two worlds emerge is not organic. In fact, it puts you off. Shanvi Srivastava, who plays Devayani, gets a solid role. However, the way her role has been treated will irk feminists. She is required to help the king. But, it takes a weird route, when she is undressed and beaten in court. The graphic images act as a trigger, especially for women. There are hundreds of ways to convey the meaning of the sequence. But, the director chose to place it on the modesty of the woman. Though his intentions might be noble, the way it was shot is quite disappointing.

Here's the trailer:

Nivin Pauly has a solid role in the first half and disappears in the second half. Lal is exceptional as a king and the range of expressions he shows in the climax shows his prowess. Similarly, Siddique is quite the performer as a judge.

Cinematographer Chandru Selvaraj's work is impeccable as she shows contrast in two worlds and blends it seamlessly. Music by Ishaan Chhabra sucks us into the world of Mahaveeryar.