‘Hridayam’ movie review: Might not stir your soul, but will keep you entertained

When a Vineeth Sreenivasan film is about to reach, one can sense the all-round feel-goodness from miles away, proper from its carefully-crafted promos to the songs, which arrived in good outdated audio cassettes this time. It was apt, since nostalgia of varied sorts occurs to be his different promoting level. But, there have been factors in Hridayam when Vineeth displayed greater than a want to interrupt freed from that cheerful, heartwarming mould and let his characters run wild, laying naked their demons. However then, the characters appear to get sudden realisations in regards to the sort of film that they’re in, and get again to radiating goodness.

Additionally Learn | Get ‘First Day First Present’, our weekly e-newsletter from the world of cinema, in your inbox. You possibly can subscribe totally free right here

The movie has been conceived as completely different phases within the lifetime of Arun Neelakandan (Pranav Mohanlal), that has formed the individual that he’s at current. Moderately than banking on a stable plot, the script takes us alongside on a journey which stretches to most likely a decade or extra from Arun’s life, starting from his heady days in an engineering school in Chennai, to his life as a married man. Taking nearly as a lot area within the narrative is Darshana (Darshana Rajendran), with whom Arun falls in love early on throughout their school days.

It’s a love story which is kind of short-lived, hitting the rocks even earlier than the honeymoon interval is over, however the influence of which stays with them, and by extension within the narrative. This additionally brings out the worst sides in each of them, however Vineeth, the author, holds them again at varied factors from being damaging and taking the film away from its ‘feel-good’ function.

For example, the brooding Arun, who reveals a wild streak, mysteriously begins tidying up the hostel room and finding out onerous one advantageous morning, though it’s not clear what prompted the change. Within the latter half, which chronicles Arun’s post-campus life, issues aren’t so eventful with every part, together with his relationship with Nithya (Kalyani Priyadarshan), continuing a bit too quick. Ultimately, one wonders whether or not Arun has modified a lot in any respect from his early campus days, for the entire level of the film was his transformation.

However for all the shortage of depth that Vineeth is commonly accused of, he has a sure knack of holding the viewers engaged, even when telling tales that now we have seen many a time earlier than on-screen. He will get it proper within the packaging and the pacing. Hesham Abdul Wahab’s additionally music provides lots of verve, though there have been factors one wished the background music was toned down a bit and the violinist given some relaxation.

Although there may be nonetheless room for enchancment, Pranav has actually come a good distance from his preliminary solo outings, during which even his parkour expertise couldn’t make up for the shortage of expressions. Right here, he’s far more assured and cozy, managing to hold the movie for an excellent half, although Darshana steals the present at any time when she will get a chance.

Hridayam won’t stir your soul, however Vineeth has delivered sufficient to maintain you entertained, which isn’t any imply process when you will have a runtime shut to 3 hours.

Hridayam is presently working in theatres