What happens when your wedding plans always turn into huge flops? Archana 31 Not Out has an interesting answer to such situations. Directed by newcomer Akhil Anilkumar, the 117-minute movie has Aishwarya Lekshmi, Lukman Avaran, Sruthy Suresh, Thanks Mohan, and Indrans in pivotal roles. Sunil Sukatha and Ramesh Pisharody have also appeared in the film.
With a name like Archana 31 Not Out, you may think it's a sports movie. However, as the trailer suggested, it's a lighthearted family entertainer that follows the inner workings of a Kerala wedding. Anyone who has ever been married or been part of the bride or groom's immediate family will instantly relate to the idiosyncrasies and sheer cacophony of judgemental relatives and neighbours.
Aishwarya Lekshmi plays the titular role of Archana, a 28-year-old temporary teacher at a private school in rural Kerala. She is constantly in and out of marriage proposals and meeting prospects and their families while juggling her work life and domestic duties. But to no avail because each proposal inevitably meets an end due to some reason or the other.
After 30 such attempts, it seems like her 31st attempt may result in a win. However, shocking news threatens to put a damper on all the festivities. How Archana deals with the hurdles forms the crux of the story.
Archana 31 Not Out may cover a stereotypical rural Kerala wedding setup, but it's not your usual wedding film. For starters, we have a woman who may be actively looking for proposals but marriage is not her priority. Like most Indian girls, she is doing it for her parents. Later, it becomes a possible fresh start in her life. However, even when her proposals don't work out, she doesn't take it personally nor does she mourn it. Instead, she deals with it in her own melodramatic, sporty way by jotting down each attempt using cricket terms.
Being the sole breadwinner of the family, she is more concerned about her career. To put it simply, she is a career-driven woman without finding the need to shout it out loud. Thus, the Akhil Anilkumar directorial really had much potential with an interesting lead character and premise. However, the weak screenplay becomes the film's doom.
First half of the film is partially well-executed—we are shown the struggles of Archana, trying to meet the ends at home while looking for suitable suitors. We also see her in a tough spot after losing her job and the only source of income to the family. Then, towards the end of the first half, we are introduced to the central conflict of the film. From then, everything goes downhill as we have an excruciatingly long narrative that leaves a viewer bored.
Towards the end, viewers will literally huff in frustration, begging Archana to just break the news to her family. Or put the viewers in their misery. The climax tries to make up for the humor that fell flat and the characters and songs that only added to the screen time. However, it's too late for the movie to reach the crease and save the wicket. Archana Not Out 31 has a message to deliver about weddings in Kerala but only if you are patient enough to sit through an excruciatingly long screenplay.