GANAGANDHARVAN

Ganagandharvan is the debut directorial of popular comedian Ramesh Pisharody. The film stars Mammootty in the lead while veteran actors Manoj K. Jayan, Maniyapilla Raju and others play supporting roles. The film is produced by Sreelakshmi R, Sankar Raj R, Saumya Ramesh. Vanditha Manoharan plays the female lead.

The story revolves around Ullas (Mammootty), a singer belonging to a light music band (the bandmates do have their share of quirks). Ullas lives a frugal life with his wife Mini (Vanditha Manoharan) and daughter, but one day, his life gets twisted as he receives an offer from Sandra, who is embroiled in a land encroachment case. Sandra and Ullas are connected through a mutual friend Prince, who was his ex-bandmate.

The first half does not carry much empty gags, as they are knitted by the supporting characters (one of them is the prying fish-seller while the other is a neighbour obsessed with physics). But the inconsistent writing of Sandra hampers the proceedings. The first half also gives a cliffhanger of an interval block, where Mini finds the truth about Ullas. Though the writing shows promise, the dated filmmaking waters them down.

The second half does not sustain the momentum provided by the mildly engaging interval block. The character arcs become more predictable and the film focuses on the deceit faced by Ullas. But the impact and charm created by the lighter moments within Ullas' family and his bandmates from the first half go missing. The film turns into a less-engaging legal drama that takes a dig at feminism.

The second half also has some pacing issues, which is mainly attributed to a needless flashback that shows the early stages of Ullas and Mini's romance. The film has a great ensemble of yesteryear stars, but they enter and exit in quick succession. The background score feels more generic and adds lesser depth to the characters.

Ganagandharvan works mainly due to the family drama woven to it. Mammootty exudes charm and innocence with his portrayal of Ullas, while Manoj K. Jayan's witty zingers and humorous. With a fairly engaging first half and some feel-good moments, Ganagandharvan is a passable drama.