Kattapanayile Hrithik Roshan

STORY: Krishnan Nair aka Kichu inadvertently acts in a movie and is dubbed as Kattapanayile Hrithik Roshan. However, even after a decade he just can’t seem to break the mould of his first role due to his unconventional looks. Yet he harbours a dream to become a lead actor. Finally, the opportunity comes and it changes his life – but for better or for worse?



REVIEW: Much like the protagonist in Kattapanayile Rithwik Roshan, director Nadirshah has taken an unconventional approach for his second movie – he’s cast a relative newcomer as the lead, resorted to telling a predictable story of a junior artiste and his travails, while sticking with the filmmaker’s formula of situational humour.


The movie’s protagonist is named Krishnan Nair aka Kichu (Vishnu Unnikrishnan), after the late actor Jayan’s real name because his dad wanted him to live up to the name. However, Kichu from a young age has no interest in acting in movies. This soon draws a wedge between the father and son. Add that to his dark skin tone and average looks, which make him the butt of all jokes in his school. This continues till he inadvertently acts in a movie!


While the initial appreciation from the society assures Kichu that the movie industry is where he belongs, he soon becomes typecast due to his looks and even a decade later finds it hard to break out of that mould. However, what keep him going are the support from his saho or bro Dasappan (Dharmajan) and the three goals in his life that he wakes up to everyday. Soon, an opportunity to become the hero comes knocking on the door and how – for the better or for worse – that changes his life forms the plot.


The movie, scripted by Vishnu and Bibin George, is predictable but it packs umpteen laugh-out-loud moments, especially with Dharmajan and Salim Kumar in top form. The duo excels in the comic timing and star in the film’s best moments. Vishnu as the protagonist does a decent job and looks the part. There’s also a shade of Kalabhavan Mani in his dialogue delivery. Prayaga Martin, Siddique and Lijomol Jose also do their part well.


The movie is also loaded with references from Yesudas’ songs to Manichitrathazhu theme. There’s even an Easter egg about Maheshinte Prathikaaram. However, the editing needed to be crisp and the songs are lacklustre. The cinematography or the story presentation doesn’t offer anything new.


Nadirshah has also made it a point in his movie to deliver some social messages and this time it touches on parental pressure, the effect and consequence of society’s perception of people and how people seem to take granted the valuable things in life. The director and scriptwriters succeed in adding the emotional layer towards the end of the film but that doesn’t save the movie from being an average fare, especially considering that it is 140 minutes long.