Cast: Anoop Menon, Miya George, Alencier, Baiju, Hannah Regi
Director: Sooraj Thomas
When Anoop Menon returns to scripting after a hiatus of four years, he does it in style with an engaging story that is sweet and poignant. Ente Mezhuthiri Athazhangal, which touches the right chord, is a visually rich narrative that unfolds in the cool climes of Ooty, but there is nothing cold about the romance between the lead pair Anoop Menon, who plays a chef Sanjay, and Miya, who plays Anjali, a candle maker. But again this is not strictly a romantic film, but also one about the power of friendships and the joy they bring to the lives of people.
The film unfolds in a restaurant owned by Sanjay that attracts customers from far and wide for a unique chicken dish that has aphrodisiac properties.
The tasty dish has a secret ingredient that only Sanjay is privy to, which was suggested to him by a woman he deeply loved. Sanjay is now just days away from his marriage to the affluent Thara, played by Hannah Reji, when he gets a call from Alencier in Ooty. The blast from his past opens a floodgate of memories and the viewers are taken to the verdant landscape of Ooty in a flashback. Sanjay, on a quest to find unique recipes, reaches the home of his friends Baiju, his wife and Alencier. The heartwarming bonhomie between these characters seems so natural in the way Sanjay hugs Alencier and exchanges pleasantries or his emotional talk with Baiju. There is a line wherein he says, “Every person should have a second home that he can stay in without paying rent,” hinting at the freedom he enjoys at Baiju’s home. It is here that he falls in love with Anjali, who is a paying guest. Contrary to the usual popcorn romance, where the girl immediately falls for the rich boy who is wooing her, she rebuffs Sanjay’s romantic advances. Her reasons are that he is fat, hairy and rich — traits she finds unattractive. Anoop, the writer, has brought in the woman of today who speaks her mind and gives the man an ultimatum that he can either remain a good friend and nothing more.
Sanjay accepts that and takes pleasure in ferrying her around, letting Anjali get glimpses of the goodness in Sanjay and his prowess as a chef. He in turn sees her passion for making candles and get insights into her life. Anjali slowly falls in love with him and just when things are looking up for the couple, Anjali disappears from Sanjay’s life. Her disappearance and how Thara fits into this tale form the rest of the film. What makes this film endearing are the small tender moments and straight-from-the-heart dialogues that are the soul of the movie. Cameos by Lal Jose, Dileesh Pothan, Sreekanth Murali and V.K. Prakash are bang on target. A lot has to be said about the cinematography of the film that has absorbed Ooty’s soul. The BGM and music are soothing and in tune with the theme. Anoop and Miya have put in excellent performances. Be warned it is better to have your tummies full while watching this film, for the chicken and beef dishes are tantalizingly paraded. It’s a film that has to be seen to revisit old memories of love or of friendship.
