Anugraheethan Antony Review: 2/5
An okay, one-time watch, the movie Anugraheethan Antony fails to string the audience along till the end. It’s a pure drama movie centred around a love story with a few ounces of humour. The opening sequences look promising. But as the film progresses forward, Antony (Sunny Wayne) ceases to capture the depth required by the character.
Here’s what we thought about Anugraheethan Antony:
Poorly Executed Concept
Though explored in different movies of various languages and genres, the predictable nature of the script is flawed. The script gives an avenue for the characters to explore their actions. However, only a few actors are able to pull it off really well. Unfortunately, the plot twists that would have given the movie its charm are revealed within a few minutes. It takes away from the viewers a vital thread that strings the story.
Supporting Cast
Siddique as Varghese, Antony’s father, Indrans as Madhavan and Suraj Venjaramoodu as Antappan have delivered note-worthy performances. Very often, their roles make up for those they share the screen with. Some other characters who are less convincing steal the appeal of the movie. The supporting cast is incomplete without the paw-some performances of Ruby and Rony, the Golden Retriever Pups who salvage the film to a great extent. The presence of short and shallow characters shift the focus of the movie back and forth. This, we felt, hampered the narration.
Repetitive and Slo-mo Scenes
The movie’s central focus is the soul of the recently deceased Antony seeking closure from his relationship with Sanjana (Gouri G Kishan).
The repetitive scenes in the movie shift from melancholy to romantic to humorous and then back again to sadness, all in the span of a single song or within minutes in the same scene. The narrative structure of the movie is fragmented and fails to tie the knots perfectly. Most of the songs are filled with the usual slow motion ‘love images’ of the couple dancing in the rain and playing hide and seek within windows that transfer the plot back and forth.
Lesson on Animal Attachment
Probably the only highlight of the movie is that it appeals to pet lovers. A one-time watch….for the dogs! The dogs Ruby and Rony adopted by Varghese to evoke jealousy within Antony is humorous. A jealous Antony spends all his time ‘disturbing’ them. But we see the compassionate and loving nature of the dog who doesn’t leave his side, understanding Varghese’s attachment to his son. The proverb “Dog is a man’s best friend” is depicted here, making their scenes a heartwarming watch. Varghese’s attachment to his dogs, who return after he’s alone post his son’s funeral, evokes strong sentiment among the masses. The traditional ‘Hum Aapke Hai Kaun” dog scene is repeated with slight variations. (spoilers without context!)
Overworked Clichè and Elements
Overburdened by songs, force-fed scenes of love by the usual hero-stalker complex and the clichéd wayward son’s transformation after love are depicted at various parts of the movie. Perfect for a family night and one time watch, there are tiny incidents like Antappan’s family scene that promises light-hearted humour and balance out the tensions in the movie. Other elements like the transformation of the spirit into a frog etc., is absurd and move away from the plot many times. The dialogues are cheesy and melodramatic. There are other elements like the father bidding his son goodbye, the dogs returning home and Sanjana’s painful journey in love which are a few high points in the movie.
The stream of conscious technique followed by the protagonist Antony is both confusing and predictable. Debut director Prince Joy has explored the beautiful town setting and the lives of its residents really well. The scenes with the pups will put a smile on our faces, for sure. That said, the movie is disappointing in many aspects.
Also Read: Malik Movie Review: Becoming the Voice of the Marginalised
