| Dileep has also
fallen into the superstar syndrome as proved by his
latest film Kunjikoonan. He uses the age-old method of
being there in every frame of the film by doing a double
role. If the central character is an ugly handicap, the
other is a handsome hunk to satisfy the superstar ego.
Even though the film is marketed as a comedy, it is
actually the tale of a desolate and helpless handicap. Kunjan (Dileep) is a handicap with bucktooth and
hunch back. He owns an STD booth and though he is
positively ugly he dreams about marrying a beautiful
girl. Thoma (Cochin Haneefa) owns a light&sound shop
near Kunjan’s shop and Chandran (Salim Kumar) is the
‘sound engineer’ there. Chembakam (Navya Nair)
is a blind girl in a circus troupe that comes to the
village. When her father dies in an accident Kunjan helps
her by giving her a job in the STD booth and slowly he
falls in love with her. He lies to Chembakam that he is
very handsome, but fears a day when she gets back her
sight and rejects him. One of the regular customers in
Kunjan’s booth is Prasad (Dileep) who is a
basketball coach and he is in love with Lakshmi (Manya)
who is the daughter of a police officer. As the father
does not approve the marriage Prasad and Lakshmi plans to
elope, but on that day a local thug Achu intervenes and
Lakshmi is killed. Kunjan is the witness to this murder
and soon Achu is arrested. Lakshmi’s eyes are
donated to Chembakam and she gets her sight. She sees
Prasad and mistakes him for Kunjan and hugs him. On
seeing this Kunjan is heartbroken and he leaves the
village. But Chembakam waits for him till one day she
finds him begging in front of a temple!
The highlight of the film is Dileep in
the title role and he is extraordinary. Here is one of
his most lovable performances as the handicap, though as
the handsome Prasad he just passes muster. Navya Nair is
a revelation and she is definitely the next Manju Warrier
in the making. Director Sasi Sankar has taken a leaf out
of Vinayan’s diary and leaves the audience
exasperated.
Verdict: Entertainer
|
