Review of Mandakini Movie: Women steal the spotlight in Althaf Salim and Anarkali Marikar’s comedy-drama

Just a week after Vinu Ramachandran (played by Basil Joseph) and Anjali (played by Anaswara Rajan) had their eventful wedding at Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil, it’s time for another big celebration as Ambili (portrayed by Anarkali Marikar) and Aromal (played by Althaf Salim) are getting married. While the chaos at Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil involved a couple and a few others rushing around to make the ceremony happen, Mandakini focuses on a young man trying to prevent his new marriage from unraveling on the very first night. Even though the couples, settings, and plots of Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil and Mandakini are quite different, one might wonder what could have transpired after Vinu and Anjali’s wedding once the movie concluded, following their victory over numerous obstacles. Directed by newcomer Vinod Leela, Mandakini offers a glimpse into the immediate aftermath of Vinu and Anjali’s wedding. After marrying Aromal, Ambili moves into his home, as is the tradition in our country. Right from the start, it’s evident that Aromal is smitten with Ambili. While she may not reciprocate the same intensity of feelings, her actions hint at a growing fondness for him. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that they must navigate significant challenges to have a peaceful first night together.

Mandakini had the potential for a fun and engaging storyline, but unfortunately, Vinod’s script didn’t quite take off as expected. It felt like the story was stuck on the runway, just waiting for the green light, especially with the constant background noise of flights due to Aromal’s house being near Cochin airport. Unlike movies like Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil or Upacharapoorvam Gunda Jayan (2022) that thrived in similar settings, Vinod leaned heavily on dialogues rather than comedic situations. However, many of the jokes fell flat and failed to bring out the intended laughter. Despite introducing interesting characters like the gossip-loving aunt and Sagar, who’s keen on partying, Vinod didn’t fully explore their potential, and they faded away quickly. The repetitive use of one-liners without much depth eventually led the story to lose its grip on the audience, despite attempts at humor.

The narrative struggled to find a balance between comedy and serious moments, often interrupting one with the other, which disrupted the overall flow. While these conflicts could have been a source of humor, the writing lacked the impact needed to make them stand out, resulting in average scenes.

One positive aspect of Mandakini’s screenplay is its balanced approach…