Movie review 'Palakkattu Madhavan': Fails to evoke laughter with clichéd humor

Cast: Vivekh, Sonia Aggarwal, Sheela

Direction: Chandramohan

Rating: 2 stars

Ace comedian Vivekh is back donning the lead hero in Palakkattu Madhavan which is a role made memorable by K.Bhagyaraj in Andha Ezhu Naatkal. But the movie comes with the tag line ‘Ivan Tamizhan’ since the place Palakkadu is associated with Malayalis.  Thankfully he sticks to his strength –comedy, a role which is dire contrast to his earlier heroic venture Naan Thaan Bala which had a serious theme.

Palakattu Madhavan (Vivekh) and Lakshmi (Sonia Aggarwal), a Brahmin girl are love married couple with two daughters and live in an agraharam. Both work in the same company, but Lakshmi earns more than him which gives him an inferiority complex. He is also annoyed with his manager (Manobala). One day, Madhavan quits his job after a fracas with his manager. He tries his luck in various works to prove a point that he can earn more money than his wife, but in vain. Finally, he gets a chance to adopt an old woman Pattu Mami(Sheela) as his mother from a senior citizens home counting on the monthly salary he would get from her for her maintenance. Though initially Madhavan brings his foster mother for his own benefit, he started developing a soft corner for her after the latter showers love and affection on his children. But it is not the case with Lakshmi. She could not adjust with the new member in the family and eventually ask her husband to leave her back at the old age home. The rest is how Madhavan gets back his mother and changes to a responsible person.

Vivekh proves his versatility not only with his signature style of comedy laced with social messages, but also shines in sentimental segments. And with his screen presence he engages us most part of the movie. He looks uber cool in trendy costumes in a song sequence shot in abroad locales. Sonia is equally impressive. Sheela who is making a comeback after a gap does a neat job. Supporting cast which includes a host of comedians fail to evoke laughter with their clichéd humor. The director could have avoided double meaning entendres and sexist remarks on women in the name of comedy.