The prodigious success of the movie “Thirakkatha” has given its Director Renjith a timely leg-up after four consecutive flops. The film-within-a-film concept is not a new panorama as far as Mollywood is considered. Already we have “Udayanaanu Thaaram”, “Lekhayude Maranam – Oru Flash Back”, “Kizhakunnarum Pakshi”, “Urvashi Bharathi” where the story line takes the spectator through the tragic life of film celebrities - within and beyond the lime light.
As the name depicts, the highlight of this movie is also its recherché script work by Renjith which is exquisitely plotted as a series of monologues that swaps between the past and present. The “Thirakkatha” is a tribute to the yesteryear film celebrities who were completely drenched in the stardom, popularity during their youth and completely faded out from the lime light and ignored by the film industry during their geezer hood.
The movie is all about Akbar Ahmed a.k.a Akky (Prithviraj), a debut movie director, who is in the search for the scripts for his second movie along with his friends at “Casablanca”, a cafeteria with all the smell & goodness of the film industry. The name “Casablanca”, which is a famous Hollywood classic itself, describes the passion of Akky & his crew to the film world. Akky chances upon to the life story of Malavika (Priyamani), dazzling actress of yesteryear who had delighted millions in her heydays, and vanished without a trace from the lime light after her marriage and divorce, with the superstar Ajay Chandran (Anoop Menon). Akky and friends tries to trace down her life and the upshot becomes the rest of the plot.
The film aroused bitter controversies in the film industry as the story line matches with the 70’s romance between the Kamal Hassan & late actress Sreevidya. Initially Renjtih denied all the reports came about this controversy. But later he revealed that the film's plot was conceived after Sreevidya’s meeting with Kamal Haasan shortly before her death. Nevertheless, the movie unfolds a composite but an excellent love story which is sure to make a long lasting impression on viewers.
Prithviraj’s performance as the young exalted director is brilliant. The upcoming actor Anoop Menon superbly enacted the different stages in the life of film star Ajay Chandran equally shares the space in the movie. Priyamani has proven once again that she is a versatile actress. Samvritha Sunil, Nishant Sagar, Mallika Sukumaran, Maniyam Pillai Raju, and the director Renjith as a guest appearance have done justice to their respective roles.
M J Radhakrishnan’s camera work is top-class while Sarath’s music meshes well with the mood of the story. The movie got six songs penned by Rafeeq Ahammed in which the songs “Palapoovithalil” and “Oduvil oru shoonya rekhayaayi” are certainly a hit. Produced by Renjith and Maha Subair under the banner of Capitol Theatre and Varnachithra, Thirakkatha is, no doubt, worth watching.
