Fahadh Faasil's previous movies of the year have been utter disasters. So what if he incorporates his own legacy in fiction which falls just below the line that differentiates it from reality?
The story about a poor Malayali tire worker (Faasil) living in a remote Gujarati village starts with budding romance and instant death, which qualifies the film as a drama. However, as this foolish son of two Malayalai migrants goes to Bangalore to tidy up a land deal so as to relieve himself from a huge debt his uncle had created, the film moves to comic route. One is expected to laugh in the sequences that follows his adventurous bout in the alien city, mostly when one of his acquaintances asks him to masquerade as a popular film actor.
The plot is too cheeky to be believable, and that robs the whole comedy of its punch. Or at least some of it. Other than the few instances of situational comedy in the middle, the film is basically a dramatic decipherment of impersonation, which is only as good as its humor and its characters.
The Gujarat setting is good enough and fairly new to our rusty palates. Direction for a first timer is pretty good, and it gives me joy that Mr. Kumar is at least seeing some success in direction, if not in acting. The first half locks and loads and even paves way for an interesting climax, however, the second half swerves into unwanted territory and goes ballet dancing with a new, silly character as if the viewers here are real connoisseurs of the art of dancing.
Cast performance is very good, and I have to praise Sreekumar for his brilliant comic timing. Fahadh Faasil is back to what he does best, and apart from a heck lots of screaming, he actually portrays his character very well. The female actors were fine and do nothing much to judge, because all they do is roll their eyes and flash their pearl whites. The only problem was some of the characterization, which looks make-believe maybe because of the unfamiliar setup. But, rest assured, the film does not have the capability to bore you like some of Faasil's previous works had.
BOTTOM LINE: Ayal Njanalla is not a breath of fresh air in Malayalam cinema, nor is it charming as one usually relates with the lead actor. A watchable comedy-drama with a fun-filled fictional story is what it is.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
