Painkili

Painkili attempts to be a thoroughbred rom-com, and while the comedy here is quirky, at times situational, and mostly over-the-top, the romance aspect is not established well in any sense. That is primarily due to Anaswara's character not having any semblance of an arc to speak of, which is justified by her age (where mistakes seem apparent). Yes, there are some Jithu Madhavan-certified laughs, and Justin Varghese scores the film superbly; however, the film lacks a decent flow from event to event, overall.

Sajin Gopu gets to showcase more of his acting palette compared to his previous films, but since I watched Ponman way before this, I think his performance in that film (even with limited dialogues) was a lot more impactful. Here, he's asked to go all out-crying, laughing, being unhinged-and of course, bring some adorable romantic shades. He isn't successful at all of it, but if anyone (especially, the old-school directors) hasn't taken sufficient note of the guy yet, this will wholly ensure it. Anaswara is undoubtedly a wonderful actor, but this role will likely go down as one of her least memorable ones. The scenes with Riyaz Khan and LJP, intended to be comedic, didn't work for me.

P. S. Jayaram's hysterical scene from Kaavadiyaattam was poorly re-created.

As a romantic comedy that tries to strike a balance between humor and romance but falls short in execution. While some comedy scenes land well, many fail to create an impact.

The biggest positive of the film is Sajin Gopu's performance, which stands out as commendable. He brings charm and energy to his role, but unfortunately, the script doesn't give him much to work with. The supporting cast delivers decent performances, but none leave a lasting impression.

The music and background score add a pleasant touch to the film, and while the songs are good, they don't have the recall value to make them memorable.

The film starts off on a promising note, keeping the audience engaged in the first half. However, as it approaches the climax, the storytelling takes a nosedive. The writing becomes weak, and the final sequences are chaotic and confusing. The climax, in particular, feels rushed and directionless, making it evident that the makers struggled to wrap up the story convincingly.

In the end, Painlili 2025 feels like a missed opportunity. It's not entirely unwatchable, but it certainly doesn't justify a theatrical experience. This one is better suited for OTT streaming, and even then, only if you have time to kill.

Painkili is a mindless film that ends up frustrating the audience rather than entertaining them. It's hard to believe this was penned by Jithu Madhavan. Though it attempts to present itself as an experimental piece, it falters due to poorly developed characters and weak writing. The female lead, in particular, suffers from shallow characterisation driven by uninspired scripting.

While a few slapstick moments land well, they aren't enough to salvage a film that's steadily falling apart. Justin Varghese's background score works in parts but is often overly loud, and the songs feel repetitive and dull.

Abu Salim does a decent job in his comic role, whereas Riyaz Khan's comedy comes off as forced. Sajin Gopu puts in an acceptable performance, though his character lacks proper development.

By the end, you're left wondering-why was this even made?

Not recommended. Watch it only if you have time to waste-and even then, proceed with caution.

I haven't laughed soo much for any movie in recent times. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone for a light hearted comedy watch. The acting, cast, comedy was spot on and absolutely brilliant. I have never gone to the theatre twice for any movie, I'm soo tempted to go again. Loved the movie from start to finish. The only sad bit was that I kept missing out on some dialogues because I was laughing. What an entertaining movie!!! It just exceeded my expectations. This movie is still simply witty with a story line that is far different from the main stream movies that come out today. Must Watch!!!

This type of humor is not for everybody. But those who like dumb funny with a measure of intelligence in it will find this movie worth the watch. If you're a fan of comedians like Conan O'Brien and that similar style of sketch comedy this is right up your alley. All the characters were well developed and there is some really good world building in it as well. Hope they keep on making moving like this!