Avatharam

Dileep and Joshiy go together like cup and saucer. And this film is no different from the tens of films they have worked in together.

Starting off with the titular character Madhavan (Dileep), the film goes on to introduce him as a Mechanical Engineer who gets embroiled in a political conspiracy involving his brother's calculated murder. In the path leading to the truth, he falls in love, induces drama, and causes laughter. The audience's emotions are tested by the villains who force cruelty on the good guys and at the end, our hero adopts guerrilla tactics to avenge his brother's untimely death.

About 50% of the film resembles Dileep's hit 2006 film Chess, which was much more entertaining and fun to watch. Avatharama, on the other hand, looks like a unrehearsed attempt at a thriller. All the villainy is so clichéd, your mind may numb with usualness.

A song or two slipped in between serious discussions, faint humor, poor slapstick and strings of old school techniques in dramedy are the prime points of the film.

BOTTOM LINE: A tried and patted-down film whose story is familiar and the cast makes it look more like it. One time watch.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES