Malayalam cinema has been struggling hard to mix the new wave genre into its repertoire, and while we have seen a couple films make it, this one comes out as a surprise package.
Bhanu (Sreenivasan) is a college student in dire straits who tries to help a damsel Adhishta Lekshmi (Pramod) enter a boys hostel (where he also lives) in return for money, and gets trapped with her in his room, unable to get out. The stage is set, and amid royally embarrassing spelling mistakes and editing blunders, Bhanu is helped by his three mates, who go from plan A through at least plan P to get Adhishta out.
At first look, the story looks kinda flimsy, but if one waits and anticipates Madhav, Varghese, Mukesh, and Mohan's characters to enter the scene, things start to look good. The humor and slapstick, although partially adult, is fantastic. One could also relate with the slang used in the dialogs and the parlance used by hostel students. Having said that, lot of cuss words are thrown around here, but they are supposed to be funny, and trust me, they are. (And there is a weed plant growing in a pot somewhere, which is ballsy.)
If you snub the logic a little, then the film is real gold, especially the final 30 minutes that is more horror than comedy. And the climax is simply unpredictable for what you expect. Direction and screenplay are nicely handled, and I must say I will be definitely waiting for the sequel, which would be interesting to watch as the tables now seem to have turned. Also, Pramod has to be lauded for playing what seems like the only female character in a hostel high on testosterone.
BOTTOM LINE: Adi Kapyare Kootamani is a very good effort from amateurs, and it is because of the lead actors and an inventive reworked story that makes it a wonderful watch. Ignore the long running time, grab a bowl of popcorn, and enjoy this caper.
GRADE: B-
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? Maybe.
Vulgarity: High
