Painkili

An over the top comedy that tries to be a little bit like the successful Malayalam comedies from the 90s but also doesn't really want it to be called like that. There were a lot of moments that really made me laugh out loud. Any time movies make a lot of movie references it makes me giddy and even though this only uses it in like some specific scenes, those were all great. There was quite a lot of stuff that felt really forced and thus lost the humor in it. But just in the comedy aspect, it had so much in it that, even though the stuff that didn't work was a lot, there was more stuff that worked for me.

However, the issue with this film is the story itself. There are so many plot points in this movie that are too stupid, and the characters are given a pass after questionable actions. This kind of stuff was very common among the unsuccessful Malayalam comedies of the 90s too. This plot could have worked more if they hadn't wanted to add some thematic elements and thus a heart to it, it should have been ridiculous throughout, just the way it started. Jithu Madhavan's writing intentions feel like he wanted to make it a bit emotional at the end which is still hilarious like he did in Aavesham. In Aavesham, it was all focused on one character but here, there are two main characters involved and the writing fails to make it sensible. The second act which was supposed to build a base for the climax didn't really work much and the ending was really a confused mess. Performances from Sajin Gopu, Anaswara, and Jisma really carried a lot of scenes that would have totally failed if the acting wasn't as solid.

But even with all those issues, it was still hilarious for the most part. Overall, an above-average experience for me.

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.

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.

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!

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!!!