This Shaji Kailas directed film is meant for hardcore Mammootty fans. The hero, who plays double role, looks glamorous in his first avatar, has three youngsters for company, fights dozens at one go and has a defiant attitude. Sometime later, he comes in a second role, in a sanyasi look with coloured kurtas, shawl and three clean-shaven men chanting mantras, for company. If your idea of entertainment is within this territory, well, you may find this film an Okay one at best!
The film’s storyline is pretty confusing. There are some old Brahmin families who have some scores that dates back to several generations to settle, almost everyone is an expert in the Vedas or even in black-magic and there is a huge mana with a ghost in it! But the problem is, beneath all these, you soon realize that the film is all about dimwitted writing and shoddy direction.
Kunjunni (Mammootty) is an atheist, hates traditions, is tech-savvy and is having an affair with an innocent village-belle Thulasimani (Kaniha). He comes to buy the ghost-house, but he gets killed after several thrilling action sequences, dialogues and drama. Now comes his elder brother, Pattazhi Madhavan (Mammootty), who is highly religious and learned, but don’t have a problem thrashing some well-built hunks to pulp. He starts living at the mana to find out the reason for several deaths there, including that of his father that happened several years back and of course, of Kunjunni.
It is not just a silly film, but a regressive one as well, due to its offensive remarks about caste difference. Are we living in a land where superstitions, black-magic and rituals get prominence over the rule of law? Generously inspired even from films like Ananthabhadram and Manichithrathazhu among others, Drona 2010 lacks clarity, logic or any artistic value.
What the film succeeds is to show Mammootty in various looks and styles. He looks cosmopolitan and hip in one role, while intense and majestic in the other. But then can’t he look good in any role and what we look forward to in his films, is his histrionic eminence. In all fairness, Mammootty performs both the roles with conviction and panache, which keeps the viewer in the seats till the end!
Most of the other characters have been half-baked, including Thilakan, Manoj K Jayan, Devan, KPAC Lalitha and Lakshmi Sharma. Kaniha looks evidently misfit in her traditional long skirts and worse still, the tone of her dubbed voice is often irritating. Navya Nair has a brief role with limited relevance in the story. Suraj Venjarammood tries hard to make the viewers laugh, but he has nothing more to offer other than his usual buffoonery.
The script by A K Sajan lack substance and Shaji Kailas’ efforts to make the shortcomings up with some stylish visuals often goes in vain. Ekambaran’s camera is fine and Deepak Dev’s music is just Okay.
As the end credits start rolling the viewer wonders what the makers of this film trying to tell amidst all the ruckus and mayhem on screen for more than two and a half painful hours. If you are a fan of Mammootty, watch some of his brilliant movies from the past or even the recent Paleri Manikyam to have a feel of his genius. Sadly, this one is nowhere in that league!
Movie:Drona 2010
Director:Shaji Kailas
Music:Deepak Dev
Cast:Mammootty, Kaniha, Navya Nair