Movie : Trivandrum Lodge
Director : V K Prakash
Music : M Jayachandran
Cast : Anoop Menon, Jayasurya, Dhwani
Call it sheer impudence. Director V K Prakash has made a disturbingly offensive film, which frequently crosses every limit of decency under the guise of bold experiments.
What else do you say about a film, which proudly discusses the romance of two kids, who should be 7 or 8 years of age, with profound seriousness? Or the sexual fantasies of a married woman and her just divorced friend, who seems to have nothing else to talk about in life other than sex! This is a film where almost every character is sexually frustrated and perversion is being discussed as something normal.
Yes, the film is visually superb and the songs are really good. The film has its moments and there are some fine performances as well. But even then, the film moves ahead without any definite aim or direction in the absence of a genuine storyline.
It’s arrogance on display as scenarist-actor Anoop Menon and director V K Prakash perhaps take the viewers’ approval for their earlier hit Beautiful as a ticket for going a bit too far.
The main story is happening at a modest and unkempt lodge called ‘Trivandrum Lodge’, owned by a rich businessman named Ravi Shankar (Anoop Menon). He is a widower, living in the memories of his wife, played by Bhavana. His young son, Arjun, is in love with his schoolmate, Amala.
Abdu (Jayasurya) is a sexually frustrated reclusive sort of guy, who rarely opens up. Dhwani (Honey Rose aka Dhwani) is a recent divorcee, who starts living in the lodge and is planning to have sex with some ‘shady’ kind of guy. Then there is an old man, who claims to have had sex with 999 women till date and hopes to get laid with a woman cop in her uniform, a struggling film reporter, who sleeps around with wannabe artistes, a prostitute, a piano teacher and an old woman running a small tea shop.
Let’s make it clear here, there is no problem in coming up with movies, which are bold or even provocative. Malayalam cinema has always been known for handling themes, which were unconventional or with themes way ahead of the times. But here, the characters just unleash their ‘secret fantasies’ and most characters seem to have nothing else to think about in their lives other than sex!
The movie’s crude tone can work if you are there with your own gang of friends. With suggestive lines and situations aplenty, this is the kind of film that you may enjoy in private but could be hesitant to admit that in public.
The performances from the cast are nice in general, though a few like singers P Jayachandran and Nikhil, which are nothing to rave about.
‘Trivandrum Lodge’ may not be the ideal film to watch with your family. The film is being marketed as if it is a ‘brave’ attempt. Seriously, do you call this one brave or bold?
Of course, all the above descriptions about this eminently regressive movie may prompt many to go and watch this one. The choice is all yours!