Rani Padmini (2015) Online

Dear Ashiq Abu,

are you trying to win the award for honorary feminist?

Rani Padmini is like a charming, goofy, Malayali version of Thelma and Louise. The Rani-Padmini duo could well be the new Dasan-Vijayan (from Nadodikattu) of Mayalayalam cinema.

Neither Manju Warrier nor Reema Kalingal are particularly good in their roles. Reema is quite inept at comedy, her over the top role was ill conceived. Manju Warrier is overtly goofy and there are too many scenes to remind us that she is a homely and innocent Malayali girl. But the film is filled with clever jokes and directorial flourishes to keep you entertained.

However, your film does have an interesting structure with lots of flashbacks and side stories. Though some of the stories that Manju and Reema tell each other during their trip together were rather trite.

When the movie got over, I was thinking you could have done a lot more with the material. Too much space was given to Manju Warrier's husband (played by the mediocre stone faced Jinu Joseph). The racing scenes were well done but they served as a distraction from the more interesting main plot.

And Aashiq, like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, your film does have the tourism advertisement aspect to it. You tried to compensate for the lack of an interesting script by setting the film in an extremely beautiful place. Frankly, the overtly feel good paragliding scenes were quite cringe worthy.

Best Regards, Pimpin.

(5/10)

With his recent film 'Gangster' featuring Mammootty being heavily criticized by both audience and critics for its lack of good script and inability to engage the viewers, Aashiq Abu really needed to make it to the top. After a long gap, he has finally presented us 'Rani Padmini' with his wife Rima Kallingal as Rani and Manju Warrier as Padmini.

Padmini is a typical good and well-mannered malayali women who goes to Delhi with her husband (Jinu Joseph) after their marriage. One day her husband leaves her and after not hearing from him for days, she comes to know that he has signed a mutual divorce petition application. It hurts her really bad. She decides to go to Himachal Pradesh all by herself to meet her husband who is participating in Himalayan Car Rally. During her journey she meets Rani, who is more bold, daring and extrovert in nature compared to Padmini. Both soon becomes friends and Rani assists Padmini to guide her to Himalayas. The adventures they face and the blissful, paradisiac beauty of the cold mountains, moon-lit night sky which mesmerizes them on their path to Padmini's husband, which also makes them closer to each other, are the highlights of the movie.

The pre-interval portion of the movie is just 50 minutes. Post- interval session is about 1 hour and 40 minutes. The reason for this might be the makers didn't want to interrupt the flow of the movie once Rani and Padmini embark on their journey which begins after the interval. The title sequence featuring the childhood of Rani and Padmini which also highlights their differences was well made with the song 'Varu Pokaam Parakkaam'. Similarly there were two short films inside the film which were portrayed as stories told by Rani and Padmini to each other.

Performances of Manju Warrier, Rima Kallingal and Jinu Jacob were outstanding. The supporting cast including Sreenath Bhasi, Sajitha Madathil and Soubin Shahir also made their performances noteworthy. The chemistry between Manju and Rima worked out well which led to many funny and good moments in the movie. The fun factor is one important element which helped engage the audience in the long second half of the movie. Sound design and sound mixing was brilliant. Cinematography by Madhu Neelakandan brought the Himalayas to life on screen. It was classy and beyond perfect in capturing the richness of the scenes into every frame. Background score and songs by Bijibal were good and was the key factor mostly in connecting the viewers to the movie. These 3 aspects raises the movie to Hollywood perfection.

Overall, 'Rani Padmini' is a movie that raises the idea that women aren't just meant to be stuck doing household chores, held back by family responsibilities or locked up inside social barricades and should spread her wings and fly out of their comfort zone to explore all the beauty, thrills and happiness that nature has in store.

Not a typical malayalam flick and definitely not everyone's cup of 'tea or coffee or whatever'. An adventure drama movie with an exceptionally good direction from Aashiq Abu. This is definitely a comeback for him and the way he executed this movie in his unique style makes me wait for his next flick. 'Rani Padmini' is a must watch - for those who love 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' or that kind of adventure drama flicks - to be experienced from theaters.

"Road has the answer for everything",Indeed !! A director's film in all means,Aashiq Abu's 'Rani Padmini' is a delightful feel-good flick that celebrates womanhood without letting down men.Catering to all the sections of the audience alike,the well-conceived tale about reinventing oneself can boast of neat performances,technical integrality and directorial brilliance stuck together.Blessed with power-packed performances from both Rima Kalingal and Manju Warrier,this sweet tale is undeniably the most impressively narrated film to come out this year from mollywood that's sure to find a place in your heart for its genuinity and warmheartedness in presenting the adventurous ride that the lead ladies embark upon The inventiveness in narration by Aashiq lifted the simple,but well-written screenplay by Shyam Pushkaran and Ravi Sankar a class apart of run of the mill entertainers that we get to see in abundance these days.I'm surprised by the mild response from a good share of the common audience for this beautifully narrated movie which could have won numerous accolades if made in Bollywood or some other languages.

The magnificent visuals of the extreme north by Madhu Neelakandan were insanely beautiful and will instantly make one fall in love with landscape and prompt for an adventure ride through the path unexplored,the same way as Sameer Thahir's Neelakasam Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi.The visuals,apart from assuring the movie is a visual treat for the viewers,play an important role in the effectiveness of narration that's basically aimed at spreading the essence of life and the true meaning of where we belong to.

The brilliance of Aashiq in experimenting with the narration was evident in multiple occasions may it be the marriage video sequence or the two spoof stories that Rani and Padmini recount,for instance.All the characters manages to make an impact and credit must be given to Aashiq and the writer duo for taking due care in developing different characters with perfection.

The fearsome but funny gang of villains headed by Harish Jain along with the funny reporters played by Dileesh Pothen and Soubin Shahir ensures that there is abundance of comic relief through out the narration,particularly the second half.

Coming to the performances,I am unable to point out who among the lead ladies performed better as both Rima Kallingal and Manju Warru were at their best portraying the role of Rani and Padmini respectively.The sugary chemistry that both shared was remarkable and strengthened by the detailed characterization in the screenplay.Soubin Shahir and Dileesh Pathen were hilarious.Harish Jain and the gang played their part really well.Among others Sreenath Bhasi,Srinda Ashab,Binu Pappu etc were notable.

Bijibal ensures that the music go in consonance with the narration with all the songs being soulful and qualified for looping.'Varoo Pokam',blessed with meaningful lyrics by Rafeeq Ahammed in particular was extremely soothing and among my personal favorites this year.

Overall,Rani Padmini is a brilliantly narrated feel good movie that deserves a watch from the big screens.

The thing with life is that it has got its own flow. You may say that I am not part of it but you will find yourself carried by it.Thrown into ditches, hurled into whirlpools, wet and tired, you will end up in a shore that we all will end up one day. There might be green there or there might be a desert. There might be an empire there or there might be a hut. Who knows what is in store? Either you can curse all the way,

or else you can enjoy the ride. The movie Rani Padmini is a gem which shows us that life has a meaning but it's up to us to find it.What makes us, Us?! What we have to do to be a being. What we have to gain and what me way loss in the process. In a defining sequence, Rani asks a trekker "Why the heck are you trekking?" and he simply says, "who needs a reason to trek?" Who needs a reason to laugh, who needs a reason to cherish each breath that we take in? Who needs a reason to close the eyes and enjoy the wind that caresses our face? Who needs a reason to live?" Every story is just a new wave in the ever flowing current of life and this movie was a very soothing wave. I have an affinity for Ashiq Abu and with each movie, he seems to be getting better. The title song of this movie reminded me of the title song of "Idukki Gold" and that is sure of way saying that the music was soulful.

Another movie with a similar storyline is "The other woman."

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855236/

If you liked Rani Padmini, you should watch this one too.

Rani Padmini is for those who would like to step out of their comfort zones and explore a bit.Start exploring people or else you may loose the only person that you would have with you until the end, you! PS-If you liked the review check out my website too www.amitrajyoti.com

Saw it yesterday on DVD, movie is so so - maybe a one time watch if you are sucker for chick flicks, Good Things - Rima and Manju are excellent in their characters. That villain guy "Raja" is also good. Bad - Too many useless characters and parallel story lines which don't contribute to central theme. The story kind of seems like rambling on at times... At times the movie looked like an advertisement of Himachal Pradesh Tourism. Songs are o.k, the first song is good. Rima Kallingal's portrayal of Rani is very good and realistic. It is quite easy to go over the board while portraying such a character, But Rima balances it very well. Manju Warrier's character is more like familiar territory - she's portraying the married/single mother damsel in distress ever since her comeback - so nothing new there. Also this is more of a bilingual film than an out an out Malayalam film. So if you are not comfortable with speaking Hindi then you might struggle with the story. The DVD has subtitles but still just a warning.

Intricately woven plots culminating into a very fine movie. There was never a dull moment with off beat one liners making the audience laugh and go along with the movie. A few instances of lag was felt, but the director ensured that lag broke into an enjoyable twist. Giving more emphasis on the female characters, the director Ashiqu Abu did great justice to the characters. Manju & Rima were vying with each other to bring the best out of them. It was a pleasure to see the vintage Manju Warrier at her best and the versatility of Rima Kallingal. Mention should be made for capturing the scenic north - Manali, Leh & Ladak in it's natural environment. Even though the rally was the focal point of the movie, a little more emphasis and detail could have been given to the rally. Overall an enjoyable movie with family. I would give a 7 out of 10.