Manorathangal review: Bless the soul that thought, “You know what would be cool? If Kamal Haasan introduced every segment in our series in Malayalam. That would be damn cool.” And bless those who supported and implemented this idea — as many viewers are likely to curse them while watching the anthology streaming series Manorathangal, comprising nine segments, each based on short stories by the veteran author-filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair, serving as a homage to the nonagenarian Jnanpith awardee.
As much as one might find it endearing that Kamal Haasan — whose role in KS Sethumadhavan’s Kanyakumari (1974), scripted by MT, marked a significant milestone in his career — introduces each segment, the result isn’t quite what one might expect. Often, these intros create unnecessary breaks between the segments, repeatedly reminding the audience that these are just motion pictures and not immersive worlds, thus creating a disconnect between the viewers and Manorathangal, ultimately diminishing the overall experience. Especially since none of the stories in Manorathangal require any introduction, as they are as clear as any of MT’s works, the use of Kamal Haasan should have been limited to just the opening and closing segments.
When it comes to anthologies, where each segment is directed by a different filmmaker with no shared style, the viewing experience can be uneven, as some segments may not be as strong, technically or narratively, as others. This issue is exacerbated when the stories don’t share any common themes. Manorathangal is no exception, with some works standing out, some being decent and others falling short.
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Among the nine segments, Shyamaprasad’s Kazhcha (Vision), Mahesh Narayanan’s Sherlock and Ranjith’s Kadugannava: Oru Yathra Kurippu (Kadugannava: A Travel Note) stand out for their treatment, narrative flow, technical excellence and emotional impact.
Kazhcha centres on Sudha (Parvathy Thiruvothu), a woman who has decided to leave her loveless marriage, and hence is almost ostracised by her loved ones and pressured to stay in the relationship out of sacrifice, though she never budges. The story is powerful and Parvathy’s portrayal of Sudha, a character with shades of the late legendary author Madhavikutty (Kamala Suraiyya), is exceptional. She manages to transcend her tendency to leave traces of her real self in her characters, fully embodying the role and delivering a standout performance. Harish Uthaman and Narein also deliver strong portrayals and Ouseppachan’s music adds to the segment’s appeal, which also lies in its end where the narrative underscores the beauty of romance. Shyamaprasad’s direction leaves a lasting impression through his visuals and narrative style.
Themes of loneliness, longing and identity crisis recur in several of the segments, but Sherlock explores them most effectively. Set entirely in Alberta, Canada, the segment stars a brilliant Fahadh Faasil as a man who is forced to move abroad in search of a livelihood, only to lose his identity. A cat, which he believes understands everything he and his sister (Nadiya Moidu) say, becomes both his enemy/companion as he grapples with solitude and a lack of direction. With outstanding cinematography, production design and music, Sherlock is a visual and emotional feast.
Kadugannava, set in the 90s, much like many other works in Manorathangal, in Sri Lanka, tells the story of journalist Venugopal (Mammootty), who takes a detour during his time in the neighbouring country to search for his stepsister, whom he met only once as a child. With sharply crafted moments that convey all the necessary emotions properly, Kadugannava is an exceptional work, the first from Ranjith in a long, long time. Whenever Mammootty sheds his star persona and acts as a commoner, magic happens, and the case is the same here, as he embodies the role of a middle-aged man whose heart has travelled back to his childhood, hoping to reunite with his sister, but ultimately, never does.
Manorathangal comprises nine featurettes/segments, each based on short stories by the veteran author-filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair. (Image: Yoodlee Films/Instagram)
The anthology streaming series Manorathangal features a star-studded cast. (Image: Yoodlee Films/Instagram)
Shilalikhitham (Inscriptions), directed by Priyadarshan, tackles a significant and complex theme with broad potential. “They say the countryside overflows with goodness, but MT shows us that this is not quite true,” Kamal Haasan says in its introduction. In the segment, we see a group of ‘responsible’ village elders discussing an incident where a young woman attempted suicide but survived. Instead of offering help, they are more interested in spreading the news and speculating on the reasons behind her decision. Although Gopalankutty (Biju Menon), an urban dweller, is irritated by these conversations, he too shows no compassion for the woman and walks away upon seeing her lying on the ground, despite her being his relative. While Priyadarshan manages to pull off a decent job, much of the credit goes to the strong performances.
Jayaraj’s Swargam Thurakkunna Samayam (When the Doors of Heaven Open) is a compelling story that highlights the selfishness and lack of empathy people can display, even toward their closest people. When Madhavan Master (Nedumudi Venu) becomes gravely ill, his relatives and helper, Kuttynarayanan Nair (Indrans), gather at the ancestral home, hoping for his imminent death. Each of them wishes for a quick end so they can return to their personal lives. Kuttynarayanan is the local go-to person known for “helping many pass away peacefully” and prides himself on predicting the timing of deaths, often seeing himself as more knowledgeable than doctors. As these characters converge, almost like vultures waiting for a man’s passing, the segment delves into the grey shades within each person. Though Jayaraj’s visual choreography is impressive in many areas, he falls short of fully capturing the depth of this nuanced and impactful story. Nevertheless, Indrans’ performance helps prevent the segment from feeling half-cooked.
In Olavum Theeravum (Ripples and the River Bank), his second directorial in Manorathangal, Priyadarshan attempts to take it up a notch and uses a monochromatic style to tell a story of unfulfilled love between Vappootty (Mohanlal) and Nabeesu (Durga Krishna). While certain parts of the segment are effective, particularly the conversations between Mohanlal and Mamukkoya, the director struggles to evoke a genuine sense of longing for the couple, largely due to an overemphasis on the actors and technical elements. Priyadarshan even employs selective colourisation at some points to highlight the red in Nabeesu’s bangles, but this falls flat due to its pointlessness. A significant issue with the romance between the lead characters is the atrocious age difference between the actors, with Mohanlal being at least 37 years older than Durga. Even in their attempts at romantic connection, the actors’ efforts don’t work and Durga’s performance reveals that she is clearly miscast for the role.
Rathish Ambat’s Kadalkkaattu (Sea Breeze), which tells the story of a married couple (Indrajith Sukumaran and Aparna Balamurali) where the husband leads a double life and has an affair with another woman (Ann Augustine), is one of the films that misses the mark. Although the short story tries to explore the complexities of relationships and the importance of honesty in any bond, Rathish fails to fully tap into the narrative’s potential and the performances too fall short. The cinematography, however, shines.
Another disappointment in Manorathangal is Aswathy Nair’s Vilpana (The Sale), which completely misses the opportunity to delve into the narrative’s many deep layers. Like Kadalkkaattu, Vilpana also examines how women are often reduced to mere pawns in the lives of men, existing only to fulfil their needs. Madhoo plays the wife of a wealthy man, while Asif Ali plays a journalist who comes to her home to purchase old furniture. They quickly form a connection and the woman opens up to him about her struggles with alcohol and her deep sorrows, as if it’s the first time someone has truly listened to her in a long time. While Madhoo is gorgeous here, her lip-syncing and amateurish dubbing significantly detract from the experience. As Aswathy focuses too much on the literal words, she misses to read between the lines of her father’s short story, causing the segment to fall flat.
The biggest and only true disappointment in Manorathangal is Santosh Sivan’s Abhyam Theedi Veendum (Once Again, In Search of Refuge). Here, the cinematographer-turned-director seems more concerned with showcasing his visual flair than exploring the depth of the story, ultimately squandering the potential of a strong narrative.
Manorathangal cast: Mammootty, Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Asif Ali, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Aparna Balamurali
Manorathangal directors: Priyadarshan, Santhosh Sivan, Ranjith, Jayaraj, Shyamaprasad, Mahesh Narayanan, Ratheesh Ambat, Aswathy V Nair
Manorathangal rating: 3 stars
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