'Money Back Policy' is a film that masquerades itself as one that has a very valid message to convey. But in truth, it has nothing much to proclaim except the tale of a sexually frustrated middle aged man who develops a bizarre fascination for a young girl.
Ashokan (Sreenivasan) is a man who has never been rich in life, until sister passes him a fortune upon her death. Having discovered the luxuries that money can offer overnight, he falls for an insurance agent Roopa (Aishwarya Nambiar) and tries his best to woo her, even as his wife (Sarayu) and kids wait for him back home.
One fails to understand what it is that draws and actor - director - script writer of repute like Sreenivasan towards a role as this. There is precisely nothing that it offers the actor in him, and when he dons the role of Ashokan, we are disappointed and terribly at that.
The film follows a narrative style that you had probably seen (and forgotten) in films in the eighties, where the protagonist would board a bus, and his fellow travelers would compel him to tell them his tale. Off he goes on a storytelling spree that goes on till the climax, where he gets down from the bus to formally pull down the curtains on the tale.
The viewers cannot be really blamed for thinking of those various characters that Sreenivasan had essayed on screen over the years, while watching the actor in action in 'Money Back Policy'. It even seems that this is precisely the intention of the film makers as well, since there is no other explanation for their doling out a very popular song as the background score when he goes to meet a young girl at a park. Sadly, they do not seem to realize that time and years have just flown by.
On another tangent, there is the wife and the two girl kids who remind us of the Sreenivasan of 'Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala'. If only films could interest you by reminding you of other films that had left an impression long back, would 'Money Back Policy' hold some promise. But sadly, that isn't the case.
Ashokan is thus a pale shadow of the many roles that were played by Sreenivasan and the self depreciating humor that had played a huge role in carving out Sreenivasan the actor, looks like it has lost its very last bit of shine and glow. Even as the posters proclaim that the film has the actor in an entirely comic role, one wonders if there are takers for this kind of humor any more.
In perhaps one of the most ridiculous scenes in the film, there is a spoof of the hit number from 'Thattathin Marayathu' that makes you cringe in embarrassment. When things go crazy, they sometimes go to extreme levels, and here is a classic example.
This is perhaps the most difficult part, but the acting bit surprises you totally. We have seen Sreenivasan in much controlled performances, but as Ashokan he goes totally over the top, aided by none other than Nedumudi Venu. Surprisingly the women - Sarayu and Aishwarya - are more focused, and bring in some genuineness to their performances.
'Money Back Policy' offers you multiple disappointments, and Sreenivasan being a part of this shoddy enterprise is just one of them. To cut a long story short, this ain't worth your money or your time. Period.
(1.5 / 5) : Poor
0 comments:
Post a Comment