Run Baby Run: Slightly Premature Delivery !

This Baby Doesn't even walk !

Let me first state this, Joshiy's "Run Baby Run" with Mohan Lal and Amala Paul is a big hit already and my opinion isn't going to make any difference on the out come of the movie. Not even an ant bite. Yet I have to say, this one promises a lot in the beginning and delivers a slightly premature Baby in the end.

The plot is a give away from the beginning. It is "Grand Master" meets "Spirit" meets "Passenger" meets "Patram" plot where Mohan Lal alters between his characters in "Grand Master" and "Spirit" and the plot is "Passenger" and "Patram" combined together.

There is suspense, there are thrills, there is comedy, there is extremely competent acting by the entire cast and then there is one-upmanship between the villains played by Sai Kumar and Siddique and hero played by Mohan Lal. But there are gaping holes in the plot and that is where we come out with a lot of questions.

So what are my points ? Amala Paul on a comeback trail in Malayalam cinema plays Renuka, a brash, overbearing and almost arrogant senior reporter cum decision maker in a TV channel. She also tells the Hero she knows Kalari, which she never told him during their courtship earlier.

And then through most of second half she just stands and watches the hero bash up villains. Forget running, she doesn't even attempt to walk properly. Joshiy probably forgot his heroine was a firebrand and ends up glorifying the cameraman's role played by Mohan Lal. Amala Paul's character promises a lot and ends up being a side kick in the end. That proves one thing. Amala Paul may be a big star in Tamil but she isn't Manju Warrier.

The title too is misleading because forget the Baby, nobody ever runs in the movie. There are neither chases nor thrills but a lot of scheming and sting operations. To give credit where it is due, these scenes have been picturized pretty well and that is why the movie works in the final analysis.

There are some surprisingly glaring omissions in the movie. Most of the characters remain absolutely unchanged during the 5 years intermission; except Vijaya Raghavan who seems to suffer accelerated ageing. That was perhaps due to the stress of a petty case hoisted by an arrogant cameraman.

Biju Menon as Rishi comes across as confused because he doesn't know if he has to appear serious because of a failing channel or if he has to appear funny because he has a funny friend. But he pulls it off because he is such damn good actor.

Technically the movie is good and the song sung by Mohan Lal manages to please his fans. I doubt if we needed it in the movie. It would have been better if we were to have it shorter by about 10 minutes.

My Opinion: Overall, this Baby is definitely a bit premature but still manages to entertain and is a definite welcome for Malayalam cinema starved of a big hit. So be it !