Voice of Sathyanathan movie review: A typical Dileep-Raffi film with absolutely nothing fresh

It appears that director Raffi, one half of the successful duo Rafi-Mecartin that created numerous comedy blockbusters in the 90s and 2000s, is currently experiencing a similar problem. His latest film Voice of Sathyanathan serves as evidence of this predicament.

The movie tells the story of Sathyanathan (Dileep), who moves to a new location with his girlfriend Susan (Veena Nandakumar) after eloping and tying the knot, and the various troubles he encounters because of his constant slips of the tongue. In the beginning, Sathyanathan’s minor verbal slip-ups only result in small problems, like a spat with his neighbour Varkey (Siddique). However, as the story unfolds, these errors lead to more significant complications. Eventually, Sathyanathan finds himself branded as a national security threat, prompting the police to enforce the Preventive Detention (PD) Act against him. While in prison, he encounters Balan (Joju George) who has been handed a death sentence for killing as many as 50 people. Despite attempting to maintain a safe distance from Balan out of fear, Sathyanathan ultimately becomes his cellmate. This unexpected turn of events profoundly affects his life, leaving a lasting impact and forever altering its course.

In all honesty, Voice of Sathyanathan suffers from a very average storyline that seems more fitting for the 90s or 2000s. Its reliance on Dileep, accused of being the mastermind behind the 2017 actress assault case, and his usual acting style, which has endeared him to his fans, is evident throughout. From the beginning itself, the movie heavily leans on Dileep, as the plot fails to present any engaging or noteworthy moments. While the scenes featuring Dileep and Siddique manage to elicit laughter, the credit goes to the actors’ comedic abilities rather than the strength of the written jokes.

The narrative lacks coherence and smooth progression, as it abruptly moves from one incident to another, seemingly trying to portray that Sathyanathan’s life is filled with issues. Despite the film’s claim that he eloped with Susan to build a life together, there isn’t even a single memorable moment in the movie that truly depicts the love between Sathyanathan and Susan, except for a song sequence.

Despite being filled with Dileep’s typical slapstick humour, reminiscent of his past films, Voice of Sathyanathan is likely to bring a sense of relief to the actor as his film choices in recent years have been consistently subpar and questionable. On the other hand, Voice of Sathyanathan also serves as a reminder that not only writers and filmmakers but also actors must keep themselves updated, as their younger counterparts have made significant advancements. In the film, there are instances where the actor’s accent changes abruptly, without any demand from the story, indicating a lack of attention from the makers and the thespian. While such practices may have been okay in the past, presenting such a performance in front of a more discerning audience is nothing short of irresponsible. Dileep should come to realise that his style of dialogue delivery and reliance on acting techniques that once worked in older films like Punjabi House, Mister Butler, Thenkasipattanam, and Kalyanaraman are no longer in vogue. To maintain his presence in the industry, he must adapt himself to the changing times.

Although Siddique’s comedy brings some joy, Veena Nandakumar’s performance in this movie is extremely disappointing, especially considering her notable roles in films like Kettyolaanu Ente Malakha, Love, and Bheeshma Parvam. Additionally, both Ramesh Pisharody and Johny Antony fail miserably in their attempts to force outdated jokes onto the viewers. However, Joju George manages to salvage the film to some extent, despite having limited screen time. His ability to handle emotional moments shines in Voice of Sathyanathan as well. On the other hand, it remains unclear why Makarand Deshpande, Jagapathi Babu and Jaffer Sadiq agreed to this film, as their characters are merely caricatures of similar roles they have played in the past. Bollywood actor Anupam Kher and director Jude Anthany Joseph have made cameo appearances in this movie, though their roles contribute little to the overall storyline.

While Voice Of Sathyanathan fares better than Raffi’s previous solo directorial ventures like Ring Master and Role Models, primarily due to the absence of disgustingly sexist ‘jokes’, the film’s lack of freshness can only be attributed to the writer-director’s unwillingness to venture into new terrains.

As the film does not provide any opportunities for its technical crew, including cinematographers, editor, and music director, to showcase their talents, it would be unjust to dissect those aspects and blame them. Therefore, it is only fair to abstain from doing so.

In short, Voice of Sathyanathan represents an improvement for both Raffi and Dileep, considering their recent disappointing endeavours. Hardcore Dileep fans seeking the actor’s vintage charm might enjoy this dramedy; however, once the initial excitement fades, the film’s makers should take a moment to reflect on their assumption that audiences would wholeheartedly embrace this movie.

Voice of Sathyanathan movie cast: Dileep, Veena Nandakumar, Joju George, Jagapathi Babu, Siddique
Voice of Sathyanathan movie director: Raffi
Voice of Sathyanathan movie rating: 1.5 stars