DVD Review: Love, Actually

But barely a month after the film opened — and was still playing — to packed houses in Kerala, a pirated copy leaked online, sending shock waves through the Malayalam film industry and stirring up anti-piracy sentiments like never before. There were also murmurs that the movie portrayed a “negative” view of college life and sent a misguided message about young love. But none of that took anything away from its unprecedented success.

And then there are the women, without whom Premam would never have worked. Sai Pallavi gets to play the most interesting character. As Malar, a charming, witty, Tamil-speaking college lecturer who finds a special place in George’s heart, she is exceptional. Who would have thought it was her debut film — or at least her first full-fledged movie role? The support cast also does a fine job. In a film that is all about love, they provide plenty of humour and drama.

Putharen, who also scripted Premam and makes an impressive cameo appearance, manages to pack a lot into its hefty running time of two hours and 44 minutes. FYI, that’s only around 20 minutes more than the average Malayalam movie. Surprisingly, there are no special features on the DVD. A featurette on the making of this slickly-shot film would have been interesting.

The music and background score never seem out of place, always jelling with the characters’ on-screen journey. The soulful Malare, sung by Vijay Yesudas, was an instant hit.

Premam is a simple yet nuanced film that blends everyday realism with subtle wit, true love with tragic setbacks, adolescent angst with adult nostalgia. The hero is, in fact, Everyman, annoyed with a co-worker one moment, laughing with a long-time friend the next. By the time the end credits start rolling, George’s old friends are our old friends, his one-time rivals our new friends and his star-crossed loves, the great loves of our lives.

rajkrishnan.menon@expressindia.com