During the 1990s and 2000s, Rafi-Mecartin was a name synonymous with comedy hits in Mollywood. This dynamic duo produced several comedy gems with great repeat value, such as Punjabi House, Thenkasi Pattanam and Chathikatha Chanthu. However, the duo split in the early 2010s, and Raffi continued to stick on to slapstick genre in his solo films, too.
Compared to his solo outings like Ring Master (2014) and Role Models (2017), Raffi's latest flick, Voice of Sathyanathan, is a relief. However, it is clear that the filmmaker is still confined to the style of the 1990s and 2000s.
Similarly, actor Dileep came to be known as "janapriya nayakan" with his lead roles in rom-coms and slapstick comedies during the late 1990s and early 2000s. His loud and exaggerated style suited the comedies Mollywood produced at that time.
There is no doubt that he is an actor capable of controlled acting—as seen in his films like Kathavasheshan (2004) or Arike (2012). However, by the second half of the 2000s itself, Dileep had started to create an acting mould for himself when it comes to films tagged under the “comedy genre”. Voice of Sathyanathan reaffirms that Dileep has not completely broken free from that decades-old mould, and has no intention of reinventing his comedic style to suit the present age.
Voice of Sathyanathan follows a well-worn plotline commonly seen in cinema, where an "ordinary man" faces challenging circumstances, leading him to perform "extraordinary" feats and eventually gain recognition from the world. However, one distinctive aspect is that the protagonist encounters trouble due to his own articulation issues.
The story begins with a simple misunderstanding between neighbours caused by a power-cut, but it quickly spirals into a series of troubles for Sathyanathan. His actions even draw the attention of law enforcement agencies, leading to suspicions about his possible links to terror groups.
The film's first act employs more of a slapstick comedy style, but the comedic timing feels off, and the comedy lacks the sharpness and cleverness that make for genuinely amusing moments. In this portion, Sathyanathan is portrayed as a fraud small-scale businessman with a loud mouth. However, this reviewer believes that this character-building became an obstacle in the film’s third act, in making the audience believe that this man would eventually take significant risks to benefit society, even endangering his own life.
The second act of the film is arguably the best part. During this phase, Sathyanathan finds himself confined in jails in both Kerala and Mumbai because of one grave mistake he does in his village. During the confinement phases, he would become the pet of two distinctly opposite characters—played respectively by Joju George and Makrand Deshpande. In this section, Raffi shifts gears to make the film more dramatic, and Dileep delivers a more controlled performance. Although Raffi gives the least priority to logic, he manages to introduce some decent subplots in this part of the film. Interestingly, some of the conversational jokes in this part actually worked and created laughter in the theatre.
However, in the third act, the writing once again falters, and the moments that are supposed to make the audience root for Satyanathan end up feeling bland.
Some of the supporting cast, particularly Siddique and Abhiram Radhakrishnan, delivered praiseworthy performances, showcasing their range as actors. Joju portrayed a “typical Joju George”—a ‘man of pain’—character in this film, too. This writer fears that the incredibly talented actor, too, is getting typecast with his choice of films.
Veena Nandakumar, who played Sathyanathan's wife, Susan, gave a decent performance. The most cringe-worthy performance came from Ramesh Pisharody, who played a YouTuber who desperately attempts to copy the style and slang of Gen-Z social media stars.
Ankit Menon was in charge of the film's music, but unfortunately, the background score proved to be too loud, and lacking soul at several points throughout the movie. The cinematography department also failed to leave a lasting impression.
Overall, the film did not create a favourable impression. But if you are someone who can be content with ‘old wine in a new bottle’, you might find enjoyment in this film.
Film: Voice of Sathyanathan
Director: Raffi
Cast: Dileep, Joju George, Veena Nandakumar
Rating: 2/5