Little Hearts Review: Shane Nigam Handles Comedy-Drama Well In A 'Little' Movie (Image: instagram.com/Shane Nigam)
It seems like the directors Anto Jose Pereira and Aby Treesa Paul have put little heart into the latest Malayalam movie “Little Hearts.” The story has such depth that, if it had been treated properly with full heart by the directors and the writer, the movie starring Shane Nigam, Baburaj, and Mahima Mambiar would have been another addition to the already thriving new-age Malayalam filmmaking world. What the movie lost in the process is a steady screenplay that never loses its grip on decent storytelling. Instead, the writer is everywhere but lacks that necessary grip. Apart from the scenic beauty of the Western Ghats and some good casting, what would have made all the difference for the movie is its story.
Little Hearts‘ thread is made for a good watch: A father-son duo who loves everyone and everything around them, another family who is there for the father-son duo in every situation, three love stories that bloom throughout the film’s progress with one perfect gay love story among them, and the little joys of the characters here and there. But, how to present this thread with utmost care? There, the makers showed their little hearts.
Shane Nigam, in a leading role after his spectacular performance in RDX, does not disappoint. After all those offbeat performances in art house and new generation movies in the last couple of years, Shane steps into the shoes of a mass-comedic-boy-next-door role, promising that he is not just confined to one genre of serious filmmaking and can furthermore carry a movie on his own. Baburaj ups his game from where he started in Salt and Pepper, with a near-perfect presentation of a big man with a ‘baby’s heart’ and much funnier.
And then about the particular love story in the room which caused a ban for the movie in Arab countries. Yeah. There is a gay love story in the movie and Shine Tom Chacko, the otherwise eccentric and energetic actor, leaves his normal show off and lives upto a calm and down to earth son, who is waiting for family’s approval for a marriage with his partner.
What is most important about Little Hearts is that the way it handled a complex topic of a gay relationship and the reactions of family and society in the Indian social milieu in a comedy-drama movie. Rather than the ideal representation of a ‘still taboo’ concept, the movie concentrated on the emotional turmoil of the people who are involved in the matter. There is an interesting scene in the movie, in which the father tells his son about the absence of conversation between them. The writer has done a decent work in that front. The composure and careful portrayal of the actors involved, Shine, Ranji and Parvathi Mala, are good examples of acting.
Timeline verdict: Little Hearts is a little movie with some flaws. It is a one-time watch if you like generic comedy and drama.
Timeline rating: 2.5/5
Crew
Cast: Shane Nigam, Mahima Nambiar, Baburaj, Shine Tom Chacko, Jaffer Idukki, Aima Rosmy Sebastian, Ramya Suvi Renji Panicker, Maala Parvathy, Parvathy Babu, John Kaippallil
Directtion: Anto Jose Pereira and Aby Treesa Paul
Writer: Rajesh Pinnadan
