Malaikottai Vaaliban: Mohanlal Outshines In This Underwhelming Lijo Jose Pellissery Movie

Malaikottai Vaaliban has been creating hypes for a while. Mohanlal who delivered powerful performance in Jeethu Joseph’s Neru, is a warrior with superhero powers in this Lijo Jose Pellisery movie. Makers coined the phrase “Vaaliban Varaar“ and social media carried it along in all excitement. Has the film met the hype it has set? Does the debut collaboration between the complete actor and famed director created magic? Let’s look into the reviews.

Mohanlal is the backbone of the film, Hindustan Times wrote in their review. He delivered excellent performance, especially in fight scenes. His physical prowess and fitness levels are phenomenal. In all unconventional terrain, this period fantasy film traverses, makes it a Lijo Jose Pellissery film. The stunning visuals by cinematographer Madhu Neelakandan breathes life into the scenes and Music director Prashant Pillai’s music and songs adds big value to the film, the review observes. However, the movie has issues; there are elements that work in Malaikottai Vaaliban and elements that clearly don’t, HT writes. “The first half is far more cohesive than the second half, which can leave the audience baffled. The movie ends on a very uneven keel due the jagged fantasy script that has issues right from the start. While one appreciates the director for venturing into something new, one wishes this story had been better etched out and have a more engaging factor,” the review said.

Malaikottai Vaaliban is a timeless visual spectacle, writes Timeline. The director’s ability in handling sensitive subjects with depth, authenticity, and aesthetic innovation is evident in the movie. In Lijo’s unconventional and daring filmmaking, Mohanlal displays remarkable range, it adds. “This showcases once again that his [Mohanlal] standout strengths lie in his command over expressions and body language, allowing him to convey complex emotions with subtlety. Although most of the story revolves around his heroics in various places, by the end, the actor Mohanlal fully exhibits his range when he grapples with the inner struggles of a world winner,” the review observes.

“Malaikottai Vaaliban promises a mountain, and delivers a mound,” The News Minute wrote about the movie. The reviewer appreciates the visually enticing aspects about the movie- Madhu Neelakandan’s gorgeous frames, and adds that the background score elevates the magical atmosphere which the director is building. However, “this intriguing beginning never quite leads to anything and the screenplay eventually becomes a series of random episodes held together only by the arresting cinematography and occasional flashes of Lijo’s brilliance,” it writes. The review opines the Mohanlal’s performance has been weighed down by the theatrical dialogues and superficial writing, even if it might be deliberate for a period film, “it doesn’t work”.

There are some twists in Malaikottai Vaaliban which worth the experience, and eager for a second part, On manorama reviews. Like others pointed out, the reviewer mentions that the narrative is slow, and stresses that since it is a Lijo Jose Pellissery movie not exact rules and plotlines to be expected. The director does not advance the actor’s superstardom status in the movie, and “Mohanlal just goes with the flow,” On Manorama writes. The film is artistic, “the people, the moments and the frames,” but the plotline falls weak, it adds. The director’s attempt to the tell stories at times through visuals alone has affected the storytelling.