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Varshangalkku Shesham can be dubbed as Malayalam’s The Archies, sans the ultra-elite backdrop and source material like the comics that inspired Zoya Akhtar’s film. A reunion of sorts of Malayalam nepo babies, the movie is directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan, son of actor-filmmaker Sreenivasan, whose brother Dhyan Sreenivasan has played the lead role alongside Malayalam superstar Mohanlal’s son Pranav, and it also features director Priyadarshan and actor Lissy’s daughter Kalyani in a key role.
However, what makes Varshangalkku Shesham different from The Archies is its comparatively relatable setting and its ambivalent stance on nepotism. In other words, it can be said that the movie maintains a love-hate relationship with nepotism: while it has been made with the help of the practice, the film’s narrative mocks the same in a “clever” way, which ultimately works in favour of Varshangalkku Shesham, although only to an extent.
Unlike movies like Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback, The Dirty Picture, Heroine et al, Varshangalkku Shesham does not centre on the film industry’s pitfalls. Instead, it focuses on the lives of two aspirants whose professional and personal journeys are shaped by the decisions they make, whether positive or detrimental.
Revolving around two close friends — Venu (Dhyan Sreenivasan) and Murali (Pranav Mohanlal) — the film’s story spans multiple decades, chronicling their lives through different periods. It delves into their evolving bond and the challenges they face in both their personal relationship and professional pursuits as Venu strives to establish himself as a writer-director, while Murali aims to carve a niche as a music composer. Beginning in the 1960s when they meet for the first time, the film follows their journey as they become closer, then relocate to Kodambakkam in Madras to chase their dreams, encounter obstacles, gradually gain recognition, experience success, endure conflicts, drift apart, suffer career setbacks, hit rock bottom, reconcile and ultimately embark on a new chapter together.
Just like Vineeth Sreenivasan’s other films, except for Thira, Varshangalkku Shesham also starts off on a lighter tone, drawing inspiration from the styles of his father Sreenivasan and director Priyadarshan, and includes several scenes aimed at eliciting laughter. Vineeth, as usual, also incorporates elements to evoke nostalgic feelings in the audience, which, combined with Dhyan Sreenivasan’s comedic talent, immediately engages viewers.
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However, the film takes a downturn once Pranav Mohanlal enters the scene, and the attempt to force the two actors on each other backfires instantaneously as they lack chemistry, at least on screen. The moments intended to depict their growing bond and friendship fail to leave an impact, either because the actors lack a real-life rapport or they aren’t talented enough to portray a believable friendship. The overt efforts to portray Pranav as cute and capitalise on his perceived charm, along with the artificial dialogues, exacerbate the situation, making everything appear quite staged.
Another area where the film falls flat miserably is in its attempts to recycle or pay tribute to previously successful movies or their components. While Pranav and Dhyan’s dynamic strives to emulate the chemistry seen in the films of their fathers, Mohanlal and Sreenivasan, the movie also seeks to cash in on the successful pairing of Pranav and Kalyani, which was well-received in Vineeth’s previous directorial Hridayam. The film also incorporates dialogues and scenarios that directly reference old movies or real-life events. However, they all fail to resonate effectively and end up feeling lacklustre.
While Vineeth stands out as one of the rare Malayalam directors with an unblemished 100 per cent success rate, his films often draw criticism for their numerous cringe-inducing moments. Nonetheless, what resonates with audiences in Vineeth’s movies is their ability to forge emotional connections — a quality notably lacking in Varshangalkku Shesham. Despite adhering to conventional plot points commonly found in Indian films depicting artistes’ journeys into cinema, the writer-director fails to deliver compelling moments, resulting in a consistently underwhelming film. Furthermore, the characterisations also fall short, with only Murali and Venu receiving proper character arcs, while others, such as Murali’s love interest (Kalyani), Venu’s wife (Neeta Pillai), their lodge owner (YG Mahendran), a womanising film star (Shaan Rahman), their assistant director (Basil Joseph) and the producer (Aju Varghese in dual roles as both father and son in two eras), are relegated to just a few impactful moments. However, even Murali and Venu appear to lack sufficient depth, hindering viewers from empathising with them at any point.
Amidst all the flaws, the film finds a bright spot with the entry of Nivin Pauly, playing an exaggerated and caricatured version of himself named Nithin Molly, and his exceptional and energetic performance partially redeems Varshangalkku Shesham. As mentioned earlier, the film’s exploration of nepotism and its “clever” portrayal occur through Nithin Molly, depicted as an outsider just like the real Nivin — dealing with “[film] caucuses, belts, groupism, favouritism and nepotism alongside body shaming”, yet achieving success in the industry. Like Nivin, Nithin is depicted as a star experiencing a career downturn but striving for a comeback. Just as Nithin finds his chance through Venu’s film, Nivin himself receives a similar opportunity in real life in Varshangalkku Shesham, thanks to Vineeth who introduced him in Malarvaadi Arts Club (2010).
Varshangalkku Shesham also emphasises Nivin Pauly’s unmatched talent when utilised by filmmakers who understand his abilities and limitations. Despite limited screen time, Nivin steals the show with a confident performance, adeptly handling comedy while exuding a captivating charm that blends his acting prowess and star persona.
However, the disappointment in Varshangalkku Shesham lies in the fact that, despite the ensemble cast, it’s only Nivin, in an extended cameo, who delivers a standout performance, with Dhyan being the only other actor to make a notable impression.
Viswajith Odukkathil’s cinematography here lacks the impact seen in Hridayam and Mukundan Unni Associates, although Ranjan Abraham’s editing partially compensates for it. Amrit Ramnath’s music and background score leave a strong impression overall, though they occasionally miss the mark. Regarding the director and composer’s choices, the decision of Vineeth to sing the main song in all his movies solely because he’s a singer and the movie’s director isn’t necessary. This is exemplified in Varshangalkku Shesham’s song “Madhu Pakaroo” where Vineeth and Pranav’s voices lack similarity, resulting in a lacklustre track. Nimesh M Thanoor and Ronex Xavier once again excel in production design and makeup, respectively, while Divya George’s costume work also deserves praise.
Varshangalkku Shesham movie cast: Dhyan Sreenivasan, Pranav Mohanlal, Nivin Pauly, Aju Varghese, Basil Joseph, Kalyani Priyadarshan
Varshangalkku Shesham movie director: Vineeth Sreenivasan
Varshangalkku Shesham movie rating: 2 stars
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