‘Arjun S/o Vaijayanthi’ is yet another version of a standard action-drama template that has been seen many times in Malayalam cinema. The story of a hero with extraordinary talent, forced into the wrong path of society and hated by his own family, is repeated in this film too without any novelty or twist. Treading the familiar paths of commercial films, the film fails to offer any new experiences to the audience.
The first half of the film follows the pattern of a regular commercial film exactly. The story progresses with the establishment and rise of the hero, a song and a couple of action scenes. To introduce the villain’s brutality, the film chooses a common subject of distributing drugs to the youth in the city. Although such storylines are a tired one in Malayalam cinema, some action scenes and the occasional sparkling background music make this part a little more attractive.
As we enter the second half, we should not expect any major changes or surprises in the story. The hero, with the attitude of a monk, becomes an unstoppable force. The scenes where he throws punches against the goons of an area called ‘Basti’ are something we are tired of seeing in many other Malayalam action films. This part of the story too, without any innovation, fits within the framework of traditional commercial films.
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The characters in the film are also not new. A backstabber dressed as a gentleman, a powerful villain who comes for revenge, and many other characters who appear in the film, only follow familiar storylines. The script does not try to give them depth or variety, which makes the characters forgettable at first glance.
However, the climax of the film comes with a twist. This twist, being unpredictable, elevates the story from the standard narrative for a few moments. However, this isolated moment alone is not enough to make the film a remarkable experience as a whole. The stale storyline and conventional storytelling, however, dull the appeal of this twist.
The relationship between the mother and the son is presented as a major emotional level in the film. However, since the episodes and conversations of this relationship are not deeply established, it does not have much impact on the audience. If this emotional level had been handled with more care, the film would have gained an asset.
Overall, ‘Arjun S/o Vyjayanthi’ is an acceptable action-drama, but it has very few new or noteworthy moments. Fans of commercial films may find it an average entertainment, but those looking for new ideas or deep storytelling are likely to be disappointed. Barring a few heartwarming moments of a climactic twist, the film remains within the traditional template.
Repetitive of the usual ingredients of action films, ‘Arjun Sa/o Vaijayanthi’ may seem like a missed opportunity for audiences looking for new avenues in Malayalam cinema. If it had strayed from the confines of commercial cinema and tried to tell more creative stories, the film could have been more impressive.