Mili

I saw Mili, the Malayalam movie, a few days ago. A good piece of art remains good irrespective of all the comments and reviews. So, I would rather re-look at Mili than re-view her.

Mili (Amala Paul) is a timid, shy, diffident girl who doesn't want to leave her comfort zone, and doesn't know to say NO. The story narrates how she gains her confidence and learns to be assertive. A simple story, directed and filmed brilliantly.

Kudos to Rajesh Pillai for a wonderful movie with such a delicate and not-larger-than-life subject. Now that I think about Mili, I see Mili in each one of us. We all have her inside us, in some form, in some stages of our life. Watching this movie reminds us of how we overcame our comfort zone and also encourages to face the challenges that we are still scared of. It also teaches us that our real comparison should be made not with others but our older self. On the terms of how much we improved and achieved.

Being a heroin-centric movie, Amala Paul amazes us with her acting and expressions and transforming character and what-not! Nivin Pauly, as always, impressive. On a lighter side, if Amala Paul, in her depressed phase, can look like this, then just imagine how good-looking can we be in our joyous moments??? Smile and confidence do matter. And Mili just proved it.

If you understand Malayalam, please do watch it. You won't be disappointed.

Here's wanting to see more of sensible movies.

In Malayalam they say, "Kunnille addi kittathente kurava!" which literally in English translates as "This is all due to the lack of admonishment from parents during (her) childhood!" That is the only conclusion one can derive from this haphazard story of a girl, that will induce nothing but distress in its audience.

Mili (Paul) is a niggardly introvert who troubles the people around her when she lapses into an undefined state of kinda self-inflicted misery. Starting from her childhood, of which there is only a fraction in the screenplay, she has had problems. Mainly governed by a feeling of inferiority complex, she punishes her fellow friends, colleagues, and kin when she is feeling low; for example, being a source of irritation to her hostel roommates by sleeping at night with the light ON, taking up hours in the restroom, etc. A strict attention- seeker that she is, her intentions are questionable and she lives in a way like the world owes her something. Why should one sympathize for such a lousy human being? And one wouldn't mind letting this person end up dead, six feet under.

But, the story feels otherwise. It sympathizes with Mili and puts up a show of gimmickry. There is not a particle of sense in what follows, for Mili is an artificially flawed character. I am all yes for women-centric films, but this is a cacophony, generating gist-less motivation for the heck of it. Mili's story basically happens around the ON-OFF relationship of a womanizer. If he is dating someone, she will unleash fury and try to take her life; if he is single, she is all jovial.

Rajesh Pillai had impressed me once with his 2011 thriller film Traffic. But, now he has run to the other side of the extremity scale. Coughing up a blatant story about a pretentious girl is not the type of story one expects in a true motivational film. This is, at best, a film made to cash in on Amala Paul's unwarranted fame.

Additionally, the film has one of the worst attempts at non-linear narration. It might be that the editor botched it up, but the film as a single output, clearly shows the makers' lack of diligence. The music and songs are good intrinsically, but together with the narration, it goes haywire. The story has no real humor, and Paul's unmade facial close- ups further agitated me. Cast performance is good. But, where was Nivin Pauly, by the way? (I guess I might have missed him.)

I was looking for a reason why the makers decided to make a movie that neither inspires nor entertains. And then the final scene, inspired by How Old Are You? (2014) and Nagaravaridhi Naduvil Njan (2014), appeared: Mili making an emotional speech about her life. It's funny how morons think their stories are preach-worthy.

BOTTOM LINE: Avoidable! This is existential drama aimed to crowd-please and mint some moolah, and does not qualify as an entertainer. 3/10.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

The last time, Rajesh Pillai enchanted me with his captivating thriller Traffic; so I was eagerly awaiting for his next film...He was the only reason I watched this movie, and I do not regret that decision; this time he has come back with an entirely different movie..The story of the development of a shy girl into a grown woman. A subject I believe that no other Malayalam movie has touched upon so far. And he has taken that subject into his hand, a good script that is all; even though he has taken that script also into his heart and gave it his vision; his unique vision that is evident throughout this movie. If ever there is a director's movie, Mili is that. Every frame exudes the creativity of a genius. He turned what could have been an overly melodramatic film (I hate melodrama) in many a directors' hands into one of the best Malayalam movies of 2015.

The only comparable aspect to Rajesh Pillai in this movie is Amala Paul's performance as the title character Mili. She has done more than justice to her role. After seeing her performance in Indian Pranayakatha, this role again speaks volumes of her acting. She is a very good actress. The director really got the subtle emotions he wanted from his lead role. Brilliant Amala Paul...keep it up.

Another thing to say is about the really good music and the beautiful lyrics...I should say the music formed the spine of the movie.

The performance of the supporting cast was superb as well. I can identify no fault with this movie.. This is a confidence-inspiring feel-good movie. Go and watch it.

About an underachiever girl with inferiority complex and how she finds the strength within herself.. movie could have been better inspite of its ordinary plot.. however, it ends with protagonist's simple yet cogent speech