Ramji Rao Speaking (1989)

I first saw this movie around 15 years ago when I was a little kid. Even though I have seen the movie around a hundred times, I still don't get bored. The reason are the memorable characters and the clever comedic lines that are unforgettable. This movie may not be generally mentioned as one of the greats when discussing Malayalam cinema but among common Malayalees this movie would stay in their hearts for years to come.

The plot is quite unique. Balakrishnan(Saikumar) and Gopalakrishnan(Mukesh) are two unemployed youth who somehow get a place to stay in the city due to Mannar Mathai's(Innocent) kindness. They fight with each other all the time and life continues till one day they get a phone call(a wrong number) from a gang who have kidnapped a girl. They then hatch a plan to deceive the thieves and get the money for themselves. How they achieve this forms the rest of the story. The screenplay is just perfect. Each scene is perfectly constructed so as to lead to the next scene and it doesn't feel like a few scenes are added unnecessarily just for comedy. In the first half, the scene when Balakrishnan comes to ask Mannar mathai for a room is just absolutely hilarious! It is one of the scenes which can stay in your mind for a lifetime. Innocent's subtle comedy is one of the best aspects of this film. His sarcasm and his manner of speaking are the highlights of this movie. The second half of the movie is pretty exciting. There is so much confusion in the second half that you would marvel at how the writers somehow tie up all the loose ends. The character of Hamsakoya is also really funny and in the second half also, he becomes useful in a totally different way. The emotional scenes are also not misplaced and jell perfectly with the movie. One of my favourite scenes is when Balakrishnan asks Gopalakrishnan whether he told the truth regarding his mother or not. The expression on his face shows the desperation of a guy who wants to make his mother happy.

The acting is first rate. The acting makes it seem like they are real people and they completely immerse themselves into character. Mukesh as the slimy Gopalakrishnan has given a great performance. The scene where he explains the truth to mannar mathai is heartfelt and feels real. These are the kind of scenes which make it a classic. Another scene is the scene where he phones his mother who lives in an old age home. This scene is classic and the expression on his face when he is asked for a blanket is absolutely hilarious! Saikumar as Gopalakrishnan has given a great performance and I feel he is one of the most underrated actors alive today. It is a pity he wasn't able to use this opportunity to get other good movies. Again, the scene where he confronts Gopalakrishnan should be mentioned as the comic timing is impeccable. His line "ivan full time kanjiya" is one of the most popular lines in the history of cinema today. Mamukoya as Hamsakoya, a man who Balakrishnan is indebted to, is also a popular character for all Malayalees. His line "eda balakrishna" in that traditional Malappuram accent is one of the most referenced lines in Malayalam cinema. Innocent as Mannar Mathai is the actual centerpiece of the film and he is my favourite comedian. The scene where he loses his mundu is hilarious and this is also one of the scenes which I play over and over again. The other performances in this film cannot be ignored. Devan as Urmees thampan is also another highlight as he was known to do mostly villain roles in those days. Here he gives a heart rending performance as a man who is desperately in search of his daughter. The music is a huge reason for the success of the movie. There are not many songs and the few that are there are good. But the background music is what impressed me so much.

Ultimately what contributes to the everlasting success of the movie is the realism of the characters and the mature comedy(without much vulgarity) that exists in the movie. It is one of my most favourite Malayalam movies.

10/10