Bhavna Veer
'Panchagni' is yet another 'must watch' thriller among Malayalam movies. You can't really stop rethinking about the characters Indira (Geetha), Rasheed (Mohanlal) and Sharada (Chitra). The actors have done a real justice to their respective roles and despite the simplicity of the plot, the movie entertains you with the actors' remarkable job. Hariharan, the Director is at his best to bring out the best of the crew. The movie is crisp, clear, fast moving and at the same time, grips your attention effortlessly. The plot is set in late sixties and early seventies in Kerala, when an extremist revolutionary movement that involved highly motivated youngsters took place. The movie revolves around the events that take place in a two week period. Geetha leaves a lasting impression as vulnerable Indira, a Naxal activist out on parole. It is a challenging role indeed to play both an aroused Naxalite and a reformed one and Geetha makes it look so easy despite her soft looks and pretty face. Mohanlal looks too young and is very natural, spontaneous and adorable as Rasheed, a freelance journalist. The movie adds to his versatility. Others like Savithri (Nadia Moidu), Prabhakaran (Devan) and Raman (Thilakan) are brilliant and skillful. Equally effective is the music by Bombay Ravi. In the second half, Mohanlal and Geetha make you comfortably feel that the movie has a usual happy ending, but the climax really turns the movie around and it's so fast and gripping that it's quite surprising. There are no unwanted songs or scenes in the movie being edited masterfully. It is a short film unlike most of the other Indian movies. It somehow reminds me of the movie "New Delhi"(1987). Malayalam Industry is highly diversified producing a good number of impressive movies and it has earned itself a special reputation in the Indian Cinema.
