This kind of no-holds barred theatrics is not something new to Malayalam cinema, especially when it comes to gangster and crime boss archetypes. ‘Shanmugham’ from Black (2004) features Mammootty delivering a forerunner in this archetype of the highly entertaining gangster with an unending array of punch lines, but all delivered with a straight face. We have also seen entirely funny riffs on this with Jagathy’s character ‘Padakkam Basheer’ from Chotta Mumbai (2007) whose introduction scene is a stuff of legend in Malayalam cinema’s pop culture reserves. We also have the slightly muted, subtler iterations of the crime boss figures in movies like Iyobinte Pushtakam (2014), where Jayasurya plays the menacing capitalist ‘Angoor Rawther’ who invokes a communist revolution. The gentle smirk on Angoor Rawther is one of the everlasting images of fierce antagonism from recent history of Malayalam cinema.
Fahadh Faasil, commonly known for his grounded charisma and controlled theatrics in films where less is often deemed more, is finally given a part where more is more. Aavesham will feature him playing a hyperactive, stylish gangster who chews up the scenery with relish. From whatever promotional material has been put out as of now from team Aavesham, you get glimpses of the manic energy of ‘Psycho Shammi’ from Kumbalangi Nights (2019), and in other parts, you get to see traces of the flamboyant physicality of ‘Joshua Carlton’ from Trance (2020). There is clearly an attempt to amp up the subdued, nuance-heavy side of his screen acting prowess to a more broader, crowd friendly wackiness to the way ‘Ranga’ is interpreted by Fahadh Faasil, a sentiment even expressed by the actor in his recent promotional interviews.
Let’s have a look at a few quirky, stylish gangsters from Malayalam cinema that have left an indelible mark on pop culture:
‘Bellari Raja’ from Rajamanikyam
Streaming on: Sun NXT
The most common comparison comes in the light of the oddball persona and slightly derivative accent that mixes “Kannada” and “Malayalam” dialects. ‘Bellari Raja’ (Mammootty) is a fascinating character type that integrates comedic chops with a heartfelt backstory. The similarly styled ‘Rayban’ glasses and eccentric persona really echoes with Fahadh’s version of ‘Ranga’. Rajamanikyam grounds the fantastical nature of its premise with the self-aware performance by Mammootty, who plays a mysterious outsider bestowed with his mentor’s wealth in a last ditch attempt by the father to teach his own kids a lesson.
The weirdness of the accent and the wacky abandon in Mammootty’s over-the-top performance, lend much gravity to the inherently drab subject matter. Aavesham seems to be drawing from the same well in terms of its leading man’s characterization as the larger-than-life, off-limits prankster who turns up the heat when pushed to it. There are scenes where the overtly stylish swag of the leading man and his colorful personality fill in the pockets of despair in Anwar Rasheed’s exhilarating commercial vehicle.
