Month: December 2023

This post is about something that I’ve been enjoying off late. These days I begin my day by diving into the episodes of a Malayalam serial Geetha Govindam (aired on Asianet channel and available online on Hot Star) and find my serotonin booster in it. Why? Because of its leads and their synchronized energies together when they are on the screen. The serial is no masterpiece in the making and comes with its share of flaws and limitations. It can be described as a paisa vasool entertainer in the serial plateau. This show has hit the pulse right with today’s generation that is always on the run and takes a turn to art only for relaxation and stress-free engagement. It has beauty to offer in every frame and is an engaging watch for the entertainment value it holds.

Telling an age-gap romance story that is laced with revenge and family drama, the plot revolves around Arakkal Govind Madhav (46) a multimillionaire businessman and Geetanjali Badran (23) an IAS aspirant. Despite the chasm of differences that prevail between them, and the age-old rivalry between their families, Govind and Geetanjali find themselves drawn to each other, with the nature of their bond traversing through the phases of mentor-mentee to friends and even enemies for a while before translating to a romantic landscape.

The highlight of the show is the unique combination of actors in the lead roles – Sajan Sooreya and Dr. Binny Sebastian. The apt casting has invoked traction and eyeballs for the show. Despite at least two decades between them and the contrasting factor of pitching a veteran opposite a newcomer, their pairing somehow packs a punch with the experience vs freshness contradiction colliding right. The symmetry of their pairing is pitch-perfect despite the odds.

The magical chemistry did not mysteriously unveil overnight. They found their tune slowly but surely through each episode. Today they stand at a point where they can bounce off each other’s craft and deliver credible performances. There is a perfect measure of give and take in their combination scenes which scales on their timing and understanding of each other’s emotional intellect when it comes to performing. Despite the decades of experience that let him hold a candle to her freshness, they stand equal in every scene and bring out the best in each other. And that ultimately bestows us with an onscreen power couple to relish.

Together they are a force to reckon with, challenging one another with a competitive spirit before the camera and coordinating seamlessly to channel their excellence into a mini screen magic. More than chemistry I’d say they make for a great team with excellent synergy. Pitch a scene of any mood – romance, comedy, drama – they deliver splendidly into any tonality of scene.

Coming to their craft, I must admit the main factor that had me hooked while I binge-watched this show was Binny’s evolution through the episodes. Like a caterpillar metamorphosis into a butterfly, within the first 100 episodes of the show, Binny maneuvers her craft around in such a stupendous way, that she now wields a definitive command over her ability. There is a palpable shift in her tone, measure, and balance and there you have a hard-to-ignore blooming performer. She is out there laden with measured expressions, emotive body language and depth in her gaze. Her graph is fascinating to witness as she fine-tunes her nuances with the expression-heavy dialect of serials. She is an actor to look out for; with her comic timing, luminous screen presence and compelling moments of angst on the screen promising more.

The other half of this combo, Sajan Sooreya is a household name for the Malayalam serial audience. Clocking in nearly 25 years of excellence, Sajan Sooreya continues to reign the screen with authentic acting as his emblem. The bygone years have stitched glamour and experience to his armour synonymizing him with wine that gets finer with traversing time. Scintillating screen presence, effortless dialogue delivery and realistic acting that blurs the line between fiction and reality are standout features of his artistry. The catalogue of characters he played on mini-screen ranged from venomous villains to poignant character roles. To that enriched list he adds this branded star hero vehicle with genius authenticity. The seasoned actor is playing it to the gallery in his superstar template character AGM aka Arakkal Govind Madhav. From a stylish intro scene to landing punches loud like a mass hero, to dissolving into moments of passion, rage and angst with fervour, Sajan Sooreya is bringing out the layers of Govind Madhav’s character with panache. To the new generation of audience that is getting familiarized with him, Sajan Sooreya is essentially conveying a message with this character, that he has just about begun.

The Malayalam television industry has transformed through the years and curated itself to the changed appetite of the audience. Serials laced with tears are now old news and skewed by suffering heroine templates a thing of the past. Today the tone is bold with the lead characters taking charge of their lives and dealing with their problems with a daredevil spirit. In that current milieu, Geetha Govindam will stay afloat with the vibrance in its frames and fast-paced narration aided by the compelling performers captaining the ship. A must-watch for the ingenious actors and the splendid camera work.