Odiyan Critics’ Verdict: Mohanlal Shines, But Film Misses the Mark

Check out the critics review of ‘Odiyan’.

Film: Odiyan
Director: VA Shrikumar Menon
Cast: Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Prakash Raj, Sana Althaf

Excerpts from film reviews of Odiyan:

The problem is the plot - it’s terribly old and contrived, with characters who are either golden or glowering all the time. But we’ll get to that later. As Odiyan, Mohanlal fills the screen with his presence. Each time he throws his black shawl around him or even when the camera is simply focused on his eyes, he brings a certain gravitas to the frame. Despite his girth, the actor is agile (like he was in Pulimurugan) as he transforms into a fearsome beast during his nightly sojourns. In one of the songs, when he begins to hate what he does for a living, there’s a poignant moment when he catches sight of his bull-shaped shadow. The surprise, fear, and eventual sadness on his face come within seconds, showing us once again why he remains the best in the industry.

Sowmya Rajendran, The News Minute

The stunts choreographed by Peter Hein are worth every penny. In fact, the only engrossing parts in the film are the stunts. The climax, in parts unreal, but paced perfectly, is the one that stands out.On the low side, the screenplay is lethargic and dialogues are unnecessarily long. For instance, the scene featuring a drunk Manikyan and his drunk grandfather goes on forever. There is a respite in the form of an action sequence in between, but even after that, the dialogue stretches. Another area that needed improvement are the film’s special effects. A scene which was laughably bad had Mohanlal saving a woman from drowning. The CGI was so shoddily done that audiences were bubbling with laughter, all of it unintentional.In the end, Odiyan was like a rubberband that was stretched to the point of breaking. The one to snap, of course, was the audience. 

Priyanka Sundar, Hindustan Times