This is my second Malayalam movie after Thoovanathumbikal. Clearly Ustaad Hotel is not in the Pedigree of Thoovanathumbikal. The film is predictable in most parts and lack depth and gray in the characters. Dulquer Rahman is cute but he is no Mohan Lal and neither is Nithya Menon a Sumalatha.
But this film is about an idea, albeit a clichéd one that real joy is often treading off the beaten track and chasing your dreams only you can see. Everyone dies but not everyone lives. Some of the greatest joys may lie in the very pursuit of your dreams and it is those moments which makes life worth living. Also sometimes a person, in this case Faizi, becomes the the carrier of not just his own dreams but also the carrier of the inspirations and beliefs everyone around him needs- Shahana, the band,the workers or even the excellent Karim. The film portrays beautifully that there is even more joy in helping others chase their dreams as well, however small and insignificant they might be-for some that might be that one square meal for the day. One of the aspects which made the film endearing was the relationship between Faizi and his granddad, Kareem who is just perfectly played out here. He is a free spirit yet headstrong in his ways; disconnected to everything worldly yet compassionate and receptive to everything. His love for Faizi is selfless and subtle and being a grandson myself I can vouch for the authenticity in those emotions. He must be a wonderful granddad in his real life.
A small mention of Faizi's father. He may be seen as the epitome of sexism and materialism but I sympathize with him. He is the victim here, having to toil, and toil against a prejudiced society, unwillingly trapping himself in the curse of the working class. That character was overdone a wee bit though. It is not the broadest theme in the film but I liked the fact that, like Ratatouille, the film makes cooking look so delightful and enticing. And I enjoyed the background scores and the songs as well. Was literally tapping to that disco song.
Whether this is a great film is a debatable. But the fact is, most of my favourite movies are just sheer experiences. And Ustaad Hotel is just that, a refreshing whirlwind of a film.
But this film is about an idea, albeit a clichéd one that real joy is often treading off the beaten track and chasing your dreams only you can see. Everyone dies but not everyone lives. Some of the greatest joys may lie in the very pursuit of your dreams and it is those moments which makes life worth living. Also sometimes a person, in this case Faizi, becomes the the carrier of not just his own dreams but also the carrier of the inspirations and beliefs everyone around him needs- Shahana, the band,the workers or even the excellent Karim. The film portrays beautifully that there is even more joy in helping others chase their dreams as well, however small and insignificant they might be-for some that might be that one square meal for the day. One of the aspects which made the film endearing was the relationship between Faizi and his granddad, Kareem who is just perfectly played out here. He is a free spirit yet headstrong in his ways; disconnected to everything worldly yet compassionate and receptive to everything. His love for Faizi is selfless and subtle and being a grandson myself I can vouch for the authenticity in those emotions. He must be a wonderful granddad in his real life.
A small mention of Faizi's father. He may be seen as the epitome of sexism and materialism but I sympathize with him. He is the victim here, having to toil, and toil against a prejudiced society, unwillingly trapping himself in the curse of the working class. That character was overdone a wee bit though. It is not the broadest theme in the film but I liked the fact that, like Ratatouille, the film makes cooking look so delightful and enticing. And I enjoyed the background scores and the songs as well. Was literally tapping to that disco song.
Whether this is a great film is a debatable. But the fact is, most of my favourite movies are just sheer experiences. And Ustaad Hotel is just that, a refreshing whirlwind of a film.