The germ of the idea behind the movie Mei Hoom Moosa can create a film that can be politically turbulent and emotionally affecting. But Vellimoonga fame director Jibu Jacob decides to give this movie a slapstick comedy kind of treatment. And what you get is a movie that squeezes out all its sensitive emotions and drenches it with skit humor. If you are a fan of those 8 PM-comedy shows that consider racist jokes funny, I would say Mei Hoom Moosa might work for you.
Muhammad Moosa is an ex-military man who was in a Pakistani jail for almost two decades. The Indian army thought he died in the Kargil war, and his hometown celebrated him as a martyr. But after many hardships, Moosa returned to his home, but when he arrived, the welcome he got wasn’t that pleasing. The difficulties Moosa faced in his return and how he resolved his identity crisis are what we see in Mei Hoom Moosa.
A soldier who suffered for his country by spending 19 years in the enemy’s jail struggling to prove his identity is a theme that looks very heartbreaking at first glance. The decision of writer Rubesh Rain and director Jibu Jacob to treat it humorously would have been a brave one if the humor made sense. Even the recent hit Nna Thaan Case Kodu was also a humorously-treated movie that had a very pertinent theme at its core. But when it comes to Mei Hoom Moosa, the humor is a clearly visible separate layer that has no connection with the story’s emotional arc. Moosa’s reaction to his brother when he knew that his brother had married Moosa’s wife shows how writers are still okay with objectification jokes. At times, their desperation to include sleazy jokes would make you feel that they have forgotten the movie’s central conflict.
Suresh Gopi is giving tough competition to Mohanlal in cracking that fake Malappuram slang. Since the movie has him playing his actual age, the dialogue delivery pacing issue that was there in his recent performances doesn’t feel that awkward. Saiju Kurup plays the role of his brother Meeran. Srinda gets a comical character as Moosa’s sister. Hareesh Kanaran cracks the humor in his typical style. Poonam Bajwa plays the role of Moosa’s wife/ex-wife Kunjipaathu, and she hardly has anything to do in the film.
Regarding treatment, Jibu Jacob is trying to recreate what he did with Vellimoonga. But the flow of humor that was there in Vellimoonga is not there in Rubesh Rain’s writing. One of the very first scenes in the movie has Veena Nair’s politician character speaking at Moosa’s memorial function. In a way, that’s a warning from the makers to the viewers that this is the kind of comedy you will see in the movie. Towards the climax, there is a lecture from Moosa on how to be a good Muslim in India. In one “comedy” scene, the Imam of the mosque asks Moosa how is “our” ISIS folks doing in Pakistan.
The most crucial side of this story, which is the personal trauma of a person who sacrificed everything for the country, gets the least importance in Mei Hoom Moosa. And what you get is some shady jokes and bumper sticker dialogues on sacrifice and patriotism.
If you are a fan of those 8 PM-comedy shows that consider racist jokes funny, I would say Mei Hoom Moosa might work for you.
Green: Recommended Content
Orange: The In-Between Ones
Red: Not Recommended
