Fans associations had been always crucial in ensuring an awesome opening for those movies, which star their favorite on screen demigods. Especially in Mollywood, stars and their fans share an unique and interesting relationship .What director Bibin Prabhakar was trying to explore through his movie ‘One Way Ticket’ was this interesting relationship between a superstar and his fan, which ultimately results in the star making some important amendments in the life of his fan. But mishmash in plot points, the culmination to the story and the note on which the film ends mars the impact of the film completely, making it an average fare.
The movie has Prithviraj as Jehangir, the district president of Mammootty fans association. Popularly called by the name Kunjapoo, he is the third rank holder in Plus two examinations. He was forced to become a taxi jeep driver, due to the dismal financial conditions of his family consisting of three sisters and widowed mother, for whom he was the only savior. Kunjappoo had made it a point to harass his uncle Bava Haji, by projecting stories about his love with Bava Haji’s daughter Sajira and spreading false stories about his plans to marry her. But Haji is hell bend on bringing up some proposal to keep Kunjappo away from his daughter. His trusted aides broker Sakath Beeran (Salim Kumar) and Kanakkapillai Salahudeen (Jagadheesh) is always up to something in this direction.
Kunjapoo accidentally falls for a girl, who comes for an ‘Oppana’ dance at one of his friend’s marriage. Mislead about her as ‘Rasiya’, he tries to track her whereabouts. This news comes as a big relief to Bava Haji, who immediately reaches Rasiya’s house and officially announce her relation with Kunjapoo and plans for the marriage. But later Kunjappo realizes that it was another girl named Sunanda (Bhama) whom he mistook as Rasiya, while agreeing for the marriage. Kunjappoo turns away from the deal and Bava Haji is now forced to marry off his only son with Rasiya.
Sunanda on the other hand, has her share of problems. His venomous uncle Karunakaran Ezhuttachan (Thilakan) is hatching plans to get her agree to marry his widower son (Nishanth Sagar), and thus seize her huge family fortune. Even though Kunjappoo and Sunanda part ways initially, they cross each other’s path at regular intervals, try to find solace in others’ arms.
And ultimately Kunjapoo is destined to become the savior of the girl, whose father has already been murdered and her mother, at the verge of another fatal disease. How Kunjaapoo works out plans to save her with the help of the real superstar, whom he admires, forms the plot the film. The film has a freeflow till the half way with rollicking comedy from Jagathy, Salimkumar and Jaffer Idukki. But thereafter the story comes to a screeching halt and starts focusing on the romantic side than the story of fanships and ends up without fireworks as an ordinary fare.
The second hour drags and the climax would’ve been better, realistic to be precise. The final reels has been extremely pathetic with wayward screenplay coupled with plastic performances .The poor treatment of the script in the final reels, written without any attention to details ruins the chances of an other wise safer movie. A fine-tuned performance from Prithviraj saves the film from becoming a much bigger dud. He plays his part, particularly the lighter comic sequences with amazing timing and ease.
In fact, the actor has graduated to a natural actor to the core, handling the most complex scenes with flourish. The other silver lining in the film is the presence of Mammootty who does an eventful cameo, which couldn’t raise the expected applause. Bhama, as the love interest, has some significance in the beginning, but she is totally lost by the end of the film. Thilakan as Bhama’s uncle fails to evoke the necessary villainy, with the director trying to dismantle the flashback sequences and present the story only through dialogues. Jagathy Sreekumar essays Radhika’s father, Bava Hajyar to perfection. Salim Kumar, Jagadheesh and Jaffer Idukki handle the comic department proficiently
But the technical side remains average with even cinematographer Vipin Mohan’s work, so tailor-made with old fashioned wide shots. The background score by Raja Mani is jarring. Except for a couple of songs including the oppana song, the music by Raahul Raj is not up to mark. Ranjan Abraham also fails to sustain the interest, with the needed sharp cuts in the later half.
‘One Way Ticket’ is too ordinary a ticket for a fare that doesn’t leave any impression whatsoever. On the whole, it meets the expectations partly. At the box-office too, the film will end up as an average earner .See it once, if you have the time and inclination.
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