Much Hyped OTT Anthology Ends Up As Disappointment?

Malayalam films always had high quality whether it is their stories or their technical prowess. When an anthology was announced titled 'Manorathangal' with big names like Mohanlal, Mammootty, Fahadh Faasil, Biju Menon, Parvathi Thiruvathu, Nadiya Moidu, Madhoo, Asif Ali, Siddique, Aparna Balamurali and others playing main roles in it, the expectations are bound to go higher. Also, the anthologies are based on the stories written by legendary Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nair.

He is known for showcasing the multiple facets of the society through simple questions. When the series was arriving, there were high expectations on it as great actors and veteran filmmakers worked on it. But they generated mixed reviews right from the start. While some stories were engaging and delivered the message strongly, some of them are way below par ending up as a bore fest for the viewers.

Sherlock featuring Fahadh Fasil was the only big standout story while one or two others were decent as well. One can say that all the actors in this anthology series did justice to their roles and most of the big names did not disappoint. But it is the storytelling where some episodes makes you feel exhausted. 'Manorathangal' emphasizes more on drama and people who like drama can have a go at it. One needs to sit through the slow narration and heavy lag at a few places. Even OTT audience can find it not satisfying and the Malayalam audience are a bit disappointed as such big names were unable to give a proper tribute to MT Vasudeva Nair.