176. Phalana Abbayi Phalana Ammayi; movie review

 

PHALANA ABBAYI PHALANA AMMAYI

Cert PG

126 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild bad language, illness references

Why do some film-makers think that continuity is not important?

There are so many gaffes during Phalana Abbayi Phalana Ammayi that I was completely distracted from the so-so plot.

First of all, if Indian movies are set in the UK, they should pay attention to the culture and geography.

For example, we do not ride around in steam trains! They went out in the 1960s and can only be found on specially restored small tourist railways.

The opening of Srinivas Avasarala's movie sees its main character, Sanjay (Naga Shaurya) arriving on an old-fashioned chugger at a station, prompting my heart to sink.

This was pretty quickly followed by a scene which may have been the Alps but certainly wasn't English.

And then there was the inevitable drive around Birmingham (there are signs to Ward End and Stechford) to a house that is supposedly ten minutes away in Runnymede (there is at least 120 miles between them).

But the worst mistake in my opinion was the way it passes off the ease at which breast cancer can be cured.

This is horribly misleading, making out that it is a relatively simple if scary one-off medical procedure.

I can report, from very raw and recent experience, that it involves dozens of hospital appointments stretched over a year and that it has long-term physical and mental side-effects for the victim.

The notion that it could be handled as quickly as portrayed in Phalana Abbayi Phalana Ammayi is both annoying and a little bit dangerous for any potential sufferers who may watch it.

For the record, the film stars Naga Shaurya and Malvika Nair as college students who had fallen in love over time but are no longer together.

The movie chronicles their life together and seeks to explain why they split.

It might have been interesting but the storyline jolts around too much and the avalanche of continuity errors meant I lost concentration.

It's a picture I will have forgotten by next week.

Reasons to watch: Romantic

Reasons to avoid: Dull and continuity gaffes

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 3.5/10

Did you know? So many Indian films are made in the UK that they are worth £21.6m to the London economy alone.

The final word. Malvika Nair: "I haven’t been a part of hard-core mainstream films and an opportunity like Phalana Abbayi Phalana Ammayi is something I was waiting for. I feel confident as an actor after this experience." OTT Play

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