Shikkaari Shambhu review: A one-time watch for the not so discerning crowd
It seems all that director Sugeeth had in mind while starting the shoot was the basic plot of the comic strip
SIFY
Monday 22 January 2018
Shikkaari Shambhu
Sugeeth
Kunchacko Boban, Sshivada
The comic character named Shikkaari Shambhu, a hunter whose success is by sheer luck, was created by Vasant Halbe and Luis Fernandes for the popular children’s magazine Tinkle. It seems all that director Sugeeth had in mind while starting the shooting of his Shikkaari Shambhu was the basic plot of the comic strip.
As a result, the going gets bumpy for most parts until the story gets some focus towards the end.
Philipose aka Peeli (Kunchacko Boban), Achu (Vishnu Unnikrishnan) and Shaji (Hareesh Kanaran) are caught by a group of people, while attempting a theft. As they run for safety, they learn about a village where a tiger is creating havoc and the trio decides to go there, pretending to be hunters.
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The new place is a typical village with all the ingredients that are present in movies where such areas appear. The villagers accept their claim, though the hunters don’t even have a gun, and they are entrusted with the task of catching the tiger.
Peeli is attracted to Anita (Sshivada), who sells hooch for a living, and Achu falls for the Panchayat member’s daughter. Obviously, their romance makes the visuals colourful with dream songs and some confusions that follow.
With a script that struggles to keep the viewers engaged, the running time of nearly 2 hours and 30 minutes feels like ages. The attempts to create humour mostly look laboured and it is when the final twist in the tale happens that the story gathers some momentum.
Kunchacko Boban performs his character in a dedicated manner. Vishnu Unnikrishnan is fine but Hareesh Kanaran, who usually can tickle the funny bone with his one liners and mannerisms, is not really in his best form. Sshivada has to maintain a single expression all along.
Shikkaari Shambhu has been packaged as a comedy and it can at best be a one-time watch for the not so discerning crowd.
Shikkaari Shambhu review - Verdict: Average
