'Grrr', featuring Kunchacko Boban and Suraj Venjaramoodu in the lead, is director Jay K's entry into the comic genre. The director, known for 'Ezra', brings together a unique combination of humans and a lion. While Malayalam cinema has experimented with dogs, pigeons and even elephants, a lion is a welcome change.
The movie's highlight is the unusual plot, which is based on a real-life story. Kunchacko is a young entrepreneur Rejimon, who is in love with a politician's daughter. One day, he enters a young lion's cave in inebriated condition.
The functioning of the entire zoo comes to a halt as a full-fledged rescue operation, involving its staff, police, and fire and rescue officers, unfolds on the premises. Jay K, who also helmed 'Savithri', a dark and powerful segment, in the anthology film 'Aanum Pennum', shows he is quite capable of handling comedy, though not as adeptly as his previous works. The film holds huge potential against the backdrop of the human-animal conflict in Kerala, yet the makers seem focused only on creating situations to generate comic effect.
Darshan, an eight-year-old lion, is truly majestic on screen. It's remarkable how the makers decided to shoot a real lion for the film instead of resorting to the VFX. But the limitations that come with it are obvious in the film.
Suraj Venjaramoodu, as the zoo employee facing suspension because two guards were caught stealing from the lion's ration of red meat, is entertaining as usual and reminds us of the slap.
