Sarvam Maya lives up to its name... purely magical!

*spoiler alert!

…And he’s back and how! I’m genuinely so so happy for Nivin Pauly because the actor has proved that time may have taken its toll, but it never touched the core of who he is. The actor is and has always been far more than what cinema was tapping into! Nivin Pauly was always a complete package, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that Sarvam Maya is a smashing success! 

In my opinion he’s the only actor presently in Malayalam cinema who can make you fall in love, hold your breath, cry and laugh—sometimes all in the same scene. He possesses that rare versatility to anchor romance, action, and comedy with equal conviction. Yes some movies he did in the past few years weren’t that great, but that’s not his fault entirely; like Kanakam Kaamini Kalaham (KKK) is a brilliant comical satire (which is something that very few Malayalam movies have explored) which we love as a family. It’s in fact the only Malayalam movie that doesn’t star Aju Varghese and we still have rewatched about 20 times! I would say that KKK did not find its right audience. Similarly, the political-fantasy satire Mahaveeryar too didn't find its right audience (honestly, I didn’t understand it either) but is a well made movie in its genre.

Nivin Pauly has given Sarvam Maya his heart and soul and it shows.

Have you noticed what happens in a carousel (merry-go–round)? A carousel always goes round and round, yet it’s the gentle rise and dip of the horses that make the ride come alive.

A complete entertainer is like a carousel; it keeps moving, but it’s the ups and downs, the laughs, thrills, and romance, that make the ride fun.

Sarvam Maya’s success factor is bringing two versatile actors together. Nivin and Aju compliment each other so well. Their camaraderie feels effortless, where every scene with them feels like a shared inside joke! Aju Varghese has proved that what Innocent was to millennials, he is to Gen Z! It was a welcome respite to see him back in a comedy role. Comedy is his sweet spot, and he nails it every time.

My new favorite word and female actor is Riya Shibu. Her portrayal of Maya is sweet and flawless. 

Akhil Sathyan’s storytelling is always simple and sweet nothings. There’s always an emotional undercurrent in his stories, patiently waiting to break through. In Sarvam Maya, the story between Prabhendu and his father is so subtly shown about the quiet anger we nurture in silence instead of confronting and how differently they grieve about the same person.

Sarvam Maya is a beautiful, simple and clean movie, a genre that has been long forgotten in modern cinema.

Please don’t miss this simple and sweet family entertainer!

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