Thursday Oct 25 2007, Trivendrum

Chocolate: Youthful entertainer

Directed by - Shafi

Produced by - PK Muraleedharan, Santha Murali

Music by - Alex Paul

Casts - Prithviraj, Jayasurya, Roma, Remya Nambeeshan, Samvritha Sunil, Lalu Alex, Rajan. P. Dev, Vanitha, Shaari, Salim Kumar, Anoop Chandran, Saiju Kurup, P.Sreekumar etc.

Banner - Anantha Vision

Shafi is always known for colourful entertainer and his latest film Chocolate is no exception.Prithviraj starrer Chocolate keeps you hooked on to it and provides you with a clean, wholesome entertainment.The film, with a straightforward narration is quite youthful in its treatment.The flawless script is well supported by the performances of the actors.Chocolate takes us to St.

Mary’s Women’s College, where about three thousand students study.The principal (Shaari) had always been trying to convert it into a mixed college, but the students, especially the gang led by Anne Mathews (Roma), Nandana (Samvritha Sunil) and Susan (Ramya Nambeeshan), have been opposing it vehemently.The three, who are close friends, have been holding the whole of the college under their sway, and detest the idea of boys taking over, thus ending their rule in the campus.The Parents Teachers Association, which has as its secretary Mathews (Lalu Alex), Anne’s father opposes the principal’s move and she is thus forced to give up.Things take a different turn soon.

Vanaja (Vanitha), a teacher in the college, is facing much trouble on account of her son Shyam (Prithviraj), who has been getting constantly dismissed from college after college and getting entangled in police cases and all.She speaks to the Principal to admit Shyam in the college.The Principal agrees using a provision to admit one male student in each P.G course on the discretion of the Principal.Anne, Nandana and Susan put their heads together to drive the lone male student out of the campus, but Shyam is a perfect match for them.

And with Shyam’s entry into the campus, certain other people like Renjith (Jayasurya), a fashion designer who is attracted by Nandana’s charms, Pappan (Salim Kumar), who runs an Internet café etc decide to exploit this opportunity to enter the all-women’s campus.What all follows forms the rest of the plot.The role of Shyam suits Prithviraj in all respects and he does full justice to the character.Roma has given a very good performance as Anne, while all others in the cast have performed excellently well.The main thing worth noting is that debutante scenarists Sachi and Sethu, who have penned the story too, has come up with something that entertains you and excites you on the whole.

Technical aspects, especially cinematography by Alagappan, art-direction by Saloo.K.George and editing by Hariharaputhran suit the mood and the tempo of the film.Saloo.K.

George has of course contributed much in creating the right kind of atmosphere, especially needed for a women’s college and Hariharaputhran’s editing is slick too.Songs penned by Vayalar Sharath Chandra Varma and set to tunes by Alex Paul may not be as big hits as the songs they gave us in Classmates, but still the songs have all come out good.Overall, Chocolate has all that is needed to make a youthful entertainer and doesn’t disappoint you if you know what you’d expect from the least-pretentious Shafi.Hats off to Shafi and team!