Hridayapoorvam review: Old wine, yet Sathyan-Mohanlal blend is always potent

Back in 2006, after watching Rasathanthram, the Sathyan Anthikad-Mohanlal collaboration, I was reminded of the village festivals of my childhood. You always knew what awaited you: the panchavadyam, (orchestra of five instruments) thalappoli (a ritual by the ladies who carry oil lamps in a plate) elephant parades, dramas, and musical concerts. The teams might change, some percussionists may be replaced, and yet, the experience never truly altered. The familiar rhythms still carried a freshness each year. We returned from the festival talking endlessly about its highlights — until the next one arrived.

Sathyan Anthikad’s films are much the same. They are old wine in new bottles. But old wine, as the saying goes, gathers strength with age. Mohanlal, of course, is that wine — effortless, familiar, yet intoxicating every single time.

Film’s 'new-gen' spark

In Sathyan Anthikad’s world, the heroes and heroines are often marked by isolation. They endure life’s trials not with the cushion of family but with the balm of friendship. Sandeep Balakrishnan, Mohanlal’s character in Hridayapoorvam, is one such figure. His circle is small: the restaurant he runs, the loyal workers he calls family, and a modest building where aspiring filmmakers live. A heart patient since 30, Sandeep undergoes a transplant at the film’s opening. The donor is Colonel Raveendran from Pune, and into Sandeep’s solitary life walks Jerry, a home nurse played by Sangeeth Prathap.

Also read: Coolie review: Rajinikanth’s star power steers Lokesh Kanagaraj’s action thriller

Jerry is the film’s “new-gen” spark, his one-liners and casual ease striking a sharp counterpoint to Mohanlal’s measured rhythm. Few actors have managed to keep pace with Lal in Sathyan Anthikad’s comedies — Jagathy, Mukesh, Innocent come to mind. Sangeeth earns his place among them, a remarkable feat in itself.

The story unfolds when Haritha, the Colonel’s daughter (Malavika Mohanan), requests Sandeep’s presence at her engagement. She longs, poignantly, for her father’s heart to be near her on the most significant day of her life. Reluctantly, Sandeep travels to Pune with Jerry, and what begins as a two-day visit stretches into a month. Hridayapoorvam is, in essence, a collection of small, everyday episodes from this stay — gentle, predictable, and without the burden of melodrama or contrived twists. But then, no one goes to a Sathyan Anthikad film expecting thunderbolts.

The director continues to weave his signature tapestry: short skits, vignettes, and tender sketches stitched together into a narrative whole. Ever since Sathyan Anthikad began writing his own scripts after working with masters like Lohithadas and Ranjan Pramod, his films have been infused with recurring rays of human kindness. Even here, with a story by his son Akhil Sathyan (Pachuvum Athbuthavilakkum) and screenplay by Sonu TP, the familiar Sathyan Anthikad ingredients are present — seasoned now with a new-gen sensibility. It’s much like a church or temple festival handed over to younger custodians: the music changes, the colours shift, the posters get modern, but the essence remains intact.

Malavika shoulders Haritha with grace

Among the performances, only Siddique feels off-key, his exaggerated naturalism recalling a comedy register from another era. The rest are convincing, their dialogues unforced and organic, though never dazzling. Anoo Moothedath’s cinematography, with its luminous aerial shots and warm family tones, enriches the film. Rajagopal’s editing maintains its flow, while Justin’s music, though plentiful, makes one wonder: do we still need so many songs in today’s storytelling?

Also read: War 2 review: Hrithik Roshan and NTR Jr wage a patchily engaging battle

Malavika Mohanan shoulders Haritha with grace; Sangeetha (Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala fame) is solid as the mother. Lalu Alex, Janardanan, and even the blink-and-miss cameos add charm, though the stock villains of Pune seem vestigial at best.

And then there is Mohanlal. He delivers Sandeep with such apparent ease — bayein haath ka kaam, as the Hindi phrase goes, something done with the left hand — that one might underestimate the performance. But therein lies his genius. He doesn’t act the role; he dissolves into it. The Mohanlal we see here is the Mohanlal of memory — the effortless raconteur of gestures, silences, laughter, embarrassment, and quiet grief. He inhabits Sandeep so fully that we forget the craft and remember only the man.

Also read: Dhadak 2 review: Tamil hit Pariyerum Perumal Hindi remake has heart but lacks a beat

In the end, Hridayapoorvam is neither surprising nor revolutionary. Its soul is rooted firmly in the 90s. Yet, like every Anthikad-Mohanlal outing, it invites us with warmth, almost ritualistically. We go to these films the way we go to the annual parish feast: not for novelty, but for belonging. We compare, we debate — was this year’s festival better than the last? Was the music more stirring? But whatever the verdict, the season feels incomplete without it.