A TREASURE TROVE OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Mohanlal's directorial debut is visually striking and passable in parts, but it is weighed down by uninspired storytelling, stale dialogue and a squandered wealth of unfulfilled ideas

- VIVEK SANTHOSH

N Christmas Day, 1980, Malayalam cinema witnessed the debut of Mohanlal in Manjil Virinja Pookkal, a film that heralded the arrival of one of its greatest actors. Fast forward 44 years to another Christmas Day, and Mohanlal steps into a different spotlight, this time as a director, with Barroz. A children's fantasy 3D adventure film, the film promised an enchanting voyage into myths and maritime history. Unfortunately, what it delivers is more akin to a leaky ship adrift in a sea of mediocrity.

The story of Barroz centres on a mythical 17th-century guardian ghost bound by duty to protect the treasure of the D'Gama family and pass it on to the rightful heir. The plot spans centuries, blending Portuguese-Afro-Indian folklore with themes of loyalty, servitude and familial love. It is a premise brimming with potential, but somewhere between the treasure cave and the modern-day Goa casino plans, the film loses its way. Mohanlal's directorial ambition bursts forth with an enthusiasm that's hard to miss, even if it often feels like a treasure hunt without a map. The D'Gama mansion gleams with grandeur, and the treasure cave practically hums with mystical allure through cinematographer Santosh Sivan's eyes, but pacing issues rob the adventure of its magic. The historical prologue teases promise but the modern-day sequences trip over themselves with dialogue that seems like it is penned by overzealous schoolchildren.