ARM - Ajayante Randam Moshanam Review: Tovino Thomas Shines, But Script Fizzles in This Fantasy Epic

Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM) Movie Review: Ajayante Randam Moshanam is ambitious in every sense. It aims to create a universe—a trending phenomenon in Indian cinema—but here, the universe is quite literal. The film opens with a striking monologue from an eternal being, who claims to be the observer and creator of everything. Voiced by Mohanlal in Malayalam, Vikram in Tamil, and Shivarajkumar in Kannada, this cosmic creator has little impact on the story of ARM beyond being responsible for creation. However, it introduces a sense of something larger and allows the filmmaker to bypass explaining the supernatural elements in the film.

While the film aspires to reach cosmic heights, its writing is formulaic, rooted in heroic fantasy tropes that fail to tap into the premise’s full potential. Tovino Thomas’s commendable effort in portraying three hero figures is undercut by the fact that none of the characters get those ‘theatre moments’ you’d expect, especially in a film centered around generational trauma and the hero’s quest for redemption. It feels as though the filmmaker deliberately avoided over-the-top writing, aiming for subtlety. Sadly, ARM ends up stuck in a limbo, neither fully embracing grandeur nor delivering a grounded narrative.

The story begins in the 1900s, centered on a magical lamp, Chiyyothi Vilakku, made from rare metals and a meteorite that falls in Haripuram, a region in North Kerala. The lamp, with its mysterious healing powers, is the prized possession of the Haripuram kingdom. When the prince is captured by a Muslim invader, he seeks the help of Kunjikelu (Tovino), a villager from the place where the meteorite struck. After rescuing the prince, Kunjikelu asks for the lamp as a reward, planning to build a temple at the meteorite site, accessible to all castes. Before he can fulfill his vision, he succumbs to smallpox. On his deathbed, he learns a secret about the lamp. Although a temple is built, it falls short of Kunjikelu’s inclusive vision.

Next comes Maniyan’s (Tovino) story, set in 1950. He’s the son of Kunjikelu and Chothi (Aishwarya Rajesh), a woman from a lower caste. Unlike his warrior father, Maniyan becomes a notorious thief with rumored magical skills and mastery of martial arts. Rejected by society, Maniyan thrives as a rebel, angering the upper castes. Folklore claims he steals the Chiyyothi lamp but eventually gets caught.

Though Maniyan is the film’s most dynamic character, Ajayan (Tovino), his grandson, is the protagonist. Ajayan, an electrician, bears the weight of his family’s tarnished reputation as descendants of a thief. Facing caste-based oppression, he holds back from using the skills his grandmother taught him, honoring a promise to his mother. But when Sudev Varma (Harish Uttaman), an heir of the Haripuram kingdom, arrives to steal the lamp and sell it to the British, Ajayan must uncover secrets about the lamp that rewrite the village’s history.

At its core, ARM is a film about social justice, exploring how Kunjikelu’s rebellion against systemic oppression transforms him into a non-person like Ajayan. Each hero in the three timelines is a rebel, forced into their roles by societal pressures. Kunjikelu loves Chothi and tries to break caste barriers, but his actions lead to the birth of Maniyan, who is stigmatized from the start. By the time Ajayan’s story unfolds, the tables have turned—he’s in love with a privileged girl but faces rejection for the same reasons his ancestors were outcasts. While the irony is powerful, the film becomes heavy-handed as its generic execution dulls what could have been a compelling narrative. It follows a standard underdog redemption arc without any real surprises.

The adventures Maniyan embarks on are predictable, as is Ajayan’s redemption. In one scene, Maniyan’s mission to steal the lamp is hindered by obstacles as outdated as the genre itself. He needed more complex challenges, just as Ajayan deserved a more satisfying ‘Eureka’ moment. In trying to show history repeating itself, the film’s second half drags on, leaving the audience thinking, “I get it, move on.”

There are clear parallels between ARM and Pa Ranjith’s Thangalaan. Both films probe the question of who truly owns the land and its resources. In Ranjith’s film, the coveted object is gold; in ARM, it’s the lamp. Both symbolize what is denied to the oppressed. It’s interesting how both Ranjith and Jithin Laal use fantasy as a genre to delve into this topic. If only Ajayante Randam Moshanam was as captivating as its concept.