Valatty Review | A Safe Bet Sweet Kids’ Film That Capitalizes on the Adorability

Directed by Devan, the new Friday Film House production Valatty is that safe and simple generic kids’ film that engages you with its humor. With the inherent cuteness of the dogs making it pleasing for the eyes, Valatty manages to be that nonboring entertainer with nothing particularly spectacular about it.

As the name suggests, the film is about dogs. Tomy is this dog who is in love with his neighbor dog Amalu. Their relationship hit a roadblock when Amalu’s family knew that Tomy was responsible for Amalu’s pregnancy. Locked up in their own houses, the couple finally decides to elope. How that plan takes them through some unexpected twists and turns is what we see in the film.

The idea of dogs communicating in our society itself has a layer of humor, and if they can enhance it on a writing level, it will only get better. What Devan wants to achieve through this film is to crack that opportunity. I am sure pulling off the shots would have been a herculean task as it involved animals. The story here is a mix of elements we have seen in Hollywood clubbed with some of the individuals who were in the limelight when the whole stray dog episode happened. But like I said, the targeted audience is primarily kids, and for that audience, the movie will offer two hours of amusement.

Vijay Babu, Rohini, Srikanth Murali, Mahima Nambiar, and Dev Mohan are chipping in here as supporting star cast, while Akshay Radhakrishnan plays the role of the main antagonist. Major stars have given voice to the dogs in the film. Roshan Mathew makes Tomy’s reactions and mumblings look adorable and funny on screen. The default style of Raveena Ravi was enough to perform the part of Amalu. The annoying style Soubin Shahir follows in some of the characters he performed (Jack n Jill, for example) is followed here as well. But here, it actually felt like a big relief, as the emphasis is more on humor. Sunny Wayne, Saiju Kurup, Indrans, Aju Varghese, Surabhi Lakshmi, Naslen and Ranjini Haridas have also lent their voices to various animals.

More than craft, you tend to appreciate the patience of the makers here. Because on a story level, the aspirations are minimal, and it is your template tale of dogs uniting against those who kill or torture them. Devan successfully creates some adorable moments featuring the dogs at regular intervals, making this less than two-hour-long film engaging for the audience. The climax scene featuring Rohini and Sunny Wayne’s characters was one frame that sort of stayed with me.

If you wish to watch a film with your little kid that won’t really bore you as well, then Valatty is a safe choice. Some, by default, advantages, like the adorable nature of pets, instantly attract you to a subject like this, and Valatty has managed to capitalize on that fairly.