Ramachandra Boss & Co is a 2023 Indian Malayalam-language heist action comedy film directed by Haneef Adeni. The film stars Nivin Pauly in the lead role, alongside Aarsha Chandini Baiju, Jaffar Idukki, Vinay Forrt, Mamitha Baiju, Vijilesh and Sreenath Babu. The plot follows Ramachandra Boss, a benevolent bandit who, along with his team of misfits, plans a heist called Pravasi Heist at Amar Palace.[4]
| Ramachandra Boss & Co | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Haneef Adeni |
| Written by | Haneef Adeni |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Vishnu Thandassery |
| Edited by | Nishadh Yusuf |
| Music by | Midhun Mukundan |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Magic Frames |
Release date |
|
Running time | 147 minutes[2] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Budget | est. ₹22 crore[3] |
| Box office | est. ₹4.55 crore[3] |
The film was tentatively titled NP 42, being the 42nd film of Nivin Pauly. The official title, Ramachandra Boss & Co, was announced in July 2023. Principal photography began in January 2023 in the United Arab Emirates and was wrapped up in May 2023. The music is composed by Midhun Mukundan, while Vishnu Thandassery and Nishad Yusuf handled the cinematography and editing.
Ramachandra Boss & Co was released on 25 August 2023 during Onam, where it received mixed to negative reviews from critics and became a box office failure.[5]
Plot
editYears ago in Persia, Ram Madhav was a famous painter who was killed by his illegitimate son Amar Madhav for killing his mother Salma. His mother abandoned him shortly after his birth and it was Ram Madhav who nurtured Amar. Amar kills Ram Madhav and takes the painting of his mother with him as his last remembrance of her.
Years later, in Kerala, Sidhiq, a plumber and electrician, Sophia, an IT engineer, Zachariah, a cook, and Robin, a CCTV tehnician get an invitation from Ramachandra Boss & Co for a project in Dubai. Upon reaching Dubai they realised they had been called to undertake a robbery planned by Ramachandra and his assistant Sailesh. Hearing this, they want to return home but are compelled to commit the robbery because of their own personal troubles. As a part of their trial strategy, they rob Jessy's bag, who is also in Dubai and Jessy join them on the mission after her passport goes missing.
They target the painting, Salma the angel which is kept in Amar Palace. Ramachandra tells them that it was his mother's painting that was allegedly stolen by Amar Madhav, killing his father, Ram Madhav, and Ramachandra, who witnessed the murder as a toddler.
They join as workers in Amar Palace gaining control over the palace by hijacking the security system and all the happenings in the palace can be monitored remotely by Ramachandra. Inside the palace Sailesh gets apprehended by Amar and his henchmen and through Sailesh Ramachandra's whereabouts are found. They reach his location only to find that Ramachandra and his gang have escaped through a tunnel beneath their tent.
Amar plans to sell the painting in the exhibition hall during the biennale at the Hotel Grand Park. The painting is taken to the exhibition hall by a truck, where Ramachandra and his gang disguisedly chase the truck and seize it, merely to find out that Amar has replaced the original painting.
During the biennale exhibition, Ramachandra's gang arrives holding Amar at threat of firearms. Sailesh and Siddique seize and pass the painting through a duct system and Mathan who receives it, gives it to the Russians who want to buy it before realising that it is fake. Ramachandra's gang is captured by enraged Amar, who demands that Ramachandra return the painting, but Ramachandra tells him to kill his gang and that all he needed was the painting. Amar then chases Ramachandra and engages in a fight during which Amar is slain. Later, it is revealed that it was Alex, one of Amar's henchmen, who helped Ramachandra break the ducts in the mid way, replacing the painting, sending fake through it and keeping the original underneath Ramachandra's car. Mathan, who collects money from Russians in exchange for the painting, hides the original money and returns them fake money when the Russians ask for it back, realising the painting is a duplicate. The money is then distributed to Ramachandra's gang, who then return to Kerala. They arrive in Kerala and find where Ramachandra's mother is. It is revealed that Salma, who is alive now, has used Conman Ramachandra to concoct a false story to get back her painting drawn by her husband, who was killed by Amar.
Cast
edit- Nivin Pauly as Ramachandra Boss / Boss Bonaventure
- Vinay Forrt as Sailesh P Damodar
- Jaffar Idukki as Siddique
- Mamitha Baiju as Sophia
- Aarsha Chandini Baiju as Jessy Thomas
- Vijilesh Karayad as Zachariah
- Sreenath Babu as Robin
- Munish as Amar Madhav
- Jaya Prada as Salma
- Nassar as Ram Madhav
- Mithun Ramesh as Mathan
- Sowmya Menon as Salomy
- Bobby Latif as first guy in intro scene
Production
editNivin Pauly's NP42 was announced by Ramachandra Boss & Co on 8 July 2023. The film marked the second collaboration of Nivin and Haneef Adeni after Mikhael. Though the makers were secretive about the project, Vinay Forrt, who plays a crucial role in the film, it was revealed to be a fun entertainer revolving around a heist. Vishnu Thandassery was hired as the cinematographer, while Nishad Yusuf and Midhun Mukundan were hired as the music director and editor for the film. The film was produced by Listin Stephen's Magic Frames and Nivin Pauly's Pauly Jr. Pictures.[6]
Filming
editThe majority of the film was shot in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Kerala.[7][8] The filming was divided into two schedules; the first began on 20 January 2023 in the UAE and lasted about 55 days.[9] The second schedule took place in Kerala.[6] The principal photography was wrapped up on 19 May 2023.[10][9] The title poster was unveiled on 8 July 2023 by Suresh Gopi through social media.[11][9]
Soundtrack
edit| Ramachandra Boss & Co | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 2023 | |||
| Venue | Bangalore | |||
| Studio | Pranava Studios | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Language | Malayalam | |||
| Label | Magic Frames Music | |||
| Producer | Midhun Mukundan | |||
| Midhun Mukundan chronology | ||||
| ||||
The music and background score for the film is composed by Midhun Mukundan.[12] The lyrics are written by Suhail Koya. The first single titled "Yalla Habibi," written by Suhail Koya and sung by Zia Ul Haq, Vidyaa Prakash, and Midhun Mukundan,[13] was released on 15 August 2023 on the occasion of Indian Independence Day.[14][15]
Release
editTheatrical
editReception
editCritical reception
editSanjith Sidhardhan of OTTPlay gave the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "Ramachandra Boss and Co benefits a lot from Vinay Forrt’s character, who sometimes overshadow Nivin Pauly’s; but the makers are self-aware and use this as part of the story too."[17]
Cris of The News Minute gave the film 1.5/5 stars and wrote "Director Haneef Adeni attempts to give a comic treatment to a heist, with Nivin leading a gang of desperate individuals, but the poorly written script does nothing for the film."[18] Sajin Shrijith of Cinema Express gave the film 1.5/5 stars and wrote "There is a big villain problem in Haneef Adeni's movies: the characterisations and performances get worse with each film."[19]
Anandu Suresh of The Indian Express gave the film 1/5 stars and wrote "Ramachandra Boss and Co serves as a testament to how much a film can suffer due to subpar writing."[20]
Athira M of The Hindu reviewed and wrote "This heist comedy headlined by Nivin Pauly is sans any thrills. A weak script and poorly executed scenes take the fun out of Haneef Adeni’s movie, which stars a bunch of talented actors."[21]
References
edit- ^ "Ramachandra Boss and Co (2023) - Movie Reviews, Cast & Release Date". in.bookmyshow.com. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Nivin Pauly starrer 'Ramachandra Boss & Co.' censored with a UA certificate". The Times of India. 22 August 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ a b "'Ramachandra Boss& Co.' box office collections day 11: Nivin Pauly starrer mints only Rs 4.55 crores". The Times of India. 5 September 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "'Ramachandra Boss & Co.' teaser: Nivin Pauly's 'Pravasi Heist' looks promising". The Times of India. 12 August 2023.
- ^ "'Ramachandra Boss & Co' Twitter review: Nivin Pauly starrer heist thriller receives mixed reviews". The Times of India. 25 August 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Nivin Pauly's NP42 is now titled Ramachandra Boss and Co". Cinema Express. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "'Ramachandra Boss & Co.' trailer OUT: Nivin Pauly starrer of Haneef Adeni ready for its Onam release". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Ramachandra Boss & Co teaser: Could Dubai prove lucky for Nivin Pauly again?". OTTPlay. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Ramachandra Boss & Co | രാമചന്ദ്രബോസ് ആൻഡ് കോ: A Pravasi Heist - Mallu Release | Watch Malayalam Full Movies". Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Ramachandra Boss & Co: Nivin Pauly unveils title of Haneef Adeni film". OTTPlay. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Nivin Pauly's film with Haneef Adeni titled 'Ramachandra Boss and Co'". The Hindu. 9 July 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Ramachandra Boss and Co trailer: Nivin Pauly film promises an exciting blend of action, suspense and humour". The Indian Express. 22 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Yalla Habibi: Nivin Pauly-starrer Ramachandra And Boss Co Drops An Upbeat Track". News18. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "'Ramachandra Boss & Co.': Makers drop the groovy track 'Yalla Habibi'". The Times of India. 16 August 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ ""Yalla Habibi" song OUT: Watch Mamitha Baiju, Nivin Pauly grooving to beats in "Ramachandra Boss & Co"". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "'Ramachandra Boss & Co' trailer: Nivin Pauly and friends plan a 'high-risk-high-return' heist". The Hindu. 22 August 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Ramachandra Boss and Co review: Nivin's film scores high on humour but not heist". OTTPlay. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- ^ "Ramachandra Boss & Co review: Nivin's heist drama is all too forgettable". The News Minute. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- ^ Shrijith, Sajin (25 August 2023). "Ramachandra Boss and Co Movie Review: Nivin Pauly's heist-comedy aims to steal all your energy". Cinema Express. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ Suresh, Anandu (25 August 2023). "Ramachandra Boss and Co movie review: Nivin Pauly's heist film disappoints due to its underwhelming screenplay". The Indian Express. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ M, Athira (26 August 2023). "'Ramachandra Boss & Co' review: This heist comedy headlined by Nivin Pauly is sans any thrills". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 September 2023.