This year's Vishu release Moz & Cat starring Dileep in the lead role for the first time in a film by director Fazil, has everything going for it in the beginning. For starters the Malayalam film has a plot that Fazil has proved to be good with; a comedy track (with an actor having the flair for handling it), a child actor (Baby Nivedhitha) and an element of suspense by means of a damsel in distress (newcomer Ashwathy Ashok).
Alas, our hopes are crushed within the first half an hour of the film.
Moz D Samuel (Dileep) is a small time swindler who takes the help of an orphaned child Tessy (Baby Nivedhitha) to pose as father-daughter duo to cheat people. Moz does not even spare a priest (Jagathy Sreekumar) and an orphanage run by him when it comes to cheating money.
So, what is the big twist? It comes in the form of Nandana Vasudev (Ashwathy Ashok) a rich heiress of a business magnet settled in Bangalore, who becomes a victim of the duo a couple of times, but strangely takes a liking for them, and even takes them home to stay with her. Suddenly, another strange character appears on the scene in the form of a drunkard Sumesh (Rahman).
It is clear that the veteran writer director is way over his head. The whole story and film have a patchwork feel without any cohesive connection. The audience is made to sit and suffer praying for it to end at the earliest.
Dileep tries hard to be intense and sincere, even while making faces and doing crass things. No wonder his effort falls apart. Baby Nivedhitha is the real star of the film though she tends to go overboard as any child artist would in such a film. Newcomer Ashwathy tries her best to match her histrionic skills with her charming looks but she fights a losing battle.
All seen and suffered; Fazil's Moz & Cat may just turn out to be the biggest disappointment of this festive season.
Rediff Rating: 
