Film: "Mannaru"; Cast: Appukutty, Thambi Ramiah and Mallika; Director: Jai Shankar; Rating: **

Here's a reality check - having two national award recipients in a film doesn't attract audiences to the theatres. "Mannaru" is a lethargic attempt by director Jai Shankar, who doesn't capitalise on the film's captivating storyline.

Mannaru, the protagonist, has no purpose in life and spends most of his time with his companion, alcohol. He helps his close friend Ganeshan get married to his girlfriend Anjali, secretively. However, circumstances force Ganeshan to leave his wife in Mannaru's custody, who takes her to his village where they pose as a married couple.

Meanwhile, a close relative called Gopi eyes Mannaru's real wife Mallika, and things start to gradually slip out of the hero's grip. What happens in the four characters' lives, forms the rest of the story.

Besides a promising plot, which gets squandered to the fullest, the film barely boasts anything worth talking or writing about. Appukutty stands out in his role, while rest of the cast falls flat, including Thambi Ramiah.

The film doesn't have a single engrossing moment. To add to the woes, the songs are literally a waste of time, especially two unwanted item numbers. There are so many loose plots in the film such as the romantic plot between Mannaru and Mallika, which only results in utter disappointment.

Set in the backdrop of Kodaikanal, the locations in the film are pleasant to the eyes and are something to look forward to. You're also left with few striking similarities between this film and Appukutty's last film "Azhagarsami". These scenes appear as though they were deliberately included in the film to earn the audience's attention.

In essence; "Mannaru", with a promising plot, is a film gone awry in its presentation.