"Romance and food". Just like chalk and cheese, right? But, that is precisely what this film is all about.
For all those cynics out there, Ashiq Abu directed Salt N Pepper is a perfect example of intelligent film making. This is the story of two middle-aged people who are in the midst of loneliness and for whom the only common factor is their fondness towards tasty food. The film shows how romance blossoms between them and how their monotonous and boring lives are changed forever. All these are done with food as the main backdrop. The main characters Kalidasan (Lal) and Maya (Shweta Menon) go through a rough phase in their life as they do not have anybody whom they can all as their own. They are sensitive about their age/appearance. It is at this stage that a wrong call connects them together and that changes their lives.
This movie does not have many characters, but all the ones here are well developed and they all have a peculiarity of their own. Be it the protagonists or Kalidasan's nephew Manu (Asif Ali) or Meenakshi (Mythili) or Babu (Baburaj), all have their own identities and these characters are well etched out. May be after Pranchiyettan, we have movie that has some genuinely funny moments. The humor does gel with the story and that makes a lot of difference. Watch out for the scene where Lal invites Baburaj to his home and life. This scene no doubt brings the house down.
Another major plus point is the song picturization. Though the romantic song between Asif and Mythili do act as a speed breaker, the visuals are very good.
But the movie is not without blemishes. It tends to drag a bit in the second half, but the climax is excellent and well executed.
Though it is predictable, the director has succeded in making the audience leave the theatre with a smile on their face and that is no mean feat. On the acting front, everybody has done their parts well and kudos should be given to the director for an almost perfect casting. Watch out for Baburaj, he is the surprise package. Ashiq Abu has learnt his lessons well from Daddy Cool and here he is with a promising second movie. He is another new director to watch out for. Kudos to the team for this sweet Salt N Pepper. Go for it folks. It's not to be missed...
