In the trailer of the Basil Joseph-starrerAthiradi by debutante Arun Anirudhan, the protagonist’s confidante Prashant Raj aka Parashu, played by Shelvin James, dismisses his ambitions to bring back a suspended college festival by telling him, “Are you Jagannathan to recommence a fest,” an allusion to Mohanlal’s character in Aaraam Thampuran, released in 1997.

However, Basil’s Sam Kutty is different from the protagonist of the Shaji Kailas-film by miles. Sam’s attempted heroics are reduced to mere antics, making him a laughing stock in the BCET college, where the story is set. His self-inflated, larger-than-life image rarely translates to anything worth cheering for. But this characterisation is at the centre of what makes Athiradi an enjoyable watch, despite being a formulaic story of an underdog finally proving his mettle.

The film, penned by Arun, who is the co-writer of Minnal Murali, and Paulson Skaria, known for Kaathal - The Core, begins with a tragic incident taking place during the college festival, Arohan, two years ago. Sam’s brother, Joseph aka Joppan, played by Vishnu Agasthya, was the convener of the celebration and considers himself accountable for the mishap. Sam’s sole objective behind joining for the four-year BTech course is to restart the annual fete at college, which would help his brother find closure.

But Sam’s aspirations to have a smooth running of the fete are spoiled by Sreekuttan Vellayani, a goon-turned-musician, played by Tovino Thomas.

At its core, Athiradi, produced by Basil and Dr Ananthu S, is a tale of conflicting male egos joining the list of films such as Ayyappanum Koshiyum directed by Sachy and Driving License. by Lal Jr. Both Sreekuttan and Sam are driven by the love for their families, consumed by the thought of redemption.

During its 157-minute run-time, the film continues to create set-ups in the form of plot points and characters with satisfying payoffs. The film hinges on humour teeming with references to Gen Z culture, which works in most parts. With mentions about social media personalities and their online persona, Athiradi utilises meta references to some extent for humour.

While Basil’s over-the-top performance in the initial few sequences appear jarring, the character soon finds its rhythm, excelling in serious and comedic situations alike. The actor puts up a convincing act as the lovable goof, despite playing a role that is younger than his actual age. His chemistry with Shelvin is a joy to watch.

Tovino as Sreekuttan, a “musical goon”, as described by one of the characters in the film, steals the show with his slightly eccentric characterisation. He nails the Thiruvananthapuram slang in his dialogue delivery and has a dominating screen presence throughout.

Vineeth Sreenivasan shines in an extended cameo with music director Shaan Rahman, playing themselves. Shaan is presented as a loud character, which aligns with the film’s treatment. Jeo Baby and Zarin Shihab play their parts well. Vishnu explores guilt, sadness, and redemption in his restrained performance as Joppan.

The film feels fast-paced, moving from one highlight to another. Vishnu Vijay’s background score, especially in the scenes featuring Tovino, was top-notch. The action sequences in the film are well choreographed and a delight to watch.

However, Riya Shibu’s character, Swathy, remains underutilised with no other significant female characters in the film. The romance angle between Sam and Swathy seemed unnecessary for the film’s central plot.

Athiradi constantly turns to references to create laughter. So, understanding the jokes is primarily dependent on understanding these references, which exposes a weakness in the film’s writing.

Overall, Athiradi is a fun watch, which doesn’t take itself too seriously. The film consistently makes you laugh (if you catch the references) and recreates the vibes of a loud, energetic college fete.

Athiradi is currently running in theatres