Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language science fiction comedy-drama film written and directed by Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval (in his directorial debut), produced by Santhosh T. Kuruvilla, and starring Suraj Venjaramoodu, Soubin Shahir, Sooraj Thelakkad, Kendy Zirdo, and Saiju Kurup.
In the plot, Subramanian (Soubin Shahir) goes to Russia for work, leaving his old-age father Bhaskaran Poduval (Suraj Venjaramoodu) with an android called Kunjappan (Sooraj Thelakkad) to take care of him.
[1] Bhaskaran Poduval (Suraj Venjaramoodu) is a stubborn old man who is very reluctant to get accustomed to any new-age technology and is therefore seen as a 'boomer' by some of the younger men in town.
Subramanian feels guilty about his inability to take care of his father, and he discusses the idea of resigning with Hitomi and his boss.
That night, Hitomi and Subramanian watches a CCTV Camera footage of a previously modelled robot strangling its aged customer to death.
Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 marks the directorial debut of Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval who has also written the screenplay.
[2] For the role of 80-year old Bhaskara Poduval, an older actor was being sought; but Shahir and producer Santhosh T. Kuruvilla suggested Suraj Venjaramood who is in his 40s and works primarily as a comedian.
[13] Sify rated 3.5 in a scale of 5 and wrote: "With an interesting idea, the writer-director packages an engaging drama with smart scenes, with a good dose of comedy and sentiments ... Android Kunjappan version 5.25 is a delightful comedy that may not be perfect, but gives enough good moments to the viewer" and praised the "terrific form" of Suraj.
[14] Firstpost also rated 3.5 out of 5 stars, stating that "Android Kunjappan is unrelentingly funny, yet it is at all times profoundly philosophical", the film's "all-round adorability overshadows its flaws and moments of hesitation" and that Shahir is "pitch perfect" and Suraj is "astonishingly good".
[15] Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars, Manorama Online said that "Android Kunjappan has a fresh and intriguing plot ... even though the focus is on AI and futurism, the sharp satirist in Ratheesh is at play throughout the film.
As the scriptwriter, he has managed to craft some caricature-like characters and situations suited for a rustic scenario, without affecting the flow of the movie even a bit".
[16] The News Minute also rated 3.5 out of 5, and stated that "this story about an old man and a robot is very, very refreshing indeed for the Malayalam film industry.
[17] The Times of India rated 3 out of 5 stars and states that there are many wonderful moments in the first half, "be it as technology, some refreshing comic bits, novel characterizations, story settings and more, the film impresses", but post-interval, "the kind of nemesis created for Kunjappan is impact-less, and the presentation of complications in the situation also emerge a bit dull".
[18] The Hindu wrote that "at the core, the filmmaker is handling an age-old theme in our cinema, on the need to take care of the elderly ... although there is the expected moralizing that comes with the theme, the film almost stays clear of preaching ... the scriptwriter appears a little clueless as to how to end it all, which probably led to the slightly contrived climactic sequences", but praised the performance of Suraj.
[19] Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion South wrote "The small scenes work beautifully but the bigger themes aren’t handled as well.
However, he also revealed that the movie doesn't follow the original's story even though the robot, which was abandoned by the end of the film, will make an appearance.