Tejas Nair

It's a real treat to watch Cochin Express more than 50 years since its release. More than the elongated plot that's a whodunnit, I was more occupied at relishing the production setup. The old train, railway stations, hotels, and streets gave me a great experience as I followed Prem Nazir and Adoor Bhasi into the by-lanes of Madras and Cochin to find who killed that wealthy man in a moving train. It is this film that showed me how Jagathy Sreekumar and Innocent were influenced by Bhasi's slapstick. It was also a treat to see Prathapachandran in his youth; I have only seen him as an oldie, reminiscent of Manu Uncle which I recently watched. A classic worth visiting.