It's a plain narrative toeing the lines of culinary traditions in Kerala. Shekhar Menon (Devan), an affluent Keralite based in Qatar, desires to serve Kerala's traditional cuisine to the guests at his daughter's wedding. The culinary desire takes him to the doorstep of Valliyottu Thirumeni (Nedumudi Venu).
Thirumeni's flesh, blood and even breath is powered by an overwhelming understanding of the state's exquisite cuisine. He is a culinary connoisseur possessing the intricate skills of a fine chef apart from being a treasure trove of various secret mixes that give exquisite flavours to his recipes.
Such is the repute of his mastery that even uninvited guests flock to weddings if Thirumeni is in charge of the kitchen. When Thirumeni and his family departs for Qatar to supervise the traditional banquet, he had some forebodings regarding the marriage itself. But since he was invited by superstar Mohanlal at the behest of Shekhar Menon, Thirumeni could not turn down the request either.
What follows after Thirumeni's entourage including his wife, his son Balashankar (Indrajith) and his assistant Govindan Nair (Nandu) land in Qatar on a 'mission feast', form the crux of the movie.
The course meanders through shallow troughs and easy crests leaving no room to sigh or heave or even think a little deeper. Besides, a lot of blank spaces within the business of sequences mar the flow.
Nedumudi Venu essays his role with precision and so does Devan. Janaki, the bride (Varuna Shetty), is almost inactive. Indrajith looks vapid all along. The humour is naively executed by Nandu.
Despite a lack of cohesion, Rasam somehow manages to grab the viewer's attention. Perhaps, Mohanlal's presence has worked out as a charming relief. The songs are mediocre both in words and notes. However, the background score stands apart.
Rasam is a sincere attempt at serving some lukewarm entertainment.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5