Thomas who is now dying wants his son Alex (Manoj K Jayan) to have more freedom in the firm, which Albert doesn’t allow. Amidst all the tension comes Hilda Varghese (Nithya), a young woman who has idolized Samson when she saw him ten years back, when, in the early stages of his career, he had built a church in her hometown and climbed to the top to place a flower wreath on its tower during its dedication ceremony. Albert had promised Hilda, then a girl of twelve, “a kingdom”. Now, young Hilda has come to collect her kingdom and she helps him get a peek of his tough self.

Technical Expertise
Aakasha Gopuram, an adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen classic Master Builder, is directed by K. P. Kumaran who is known for his deep commitment to female empowerment through his films. He has set it in London among the Indian immigrant community. The direction is slick and holds the viewer. Santosh C Thundiyil’s camerawork is worth a mention.

Mohanlal is very good in his role but he should seriously do something about his weight as it doesn’t suit that character. The wig worn to make him look middle-aged takes away his charm since he is playing his own age. Newfind Nithya has performed like a pro. She performs with her eyes. This was Bharat Gopi’s last film before his death and like always, he is very good as Abrahim Thomas. Kerala’s first international film Aakash Gopuram brings together talents from the Hollywood, UK, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam film industries and has music by BAFTA and multiple Emmy award winner John Altman, sound design by Nigel Holland and visual effects by John Harvey and Jonathan Trussler.

Verdict
There are times when one doesn’t understand what is going on in the minds of the characters and this takes the film away from its track. The film deserves two stars; one for Nithya’s rapt performance and another for the camerawork.