This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Whatever be one's opinion on the movie as a whole, there can be no denying the impact it had for the better on Malayalam Cinema. This was a landmark film in Malayalam movie history simply because it marked the definite turning of the tide from the mediocre and mostly sub-par work which was being churned out of this once luminous film industry. Speaking as someone who was depressed at the state of Malayalam cinema in the first decade of the 21st century, I am eternally grateful to the whole team behind this masterstroke of a movie, especially its director, Rajesh Pillai. Because post this, it looked like our cinema just couldn't stop being experimental. I can unabashedly say that I am a huge fan of new age Malayalam cinema and its embracing of modern storytelling themes. But without this to lay down the marker and challenge an audience which seemed to be creeping into acceptance of the superstar parodies of neighboring states, the change may not have taken wings.The premise is simple. A famous actor's daughter is dying and needs a heart transplant. An accident happens and a matching donor is suddenly found. Now it's a question of getting the heart from one city to the other in the middle of rush hour traffic in a couple of hours so that the transplant can be done before it is futile. But the emotional trip this puts us through is what the movie is all about. Adrenalin rush at one point, emotional outbursts at another point, a whole host of characters are brought together in intersecting story lines. They all perform well, but special mention must go to Lena and Kunchako Boban, both in stereotype defying roles which probably resurrected their careers. However, after a long time in Malayalam, here was a movie which rather than being noticed for superstar actors had instead a superstar script, and found overwhelming acceptance from a state known for its acceptance of good films but deprived of the same at the time.Sadly though, Rajesh Pillai passed away recently. His first movie was the forgettable Hridayathil Sookshikaam (Kunchako Boban and Bhavana in the lead) and he disappeared from the scene for a while before unleashing this thunderbolt out of the blue. His subsequent movies didn't live up to the almost impossible expectations this one set, though I did like the pleasant Milli. However sad his passing, we can have the consolation that he left behind such an epoch defying movie for us to savor.

Yes the movie is actually a new ray of hope in Malayalam movie with its fresh story and narrative. Talents like Rajesh Pillai needs to be encouraged at a time when there is a huge black hole in the terms of fresh story. We have been treated with reused story line. Its just like saying as old wine in new bottle. Bobby and Sanjay also needs to be encouraged for treading a new path rather than using the old formulas. It also needs to be encouraged the fact that the movie doesn't boast of big names in the industry.Talented actors such as Sreenivasan and Sai Kumar had lived up to expectations. Kunchako Boban too in his new avatar has been constantly been improving with each releases. Anoop Menon and Asif Ali performance also needs a special mention.The story interludes into different aspects of different people in different spectrum's of life on a particular day and how at one point of the story these different people join for a common goal. This is actually the highlight of the movie where it was able to bring together the feelings and complexities in emotions of different people in different spectrum's of Life Sidharth Shankar (Rahman) is getting ready for the release of his new film. On the same day, Traffic Constable Sudevan (Sreenivasan) joins back on duty, after being suspended from service for taking bribes. The day is special for Dr. Abel (Kunchako Boban) who is celebrating his first wedding anniversary. Raihan (Vineeth Sreenivasan), an aspiring television journalist, is starting his first job with an interview with Sidharth Shankar the very same day.On a particular day at a crowded traffic junction in Kochi, Raihan and Rajeev (Asif Ali), traveling in a bike is fatally hit by a speeding car at the signal. Raihan was all set to interview the superstar, Siddharth Shankar. Also at the junction, in another car, was the surgeon Dr. Abel.Raihan goes into comma and is declared brain dead although he is kept alive using ventilator. Meanwhile, Siddharth's ailing daughter's condition becomes worse and she urgently needs a heart transplant. At first Raihan's parents does not agree to take their son of the ventilator and donate their son's heart but Rajeev and Raihan's girlfriend persuades them into it. Now that the heart is available, the problem was with transporting it from Kochi to Palakkad. No chartered flights or helicopters were available and so the heart has to be taken by road. Someone has to drive the 150 kilometers in under two hours during the rush traffic.City Police Commisoner Ajmal Nazar (Anoop Menon) is asked to carry out the mission. He initially refuses considering the complexity and risk involved in the mission. But finally he heeds to the persuasion of Dr.Simon D'souza (Jose Prakash). Sudevan, being an experience driver who has driven as an escort for ministers, volunteers to be the driver of the Jeep because he wanted to regain the name he lost due to the bribe incident. Accompanying them on this mission is Dr Abel and Rajeev.Everything goes smoothly for sometime. But at a point the police team loses contact with the vehicle and it mysteriously disappears. Later it was understood that before the mission commenced, Dr Abel had hit and run his wife when he discovered her affair with his best friend. Abel tries to sabotage the mission in an attempt to escape, but Sudevan and Rajeev manages to convince him to save the girl's life. All goes well and they reach the hospital in time to save the girl's life.I would give 8 out of 10 for this movie for its freshness in thought and the attempt to convert it into a watchable movie without the usual gimmicks of heavily invested movies. Thumps up for all those behind the movie and hope to be treated with more of such movies in future

'Traffic' is undoubtedly, a carefully crafted work, flowing through deep emotional,tensed and dramatic moments. The thrilling plot similar to some of Hollywood's, the movie thrills with parallels weaved from four different angles of a police constable, a movie superstar, a divorced lady, a dying news reporter and his parents. Well worked screenplay,excellent direction, good apt background music and outstanding performance from some good actors all make this movie a heartwarming ride. Kudos!!Still, it's a shock that veterans like Saikumar who delivered a class,subtle and marvelous performance in this movie are still underrated or partially utilized. 'Traffic' - 'never miss'.

Rajesh R Pillai with is his second film in malayalam industry after his debut film hridayathil sookshikkan has given something memorable to the audience of Kerala. Though the film has strong similarities to many other Hollywood films, we cannot say that it is a copy. The film is set on a usual urban day at Kochi. We have 4 parallel stories in this movie and the 4 of them gets mixed together after a tragic accident occurs to one of them at a crowded junction in Kochi. The 4 main lead actors are Sreenivasan, Rahman, Kunchacko Boban and Vineeth Sreenivasan. All the actors have given a strong performance and a special mention to Asif Ali. The script looks solid enough to make the film contest for the highest grossing malayalam movies of this year. I strongly believe that movies like these will certainly lift malayalam cinema industry from its current crisis and will help build a unique era the industry haven't witnessed before. I would give the film 8.7 out of 10 (since IMDb doesn't allow that, I would give it a 9). Just go for it and make this movie a hit!!!