Which Malayalam film did you watch recently ?

[ajaybaskar]

I didnt like ONV much..

[jinju]

I didnt like ONV much..

hmm quite understandable...hear that the producer (Raju who acted as one of the businessmen who bribes Sreeni) is in a big hole after this project! i actually switched it off after the first half an hour. then watched it later coz had nothing much to do, and found it get better as it went on. liked ividam swargamanu better than ONV though.

[ajaybaskar]

Same thoughts!!

[Ilayathalapathy Fan]

Hi guys I just saw a classy malayalam film by the great director Sathyan Anthikkad and it is called Kadha Thudarunnu. It has Mamta Mohandas and Jayaram in the main roles and after watching this film I felt really good because it has been done extremely well and is very classy. I fell in love with Mamta Mohandas after seeing this film because she has performed very well in her role and yet at the same time she looks so cute as well... and it is also a big comeback for Jayaram who has given a great performance throughout the whole film.

The hit director of the 90s once again proves that he is an expert in giving feel good movies and succeeds with bringing out a story that is able to capture the heart of the audiences. Hats of to the great director and crew. I felt that we need films like this in tamil cinema and hope that malayalam directors like him will come and do original scripts here in tamil cinema for the tamil audience as well. Once again malluwood proves that it is able to give some of the best scripts/stories in Indian Cinema.

[Murali Srinivas]

Manichitrathazh and Nair Saab [back to back in Asianet & Kiran].

While much had been writen about Manichithirathazh [ofcourse it goes without saying that it deserves it], Nair Saab [though seen it couple of times] was really engaging.

Instead of treading the usual path of wronged hero single handedly bringing all evil forces to book, the screen play gives ample scope to all the actors comprising of the group of army trainees and villans too get good screen space.

The effort taken by Joshy and the the crew to shoot in snow capped Kashmir is really laudable. The entire shoot has taken place during winter it seems and it makes a pleasant viewing.

Coming to think of it, probably this must have been the last movie that was shot extensively in Kashmir before the unrest started in the state by December 1989 [Movie got released in Sep 1989].

Another thing that comes to mind is, those were the periods during which Mammootty and Malayalam movies were gaining in popularity in TN and this movie was immediately released during 1989 Deepavali. By that time I had been away from Madurai and when I came to Madurai for Deepavali, it was a pleasant surprise. But I was a bit apprehensive because it was clashing with Mappilai and Vetri Vizhaa [not to forget the Nehru Centenary one day tournament a la World Cup held in India getting telecast live] but still the movie did well.

One more thing that still remains fresh in mind is, a friend's friend after seeing the movie commented about the climax and Mammootty's reaction saying he was reminded of NT.

Thanks to Kiran TV for enabling to relive those moments.

Regards

While watching Dr.Sunny, had a feeling that we may never get to see that charming lovable Lal again. What a performance!

[jinju]

MS, nice to read ur memories on Nairsaab...!

my lasting memory of that film is 'Punjavayalu Koyyaaan' song, esply the chorus 'nellu koyyaan ninteyoppam njangalum poratte' n that 'dance' of mukesh, suresh gopi (oh how thin he was those days!), n co with an apple-plump Lizzy in a kashmiri girl costume! even after all these years, all of a sudden i'l erupt into that chorus! my wife will b laughing hearing the lyrics (she didn't know the song/film until recently, being born n brought up here in TN, her exposure to most of 80s n 90s malayalam films started after she met me!)

also, the beautiful kashmir n a stiff mammootty. somehow i never liked mammooty in such roles (of course, that's considered one of his strengths n thats how it's to be played). Personally i've liked him more when he's shed his inhibitions n got rid of the 'look-at-me-i'm mammooty n am doin a damn gud job of this tough role' kind of acting, like in Mrugaya, Amaram, Sooryamaanasam, Azhakiya Ravanan (a typical role for Lal anytime, but Mammootty was a riot, and in many ways one of my top 5 favorite Mam roles ever!), and his recent takes in Renjith films (except Prajapathi), and also the recent Vijendra Mallya in Chattambi Naadu (bah, he carried that otherwise nonsense film with such charm..."ninne nann bagga gothilla naa**nte pa***de mone!"). OVVG is an entirely different animal though! how about sharing more on ur fav mammootty roles/films (80s/90s) here as u do in the case of Nadigar Thilagam?

as for the case of Dr. Sunny n the lovable Lal, those were the days! as a fan, just making do with whatever comes nowadays...generally speaking, nothing interesting in malayalam cinema lately except some renjith outings (with all its flaws). hear that Vineeth Srinivasan's 'Traffic' is good. have u watched it?

[Murali Srinivas]

Thanks jinju.

Yes, as you said there have been quite a few people who have said the same thing about Mam's stiffness [swasam adakki, muscle pidichu varthamanam paraiyum] but as you said certain characters especially when it pertains to Army/Police, should be portrayed in such a manner to make the audience "feel" the effect. You can name AAvanaazhi, Inspector Balram, Sainiyam etc.

I am really happy (slightly surprised!) that you follow NT thread [Sorry for asking this question, you can read Tamil?]. Will definitely try to write about my fav Mam as well Lal movies here. Time is the constraint.

I haven't watched Traffic though it got released here. I also heard that movie is good!

Thanks again jinju.Will catch up.

Regards

[jinju]

welcome MS. Balram is my favorite, though they made it a joke making a sequel out of it, just as they did with a couple of Lal films too.

oh yes, i am a silent reader of the NT thread but don't dare to post there, amongst u giants! as far as my tamil reading/writing is concerned, well am getting better than i was 6-7 years back the time i shifted to Kovai (when in Kerala, the first tamil line i read is "tamizh malai, courtesy sun tv..then i decoded the letters accordingly!). but actually, ur page long reviews r read out to me patiently by my wife! my father in law (a huge NT fan) follows ur thread from time to time and shares memories!

I am going in the anticlockwise direction in terms of watching films of who i consider the greatest actor Indian cinema has seen till date. as a guy from a different generation, my exposure to NT started with his latter year films he did with Kamalji, superstar n co. But the earliest exposure was 'Karnan' when my mother took me to what we call a talkies when i was in school. Though she took me to the film for its epic content, the main thing that stayed with me was THE MAN'S acting and the baritone so much so that i went for a rewatch without the knowledge of my mother, the first film i remember doing so! if an actor can have that kind of an impact on a kid brought up in Kerala and not at all familiar with the language, then he had to be SOMETHING SPECIAL! but being in the northern part of Kerala, i hardly got to watch anymore sivaji/tamil films except the really popular ones of kamalji/superstar etc. so it kind of tapered, and then the news that Lalettan was going to share screen space with the legend got me waiting eagerly, but due to a lot of production issues, the film never seemed to come out. finally it got released (i believe due to the personal interest that Lal took) n i was literally in tears to see them share scenes together (what chemistry! both legendary for their chemistry with their co-actors), and what a starcast, nedumudi venu n thilakan also putting in strong perfomances in a not so great film, but that VCD is still treasured by me. i remember reading u lamenting about the fact that both ur favorites (NT n Mam) were supposed to do a film but it never happened, so u can understand how treasured that otherwise bland film is, for me. and then, my wife happened and i chanced upon stacks of Sivaji film CDs from my father-in-law's collection...though i watched a couple of them, the interest really rekindled after coming to the hub, reading ur's, pammalar, groucho n co's anecdotes and reviews on NT films. and now, am in the hunt for his films' CDs that my f-in-l doesn't have in his collection (wife terms it as one way of pleasing him)!

well, a big essay about NT here. hope u didn't get bored reading it! anyways, do write as i told, when u get time that is.

[jinju]

Cocktail - produced by actor Jayasurya n starring himself, samvrutha sunil, etc. bayangara thrillernu kelvipattu paathaa it's a scene by scene rehash of 'Butterfly on a Wheel/Shattered'! padupaavi, debuting as a producer with a totally different attempt that Malayalam cinema has not seen-nu ellaam channel channel-a interview kuduthu, englis padam remake pannirukkaa, at least can give credit to the original makers na *^ &*%&. for those who've not seen the original, recommended don't see this, see the original!

[Murali Srinivas]

Thanks jinju!

Getting bored? No way!

I am really moved to note about the efforts you take for going through the NT thread! And heartiest thanks to your wife for helping you out!

Again it is a pleasure to know that your F-I- Law is a great fan of NT and I have been coming across quite a few Fathers and F-I-Laws, who happen to be steadfast fans of NT. Even in my office there are few who take a printout of the NT film reviews for giving it to their parents & in-laws.

Nice to read about your journey to understand and appreciate NT and I am reminded of Prabhu who also confessed that his was also a journey in reverse direction when it comes to NT and his films.

Yes, Oru Yatra Mozhi was one of the good movies [in fact I would rate it a shade below Devar Magan] that had an enviable cast. I never miss the movie whenever it shown in Asianet. Still remember seeing the movie within a few days of its' release in July 1997 at Kottayam Anupama.

July 3rd of 1997 saw the Central Government conferring the title of Dada Saheb Phalke on NT and the next day Once More was released. 20 days later OYM released and I still remember with fondness that it was AMMA which was the first organisation to facilitate NT for Dada Saheb that was held on 24th August at Trivandrum.

I think you name NT, I will go on endlessly and so let me force myself to stop here.

Thanks again jinju for all the sharing. Would also like to thank on behalf of Swami [Pammalar] and Rakesh [Groucho]. Will catch up!

Regards