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Pakal Nakshatrangal (2008)
Self Indulgent , yet Interesting in parts
I watched this movie five years back that too in some television channel . This movie when released in 2008 didn't fair well critically or commercially .It was Anoop Menon's first script . It generated renewed interest among movie afficionados when Anoop Menon scripted movies gained much following in 2010's . In YouTube where its available for viewing, it has more than a lakh views . The comment section is full of praise for the movie ; some even lauding it as one of the best movies ever made in Malayalam! Its not the best movie made in Malayalam or one of the best. Its an interesting watch for the themes it discusses . For his first script , Anoop Menon managed to rope in Mohanlal and Suresh Gopi , two of Malayalam's superstars ! Anoop Menon - A lifelong fan of mohanlal had also written himself into movie as Mohanlal's son . It is through him the story develops ..
The story is told through the perspective of different people who interacted with the central character of the movie -famous director Siddharthan -played by Mohanlal. Siddharthan died some years back and now his creation - an intellectual club called Daffodils- is being turned into luxury apartments . The movie begins with this news and late Siddharthan and his life again comes into the limelight . Anoop Plays Adi Siddharthan. He is a world famous Indian writer nominated for the booker prize.. who worshipped and was intrigued by his mostly absent father . He decides to write a book about his father and the various women in his life .Siddharthan was an inveterate womaniser- cementing the notion the general public have about movie directors- similar to Mammootty's character in Kariyilakattu pole . Adi follows his fathers footsteps when it comes to relationships with women. You can see similar themes in many of Menon's movies - Open minded men and women having guiltless extra marital affairs .. He reminiscences on how he came to writing the book . Some years ago when he was in Kerala he met one of his fathers old cronies who gave a shocking revelation that Siddharthan was murdered. This notion is further fueled by the police officer who investigated the case (played by maniyan pilla raju). Adi decides to investigate further and goes on to meet his fathers friends as well as former lovers. Some of the elements of the plot like intellectual gathering of daffodils , certain dialogues etc reminds one of director Ranjith's scripts . Infact some scenes are similar to that of Paleri Manickyam by Ranjith.( which released in 2009) where mammootty plays both son(illegitimate) and father and investigates an old crime purportedly committed by his father. The film discusses too many themes , open relationships , friendship, suicide, mental health, love etc .. but does not impact you in anyway. Mohanlal still manages to impress us inspite of the tepidness in the plot and overly theatrical dialogues he is forced to mouth .Suresh Gopi plays a ghost hunter of all things - A role which demands little of him- it could have been done by any character actor. The movie is interesting in parts , the themes discussed are intelligent at least in concept if not in execution.. I recommend to watch it alone and when you have lot of spare time ..
Hridayam (2022)
A one time watch
A one time watch . Vineeth is tugging at heart strings using nostalgia as main ingredient .Acting is just average but the overall visual experience of the movie is brilliant .
Davena vihagun (2016)
A study in despair
The plot of the movie is a bit cliched . It's been done many times before . But the brutal honesty of storytelling and astounding performance by the lead actresses saves it and even elevates it to auteur level cinema. The story is pretty straightforward.. A recently widowed woman experiences exploitation at the hands of her employer where she worked hard to earn a living for her five children . She tries many menial jobs but everywhere she suffers abuse for her hard work . She finally decides to enter prostitution where surprisingly she finds people who are honest about themselves . Life goes on when again fate plays a cruel joke . The man who murdered her husband comes as a client . She confronts him with this but gets brutally sodomised by him . This is where I felt the director could have done better one . There could have Been a conversation there between the two about the sufferings which one had caused on the other . But instead the central character again submits to the abuse as she had been Subjected to all her oppressors .
The story then travels the obvious paths. The brothel gets raided , she is arrested and The family is humiliated . Her mother in law commits suicide and the children are left without a care . It's a grim situation which finally clears when the eldest daughter decides to take the responsibility . She Moves with the children to another city and begins to work . Her mother is released from prison and she Goes onto murders the man who was responsible for her husbands death .
She then burns her house down along with herself.
The film is very depressing and the audience feel relived that alt atleast the children are spared a grim fate . The lead actress does a terrific job as the single mother , helpless in the face of a sadistic society which revels in exploiting helpless women. We can feel the sense of despair in the scenes where she is alone .
The movie has some scenes of rape and sexual activity which are quite bold and in your face . But it's Only the truth . The society is like a vulture hovering around such women waiting for the chance to pluck at her flesh at her most vulnerable state ..it's a bold statement which unfortunately has been made by filmmaker's many time before . Hence I felt the theme could have been a bit more different.
The Equalizer (2014)
A Denzathon all the way
This is a thriller saved from B movie mediocrity if not for the standalone performance of Denzel Washington. He virtually carries the movie forward by the weight of his performance outshining all other characters including the main antagonist.
Its a must watch for every action movie fan out there.
Kalikkalam (1990)
A good thriller by Sathyan Anthikkad
Sathyan Anthikkad usually known for his family oriented movies takes a departure to film a thriller. As its a sathyan movies everything is shown in a lighter vein and the action never gets too dark or violent ala a Joshy film.
Mammootty plays a nameless thief. No backstory is given for his becoming one . This itself was unique storytelling. usually heros have names and ample justification is always given for why he chose the wrong path. This doesnt happen here. We gradually gets to know that the hero is an orphan, who chose this profession on his own. Maybe it was because he is so good at it .But to give him brownie points , the hero is a minor robin hood who helps the needy using the money he steals from fat cats and also funds a church run orphanage.
Enters CI Shekhar who is an upright police officer who quickly begins to roundup all goondas and thieves in the city . He tries to bring our hero to the book but he proves too smart him for him. There are some hilarious scenes which shows the cat and mouse chase . The pressure from his superiors and politicians slowly begins to wear out Shekhar and he gets suspended. To top it all he also becomes the prime accused in a murder and gets arrested.
luckily Our hero is a witness to this murder and knows the real culprit. Although he could remain silent and save his skin his conscience does not allow an honest police officer to become a victim.
The climax scenes where he appears at he court as a witness and reveals the true identity to the visible discomfort of the assembled police officers is hilarious .
The romantic angle is played by Shobhana, who plays the daughter of a senior police officer. It inevitably ends in heartbreak. But the hero consoles her that it was never meant to be .
The upright police officer shekhar learns the lesson that honesty and kindness can be found in the most unlikely people.
The movie was a big success at the time of its release. mammootty played a sort of anti hero which was a huge departure from his 'rama' like roles of the time. he played the role of the thief superbly. The variety of disguises and mannerisms he adopts for each of his heists were also good..
The movie had only one song, a beautiful one- Akashagopuram (sung by G venugopal) which had some funny scenes where mammootty escaping from the police by the skin of his teeth..
Overall a really watchable movie .
Artham (1989)
A Good Thriller
During the 80s and 90s famed filmmaker Sathyan Anthikkad would some times deviate from his usual subject of family melodrama and try a different genre.
His standard audience could not accept such departures resulting in the movie failing to impress at the box office.This happened in the case of good movies like sandesham - a political satire, pattanapravesham- comedy slapstick, pingami- an investigative thriller etc.. All these movies were really good ones but failed to impress the audience of that era.. Not surprisingly, they all have developed a cult following later on..
Artham is one such departure.However this was a success at the box office . This was also one of those movies of megastar Mammootty where he played the loner character unlike his early 80s films where he always played a family man(remember "mammootty, kutty, petti" films) . Another film in the same vein i can think of is Kalikkalam which was also directed by Sathyan Anthikkad .
Artham (1989) starts with a loner named Ben Narendran (Mammootty) writing a suicide note. He says that he is committing suicide as hefinds no purpose for his continued existence. He chooses to jump in front of a train . However fate intervenes when he ends up saving another young man named Janardanan (Jayaram) who has the same intention. Janardanan has committed a murder out of desperation and is scared of revenge. Narendran consoles him and offers to take the blame of the murder so that Janardanan can live freely.
Narendran gets sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. While in jail, he writes a book under the pen name "Ben" which becomes immensely popular and recieves the Academy award for that year. Journalist Manasa (Saranya) discovers that the author is behind bars and sees a story in him for her paper. Through Adv. P. S. Nenmara (sreenivasan) she gets him out on 28 days parole.
Narendran gets word that Janardanan has died mysteriously. He sets out on a mission to find the culprits with the help of Nenmara and Manasa.
The movie though dealing a serious subject has its lighter moments provided by Nenmara's infatuation with Manasa , Nenmara's servant Kunjikkanan (Mammukoyaa ) and the landlady played by Philomena..
It has a beautiful song Shyamambaram (written by Kaithapram and Music by Johnson) which is one of my favourites.
One curious thing i noted that when Ben talks about his past life, it sounds way similar to the backstory of another famous film hero Jagannathan(aaram thampuran) which came out much later in 1997 ! maybe Renjith got inspired from artham , may be not .Also the plot element of the curious journalist who gets out the prisoner who is an author on parole is similar to munnariyippu(2014). coincidences happen , don't they?
Artham is good movie to watch on a lazy afternoon.. One of mammoottys good movies.
Mukha Chithram (1991)
A good movie
I saw this movie when it released in theatres.I was in school then.it was a good entertaining movie.it had all the elements to capture the attention of audience till the end.the chemistry of the lead actors was really good. Jayaram siddique jagadeesh and and especially urvashi excelled.supporting actors like kpac lalitha and jagathi were great with the understated acting. The dialogue "echoose me(excuse me)" became a comedic phenomenon and defined the type of roles that jagadeesh got for later movies.
The plot: siddique an this love interest sunitha works as teachers in the school run by kpac lalitha who herself is the headmistress or the school.jagathy plays her do no good husband who is also employed in terms school. Jagadeesh is the 'stylish' peon who tries to impress the ladies with his broken and pathetic English .he also has the hots for sunitha and tries to impress her with his love letters.
Now the school wants a new band master. The one brought by jagathy and jagdeesh to impress lalitha creates such a ruckus that lalitha entrusts siddique with the role. He tries hard but fails.but while in town he sees jayaram who plays his musical instrument- a saxophone- for a living.he is an orphan. Siddique woos him with promise of a steady job and brings him dressed up in band master clothes and convinces everyone except jagathy and jagdeesh who are not impressed.
Jayaram quickly gains the respect of everyone especially lalitha who gives him a house to live in.being childless she consider him like a son.but jagadeesh puts oil in fire by convincing jagathy that lalitha is in love with jayaram! These leads to so e hilarious sequences..then enter urvashi one stormy night into jayaram house. She has a dark past. Siddique tells everyone that urvashi is jayaram' s wife.he even makes a wedding photo to erase any doubt. Then someone tells jayaram that the girl in the photo had died recently in a train suicide. So is urvashi a ghost? Or does she have a twin? Someone is trying to kill her..who Re they.? The story moves is into a crime thriller mod Erin the second half.how jayaram manages to outwit the criminals and save urvashi forms the rest of the story....