VIRUS
Virus Story: A series of deaths in Kerala’s Kozhikode and Malappuram districts shock medical practitioners. Then, as the State confirms the outbreak of a deadly virus named Nipah, a group of medical professionals, health officials and the people of the districts join together to tackle it.
Virus Review: Nurse Akhila, who took care of Zachariah, a youth who was admitted to her hospital for fever, headache and vomiting, is now wheeled into the causality at Kozhikode Medical College and she asks to be intubated. “I can’t breathe anymore. My daughter, I breastfed her,” she whines. As Rima Kallingal portrays Akhila with perfection, Malayalis will definitely think back to the heroic, 32-year-old nurse, Lini Puthussery who died treating the first victim of the Nipah virus in Kerala.
A year after Kerala witnessed the shocking outbreak, Aashiq Abu comes up with a realistic narrative based on it. Apart from Kozhikode-native Zachariah, more cases are identified in adjacent places and the death toll rises. Slowly, medical professionals confirm that a deadly virus named Nipah is spreading across the districts. It becomes an emergency situation, and medical practitioners and healthcare professionals, led by Health Minister C K Prameela and District Collector Paul V Abraham, camp in Kozhikode to tackle the crisis.
The film progresses as a chronological depiction of the real-life experiences in Kozhikode and Malappuram which we are aware through the news reports. It, in a way, pays tribute to scientists, medical professionals and the people who came forward to support the team to solve the virus attack.
A movie with a stellar cast—including Revathy as Health Minister, Parvathy, Kunchacko Boban, Rahman, Sreenath Basi, Indrajith and Unni Maya as medical practitioners, Tovino as district collector, Poornima as health service director and Asif Ali, Soubin, Dharshana and Madonna Sebastian as patients—flows at a captivating pace in the beginning. It tells a story that is hard, realistic and a bit close to the bone, as you are aware that the disease is back for real in the State now.
However, as the film documents the events from a year back, there seems a lot going on at the same pace, making it difficult to connect at times with any one character in the second half. While trying to create the backstory of each Nipah-affected patient, the writers create various mini dramas, but have they done justice to each one?
While in many parts of the film, the makers try to prove that the Nipah outbreak in Kerala isn’t a bio-weapon attack by any other country or organisation (indirect mention that the Central Government wanted it to be so), the director, subtly, brings in a bit of his Leftist politics, suggesting how the LDF government tackled the issue. Ironically, the film is released at a time when a patient in Kochi is under observation due to Nipah virus.
The film’s narrative has a striking resemblance to the Hollywood medical thriller, 'Contagion'. Rajeev Ravi’s cinematography sets the right tone for the docu-fiction. Sushin Shyam’s music is good, but if it gels with the film is another concern. As the film’s central character is Nipah, it is tough to point out any individual performance as remarkable.
On the whole, the film can be called as a well-crafted multi-starrer, fictional documentation of news reports on the Nipah virus attack that shocked Kerala and still looms over us.
THOTTAPPAN
Story: After the death of Jonappan, Itthaque finds himself caring for his friend's daughter Sarah as her godfather. They develop a very close and affectionate bond where they both are protective of each other. But will it stand the test of time?
Review: Written by PS Rafeeque, Thottappan is based on an eponymous Malayalam short story by Francis Noranha. Vinayakan plays the titular character of Sarah's godfather, aka her Thottappan, Itthaque. Shanavas K Bavakutty proved his mettle with Kismath. So, with his talent teamed with a powerhouse performer like Vinayakan in the lead Shanavas K Bavakutty could only reap brilliance. And it has.
Jonappan and Itthaque are friends as thick as thieves and also, thieves. But when Jonappan is suddenly murdered Itthaque finds himself taking care of his infant Sarah as her godfather. Sara and Itthaque develop a warm and protective bond for each other; and both seething for revenge to the man who murdered Jonappan.
Vinayakan, known for his gritty and rustic characters, takes to Itthaque as fish to water. Itthaque is a thief, yes, but he is also a peoples' man and is loved in his island. Vinayakan nothing less than what would be expected of him. And, if anything, his performance is only slightly eclipsed by the splendor of Roshan Mathew as Esmu. Roshan's character, with the myriad of shades between black and white is portrayed with finesse. Priyamvada Krishnan, entrusted with the character of Sarah, holds her place matching with the powerhouses that are Vinayakan and Roshan Mathew. It is not to say that she gives them a competition, but nevertheless, she does match up to them. Reghunath Paleri as Adruman is a revelation on the screen. The music by Leela L Girish Kuttan is captivating, and so is the background score by Jithin Varghese. Three cheers to the music department that raises the narrative with their soulful charms. The island where the story is based is beautiful and geographically bountiful, and Suresh's camera makes good use of the same.
Thottappan is an atmospheric movie. And hence takes a while to unravel and that might not suit every palate. However, the narrative rhythm does make it worthwhile. Manoj K Jayan as Fr.Peter often turns out to be the comic relief, but feels far from a relief. The comedy seems stretched out and repetitive, one we've seen him do umpteen times, only not as a priest. Over that it may not bode well that the story gets predictable as it nears the conclusion.
The story starts as a feel good movie and steadily turns into a suspenseful intrigue. Kudos to the writer and director for the dexterous execution of a tender story of a father-daughter duo that stealthy turns into one of intrigue and suspense. Be fairly warned that if you are only looking for a feel-good movie then you may steer clear. But the well etched out characters and the bittersweet ending does make for a compelling storytelling and an endearing visual experience. And that makes Thottappan a definite treat for a movie enthusiast.
THAMAASHA
Story: Sreeni, a bald 31-year-old, finds it tough to get a girl to like or marry him. Will lady love ever bless him?
Review: Body shaming has been used as a template for humour in our films for many years, though on and off, there has been isolated attempts at normalising characters who are generally prone to the same. Thamaasha, starring Vinay Forrt and Chinnu in the lead, is a simple, sweet movie that tells a tale that most are familiar with, though in a hearty manner.
A college faculty aged 31, Sreeni's bald head and simple looks are often talking points in his family, which is obsessed with finding him a match. And the marriage market, which feeds on the tall, fair and handsome has no mercy. One after the other, his attempts at finding love go for a toss leaving him in despair, each time.
Though titled Thamaasha, the film deals which a subject that isn't the least funny - body shaming. Be it someone's weight, hair or complexion, our society is quite 'smart enough' to find something or the other to bodyshame most people. And only God can save you if you are of the 'marriageable age' and is looking for a companion via the 'arranged' route.
Thamaasha, alongside ridiculing the shamers, also shows convincingly how what's most important is the reconditioning of the mind and spirit of those who turn victims. It shows the plight of those who have endured a host of insults and verbal jabs for the kind of bodies they have. Growing a thick skin and confident attitude is of utmost importance in today's world of trollers.
Thamaasha's story isn't something one hasn't heard before - you might have seen or heard very similar stories a thousand times in real life, short films or even in movies.
Regardless, it succeeds in keeping you glued to the screen for the whole two hours. And when the end credits roll, it can even leave a lump in the throat, if you have endured at least ten per cent of what the characters have gone through - be it in love or in the battle of 'fitting in' to the conventional. The performances of Vinay Forrt, Chinnu, Grace Antony and others are all quite touching and effortless that you feel with them. Its songs are also beautiful.
This film has got what it takes to both entertain and educate the audience and if what you care the most about isn't star power but moving cinema, Thamaasha deserves your time without a doubt.
ISHQ
Story: The film involves a situation that a love-struck couple gets dragged into, while on a late-night drive.
Review: Shane Nigam starrer ‘Ishq’ clearly says it is not a love story in its tagline. And what the movie has in store are relatable moments that many today face in our society.
Sachi (Shane) and Vasudha (Ann Sheetal) bond over chai, and they make plans to go for a long drive. Their interaction gets laced with the many cute moments one would go through when struck by love for the first time. Ideally, romantic moments should have followed. However, what awaited the couple in Ishq were situations they were least prepared for.
The film gives a glimpse into the kind of moral policing that many are constantly subjected to, on our streets. It also shows how such experiences get etched into the minds of those who have had to go through such ordeals. Shane Nigam effortlessly portrays the character that transforms from a harmless guy to that of a revenge seeker. Similarly, leading lady Ann Sheetal depicts the strength of Vasudha with aplomb. Even Shine Tom Chacko evokes the right emotions in us, through his character that can be termed quite creepy. Leona plays her part well, as his wife.
The constant ogling, sleazy comments and character assassination that women are subjected to, when spotted with men in public, are aptly brought out through the scenes in the movie. The finesse with which the film’s director showcases our society’s double standards when it comes to treating couples or women also deserves a mention. It urges the audience to cheer for the revenge story, and the answers to the many questions triggered within viewers while watching Ishq are cleared at the right junctures of the story.
The songs composed by Jakes Bejoy are tailor-made for the film’s situations, and the song 'Parayuvaan,' by Sid Sriram stays with you.
Kalidas Meenakuzhambum Manpaanayum on Nov 11
Popular Malayalam actor Jayaram's son Kalidas Tamil Movie MeenkuzhambumManpaanayum will hit the theatres on November 11. Kalidas fans are eagerly awaiting the release, which has veteran star Kamal Hassan and Prabhu doing pivotal roles.
The comedy entertainer, written and directed by Amudheswar, has Ashna Zaveri opposite Kakidas.This big budget movie is being produced by RG Dusshyanth and Abirami Dusshyanth under Sivaji Productions.
As the title of the movie sounds delightful, so too is shooting spots which was done in Chennai and Malasia.
No more skin show, only acting: Nayans
South Indian glamour girl Nayantara has made a bold statement- “If it is for acting, approach me and I’m not any more game for skin show…”
It seems that directors will have to succumb to the condition put forward by the actress, who is on a roll with a number of hits films.
In a Venkitesh starrer, Nayans had appeared in a glamorous role. It was this that inspired a producer and director to approach her with the offer of a steamy role. She stated her condition and they had to return disheartened.
All Nayan’s films released this year were successes. Kashmora directed by Gokul is her latest release.
kunchacko, Meera in Poomaram
In the film Poomaram, which will see Kalidas Jayaram debuting as the hero, Meera Jasmine and Kunchacko Boban will have notable roles. But director Abrid Shine is not ready to disclose more details about the film.
“In the film both will be having small roles but at the same time, their characters will make a strong presence in the story,” the director said.
When asked about the film’s heroine, Abrid said, “In the film there is nothing like heroine… It is the story of a bunch of girl students. 30-35 girls are acting. Each one will have importance in the story”.
Someone misusing my name and issuing statement: Kamal Haasan
CHENNAI: Veteran star Kamal Haasan today claimed that a statement issued in his name, about his split from partner Gautami Tadimalla, did not belong to him.
"At this point of time, I am not issuing any statement," he said, in an apparent reference to his split with Gautami.
The 61 year-old actor also said that someone was "playing" by issuing a statement in his name.
"It is indecent that someone is playing by issuing a statement in my name," the actor-producer said in a Tamil tweet.
Haasan's response came in the wake of a statement doing the rounds in the social media in his name on the pair's split.
Gautami yesterday announced she was parting ways with Haasan, her partner for 13 years, terming it as "one of the most devastating decisions that I have ever had to make in my life."
She did not specify any reason for the separation.
Meanwhile, Haasan's daughter Shruti, who reportedly had a showdown with Gautami a few months ago, chose not to comment on the matter.
"Shruti has never commented on anyone's personal life and their decisions. For her, what matters most is standing by, loving and respecting her family - her parents and her sister (Akshara), no matter what," a statement from her office said.
Earlier, there were reports that Shruti wasn't happy with Gautami's choice of clothes for her character in her father directed trilingual "Sabaash Naidu" and had brought in her own outfits.
The film will see the actress share screen space with her father for the first time. Shruti, however, had refuted the reports.
Birthday boy Shah Rukh Khan turns 51
Mumbai : Shah Rukh Khan, whose career of 28 years has been him charm the audience first as an anti-hero and then as the undisputed "King of Romance', celebrates his 51st birthday today.
The actor has been working non-stop for the past few months shooting "Raees", Dear Zindagi" and Imtiaz Ali's next, and he rang in his birthday with his family in Alibaug.
SRK is one of the most sought-after actors in the film industry today, but he made humble beginning from the small screen, featuring in shows like "Fauji" "Circus" and others.
After having a successful stint on television, he turned towards Bollywood with "Deewana" in 1992.
'Dhoni' touches Rs 200 crore-mark at box office
MUMBAI: Producers Fox Star Studios today said biopic "MS Dhoni: The Untold Story" has earned Rs 204 crore at the box office globally.
The film about Team India skipper M S Dhoni has earned Rs 175.7 crore in India and Rs 29 crore overseas, producers said.
It was released on September 30. Helmed by Neeraj Pandey, the film features Sushant Singh Rajput as Dhoni and also stars Kiara Advani, Disha Patani, Anupam Kher and Bhumika Chawla.
Aparna Murali in Tamil
Having won the hearts of Malayalis as Jincy in Maheshinte Prathikaram, Aparna Murali is debuting in Tamil.
The film, to be directed by Sree Ganesh, is titled 8 Thottakal and is going to be a crime thriller.
Aparna will play Meera, a journalist. The film will tell the story of influence of a crime on a middle class family.
Vetri is the hero and Chennai is the main shooting location.
The director said he was inspired by Maheshinte Pratikaram to choose Aparna for his film.
"I am happy to debut in Tamil. I like the story too as it is something I have not tried," she says.
Oru Mutthassi Gada has been Aparna's last film in Malayalam.
Pulimurugan to be dubbed in Chinese, Vietnamese
Shortly after delivering a blockbuster with Oppam, megastar Mohanlal is back with Pulimurugan, which opened to favourable reviews from fans. Now, Pulimurugan is set to go global as the film will be dubbed in Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi and English.
This was disclosed by Mohanlal himself to a TV channel in Mumbai after the film was screened to his friends and well-wishers.
"This is perhaps the best action film of mine and this is going to be dubbed into Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindi and English," said Mohanlal.
Pulimurugan, made at a cost of Rs 25 crore, released last week in close to 400 screens in the state. In five days since its release, it has crossed the Rs 20 crore mark and the film is touted to be the fastest Malayalam film to cross this mark.
One of the reasons for the stupendous success of Pulimurugan is the actor takes on a tiger and this has enthralled not just his fans but even the ordinary film-goers.
Produced by Tomichan Mulakupadam, Pulimurugan co-stars Kamalini Mukherjee, Lal, and Jagapathi Babu.
Directed by Vysakh, the film has music by Gopi Sundar.
Mohanlal-Manju pair again
Mohanlal and Manju Warrier are again coming together fter Sathyan Anthikkad’s Ennum Eppozhum. This time, it is for Joshy’s new project.
Ranjan Pramod is scripting the film, it is said, but he has denied this news.
Meanwhile, Manju has not confirmed her role in the film. She is currently acting in c/o Saira Bhanu being directed by newbie Antony Sony. Here she will appear as a postwoman.
The actress, who is doing the title role in the film, also plays Kismat fame Shane Nigam’s mother here.
After 25 years, yesteryear actress Amala Akkineni is also appearing in an important role in the film
Chennai : Actor Arvind Swamy, currently busy shooting for Ram Charan-starrer Telugu actioner "Dhruva", is all set to make his singing debut with upcoming Tamil action-thriller "Bogan", a source said.
"It's a very interesting song and composer Imman felt Aravind's voice will fit the bill. Aravind Swamy has already recorded half of the song and he will complete the rest this week," a source from the film's unit told IANS.
"Bogan", which is tipped to be the official remake of Nicolas Cage-starrer "Face-off", stars Jayam Ravi and Aravind in the lead.
The film also stars Hanshika Motwani and Akshara Gowda in important roles.
On the career front, Aravind has filmmaker Bala's yet-untitled Tamil project in his kitty, apart two of his scripts, which he plans to direct.
Professor Dinkan on November 2
‘Professor Dinkan’ is the film to be directed by Ramachandra Babu with Dileep in the lead.
The shoot of the film will begin in Thiruvananthapuram on Nov 2. The script is by director-script writer Rafi. The film will be a 3D one and the camera will cranked by Ramachandra Babu.
The film, a fantasy-filled family entertainer, will be produced by Sanal Thottam, under the banner New TV. Dileep is doing the role of Deepankuran, a magician.
Gerogettan’s Pooram is Dileep’s another film. Biju is scripting and directing the film after Dr Love. Dileep will play George and Ranji Panicker as Mathews Vaddakkan. Rajeesha Vijayan, who had earned fame through Anuraga Karikkin Vellam is the heroine. Vinay Fort and Sherafuddhin will have significant roles.
Pranav in Saundarya's film
Rajanikanth’s daughter and director Soundarya Rajanikanth is going to concentrate more on films, post her marriage collapse. Her sister’s husband and actor Dhanush is writing the script for the film. Tamil’s big time producer Kalaipulai S Thanu will produce the film.
There are reports that actor Mohanlal’s son Pranav Mohanlal is playing the lead.
Pranav, who is making a comeback in Malayalam film through Jeethu Joseph’s new film, could be debuting in Tamil through this film. But, this is yet to be confirmed, officially.
Soundarya entered the directorial scene by making the graphics film Kochadiyaan, starring Rajanikanth.
Sreenivasan in ‘Ayal Sasi’
Malayalis can never forget Saroj Kumar in Udayananu Tharam, Viswanathan in Mukunthetta Sumithra Vilikkunnu, all that showcased actor Sreenivasan’s wonderful performance. Sasi Namboothiri is one such character who tries everything in his bag of tricks to create an identity of his own.
Sasi is the lead character in the film Ayal Sasi to be enacted by Sreenivasan. The director is Sajin Babu.
P Sukumar and Sudheesh Pillai is producing the film. Kochu Preman, Anil Nedumangadu, and Kammattipadam fame Divya Gopinath are other artistes in the film. Cinematography is by Pappu. The plan is to release the film in January soon after the shoot is complete.
Remuneration is not first priority, says Anupama
Premam girl Anupa is waiting for the release of the Telugu version of the film. Anupama is playing the same role she played in the original Malayalam version.
The character’s name is Suma. “Whether a character is big or small, I like to do experiment with it. My wish is to act without break but that doesn’t mean that I will jump into a project. Now I don’t have the capacity or experience to a character. When I gain confidence to do that, I shall do it. For me, the remuneration is not the first priority,” she says.
'Why Kattapa Killed Baahubali'; logo released
Hyderabad: The official logo of S.S Rajamouli's magnum opus "Baahubali: The Conclusion", the second and final part of the franchise, was released here on Friday.
The logo, with the tag line "Why Kattappa Killed Baahubali" was released by Raajamouli.
"We will wrap up the shoot by December. Some scenes and two songs are pending as of now. The film will release on April 28, 2017," Rajamouli told reporters.
He also revealed that on Friday the teaser of "Baahubali" animation series will be launched on Amazon Prime.
The first look of "Baahubali 2," according to Rajamouli, will be released on the eve of actor Prabhas's birthday on October 22.
The film also stars Rana Daggubati, Sathyaraj, Thamannah Bhatia and Ramy KRishnan
Lelam 2 coming
The second part of Joshy's directorial venture Lelam is coming soon. The sequel will be directed by Nithin Ranji Panicker. Ranji Panicker is scripting the film and he only had scripted the first part. Suresh Gopi will again appear as film's protagonist Anakkattil Chackochi. The film is planned for release in 2017. More details are not available. For Kasaba director the sequel to Lelam which is resplendent with action scenes and dialogues is a challenge. Nandini who played Gauri Parvathy, the heroine in Lelam will be present in part 2.
MG Soman, Kochin Haneefa and N F Vargheese, who shined in the first part are not alive today.
Thamil film industry calling Manju Warrier
Manju Warrier, who returned back to the Malayalam film industry after a gap of 14 years, is making a grand entry into a Tamil film. Earlier there were reports that she would be seen with Surya. Now we hear that she is paired opposite Arvind Swamy who came back with Thani Oruvan.
Some film sources said Ramana who directed Vijay’s super hit film Thirumalai offered her the role. Manju accepted the film titled Vannam as the script was good.
Manju, who is legally separated from her husband Dilip, made a comeback with Roshan Andrews How Old Are You. Many directors had tried to bring Manju to kollywood
Ajay, Kajol visit Facebook campus
San Francisco: Popular Bollywood couple Ajay Devgn and Kajol visited the Facebook campus here. Kajol has also joined the social networking site.
Ajay and Kajol, who have been married for 17 years, paid a visit to the Facebook office on Friday.
Excited about her first post, she said in a video:" Hey guys! I just left the Facebook campus and it was really amazing. But I think I was launching my Facebook page because of that today (Friday) and it's my mother's(Tanuja) birthday. So, Happy Birthday mom and I love you."
She also spoke about her husband's "parched," which hit the screens on Friday.
"Parched is releasing as well and it's the perfect day for release just because it's your birthday," she said in the video.
The couple, Currently in the US to promote Ajay's directorial "Shivaay", have also visited New York, Chicago and Dallas.
Ajay took to Twitter on Saturday to share his experience at the Facebook office.
Dulqar Salman in Bijoy Nambiar’s film
It’s a dream come true for bollywood director Bijoy Nambiar. A Keralite by birth, Bijoy has decided to do a film in his own mother tongue. Dulqar Salman plays the lead role in the film. The shooting of the film not yet named is likely to start in October. Other casts of the film have not been decided. The film would be produced by Bijoy’s own production company Getaway films in association with Abaam films.
Bijoy has confirmed doing the film in Malayalam. He said that it was a dream come true for him to do a film in Malayalam since years. The film has now become a reality. The film is expected to be on based a different subject, something the Kerala audience is not familiar with, he added.
Bejoy started his career through a silent short film named reflections with Mohanlal. He has also helmed a Malayalam short film named Rahu in 2008. Shaithan was Nambiar’s first Bollywood film. He later did a Hindi-Tamil bilingual David with Vikram, Neel Nithin Mukesh and Jeeva and his last film was the Amithabh Bachchan-Farhan Akthar starrer Wazir.
Aiswarya pairs up with Dulquer
Kakka Muttai girl Aiswarya Rajesh is going to act with Dulquer Salman. The film titled Joemonte Suvisheshangal will be directed by Sathyan Anthikkad.
Aiswarya has also signed a Nivin Pauly film to be directed by Rajesh Siva.
She will be doing the role of Vydehi, a Tamil Nadu native and half-Malayali girl.
Her roles will be shot in Thirupur, Kanchipuram and Pollachi. The film speaks about garment sales in South India.
"I have chosen all my Tamil films after going through the scripts and not depending upon the hero," she says, expressing her thrill over getting to act in Sathyan Anthikkad film.
Now she is busy learning Malayalam for the film.
Fahadh in Tamil as villain
Fahadh Faasil is making his debut in Tamil through a film directed by Mohan Raj. He will be seen as a villain in the film Raj. Siva Karthikeyan will be hero and Nayanthara the heroine.
Prakash Raj will also be seen in an important role. Siva Karthikeyan-starrer Remo’s producer R D Raja is producing this film as well.Sneha, R J Balaji, Satheesh, Thambi Ramayya are doing other characters in the film.The film is yet to be titled.
Oppam
Mohalal's "Oppam" has struck gold at the box office."Oppam" can be called the comeback movie of Priyadarshan and Mohanlal, whose previous outing together failed to make a mark. The movie offers some edge- of- the seat moments with an engaging narrative. Even though the culprit is revealed in the first half of the thriller, the movie doesn't let you bored.
Jayaraman(Mohanlal) is a blind man who works as a caretaker at a multi-storied apartment complex in the heart of the city and when a retired judge Nambiar(Nedumudi Venu) gets murdered in his flat, tumbles across more than just the corpse. When he realizes that the assassin would stop at nothing until he has his hands over Nambiar's daughter who is away at a boarding school, Jayaraman decides to battle it out in the dark.
Oppam is definitely the comeback movie of Priyadarshan and Mohanlal, who have delivered many superhits in Malayalam. The movie is worth a watch for the amazing performances of the actors. especially for the convincing act by the superstar as a blind person. The plot is predictable, but the way it has been narrated entertains you with thrilling moments. It is certainly a must watch film.
Oozham
The first half itself reveals the antagonist of the movie. The rest of the movie is how the hero teases out his family's killer and takes revenge slowly and steadily. The emotional drama surrounding the family may feel cliched at some point, but manages to hold its own.Neeraj Madhav and Divya Pillai who play the siblings are impressive. We have seen such movies a lot and repetitive nature of the narrative may be a put-off, Jeethu Joseph has tried to tweak the narrative a bit through a non- linear narrative, shifting through time, employing flash -backs and fast forwards.
Technically, the movie is sound.We have a camera work which is racy and an editing which maintains the pace of the thriller. There are not too many song sequences in the movie which sustains the movie's mood. The BGM is also commendable, Performance of the entire cast impressive and there is no overshadowing by the lead hero.The themes of corruption, politics, bureaucracy and money at the expense of the have-nots are also deftly portrayed. "Oozham" is an engaging watch and can be enjoyed as a conventional revenge thriller
Vidya balan prepares for Kamala Das biopic
Mumbai: Acress Vidya Balan, who will be seen portraying the life of writer Kamala Das aka Kamala Surayy onscreen in her upcoming biopic "Aami", has started preparing for the film by reading Das's autobiographical book"My Story".
Vidya took to twitter on Monday to share a photograph of herself in which she can be seen reading Das's book.
The first schedule of "Aami", directed by veteran Malayalam filmmaker Kamal, stars rolling in Kerala on September 25. It will be over by November 5. Following a break, it will then be shot in Mumbai and Delhi.
Das, an award winning and controversial writer, passed away at the age of 75 in 2009. Her decision to convert to Islam in 1999 had raised many eyebrows.
Following her death in 2009 at Pune, her body was brought to Thiruvananthapuram
Puli movie review
Puli is set against the backdrop of a fantasy kingdom named 'Vedhala Kotai' which is ruled by its queen, played by Sridevi, and commandeered by Sudeep. Sudeep leads a mysterious team of warriors known as 'Vedhalangal' and they posses certain super human abilities. Putting their super powers to good use, Sudeep and his gang impose many unreasonable taxes on the citizens who reside in the surrounding villages. They also treat them as slaves and take complete control over them. Unable to free themselves from the evil clutches of 'Vedhalangal', the villagers finally turn towards Vijay after certain turn of events. How Vijay takes on the evil gang of 'Vedhalangal' despite their super power abilities forms the crux of the story.Now where should I start? The cliched plot of the film borrows all the fantasy elements from previously made hit films and knits an incoherent screenplay without putting much thought to the proceedings. The lack of novelty could have been ignored if the treatment of the story was fresh and entertaining. But the film plays out to be unintentionally hilarious all thanks to the makers who consider fans as 8 year old kids high on candy. There is no doubt that Puli is U rated as it is apt for 6-8 year old kids and it assaults our intelligence with kiddish stuff. I mean mild comedy with lilliputians and a giant tortoise barfing might make kids giggle but it feels like WTF to us adults who have grown up watching classic fantasy films like Chronicles of Narnia. Even if you try to look over the wafer thin plot, you are attacked by garish make up and tacky costumes. VFX is not the highlight of the film as it seldom appears to be of high standards. Sridevi, who makes her comeback in Tamil films, has absolutely nothing to do other than look arrogant and evil. While her costumes might give you creeps, she hardly has 15 minutes of screen time and has less than 10 dialogues in the film. It baffles me why a veteran actress like Sridevi resort to play such a demeaning and worthless role. Kiccha Sudeep, the Kannada superstar, who impressed us in Rajamouli’s Eega is stuck in a typical villainous role. His role is so poorly written that it makes him look like mere caricature. Sudeep and Vijay’s climax fights might induce a few unintentional laughs. Shruti Haasan plays sleeping beauty in more than half of the film and despite of her beautiful looks, her harsh voice makes you wanna close your ears. Hansika is there in the film for namesake as she just adds glamour in couple of songs. Coming to the songs, Devi Sri Prasad’s music is not that great and it becomes very hard not to walk out of the theatre during the long drawn song sequences. The film is too long and has very little meat to hold it through for two and a half long hours. The jokes in the film are at times so childish that it makes you laugh at the film instead of laughing along with the film. Overall, it is a pathetic attempt at fantasy filmmaking by Chimbu Devan.
The much talked about VFX and CG shots stand out in the entire film as such high quality visual effects is something new to Tamil audience and hopefully, it is here to stay. Cinematographer Natty is the biggest strength of Puli. The way he has captured the entire movie has not only enhanced the visual quality but also elevates the overall feel of the film. Art Director Muthuraj has done his best in putting together the fantasy world. Perhaps, more investment from the producers might've taken the art department of Puli to a whole new level. While the screenplay in the first half is on the slower side, the movie picks up pace in the latter half. But undeniably, Chimbu Deven should've come up with a better screenplay for a movie like Puli. Another let down is Devi Sri Prasad's background score as his music fails to enhance the overall intensity which would've otherwise helped the movie's lacklustre screenplay.
Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram
This is bilingual movie that is been simultaneous made and released in Malayalam and Tamil. The movie, which features Dulquar Salman and Nazriya Nazim in leads is all about the people of town suffering from unusual disease. Director Balaji Mohan, who is always known to keep a refreshing tale in his movies has also been succeded with Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram.
Story revolves around a small village named Thenmala. Aravind (Dulquer Salman) is working as an sales executive of a private gum company. Suddenly one day an unusual disease hits that village, which makes people dumb. Later Health department issues a statement that the only way to prevent this disease is by stop talking. Rest of the story shows how people live without speaking and how they survive this disease forms the crux of the story.
Balaji Mohan has experimented with the movie with nice tale, but where he fails is in the presentation part. The second half of the movie will test your patience and makes us to decide the movie is worse. An average first half and a boring second half made this movie a miserable watch. What is more frustrating is that the people will speak only for 15 minutes in the second half of the film. It seems to be half baked.
End of the Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram audience will wonder why even Dulquer Salman has acted in this movie. Nazriya is impressive with her role. Remaining supporting actors like Madhubala, Maniyan Pillai Raju, Dinesh Nair and others have done justice to their respective characters.
The frames were snapped beautifully by Soundara Pandyan. Editing by Abhinav Yadav is the biggest strength, which has avoided the movie in lagging to some extent.
Music Composer Sean Roldan is successful in scoring an impressive background score. But the songs of the film will falls in the average category.
1 BY Two
Yousuf Marikkar (Fahad Fazil) is the Crime Branch CI, who is his his duty to unravel the mystery of a case of one of the twin sons of a reputed Malayali businessman, based in Bangalore. Yousuf smells something unnatural in the death of the twin as the identity of the deceased comes in the cloud of suspicion.
Dr Hari Narayanan and his twin Ravi Narayanan (played by Murali Gopy), who are identical twins, share a common trait like any other twins. They are so deeply attached too. Dr Prema (Honey Rose) is the love interest of Dr Hari. The problem arrives when one of the twin dies and the identity of the existing one becomes a confusion. 1 By Two, which is more like a murder unravelling story, that apparently turns into a psychological thriller in the latter half.
Performances Fahad Fazil, for the first time has enacted the role of a police officer in his career, looks convincing. Murali Gopy gave a well and decent performance throughout and did not give a moment to spare. Honey Rose, who played th female lead in the film, too gave out a decent performance. The rest of the cast including Ashwin Mathew, Abhinaya, Shyamaprasad added their share to make the movie worth watching. Technical Aspects Cinematography by Jomon Thomas suited the movie and had some really great shots too. Music by Gopi Sunder suited to the situation of the movie. Arun Kumar Aravind could not satisfy this time with a script that needed more crispiness. Writer Jeyamohan has given a bold attempt indeed but, fails this time to execute it in the most thrilling way.
.
Gangster, a gangster story set mainly against the backdrop of Mangalore. The movie stars Mammootty in the lead role of Akbar Ali, a prominent gangster controlling the Mangalore city. The movie is yet another different attempt by Aashiq, who is always keen in attempting something different from what Malayalam movie lovers have come across.
Story
The movie begins with an animation prologue which tells the childhood times of Akbar Ali (Mammootty) and how he is made to a gangster. Following the prologue, we witness the titles rolling with a racy background music.
The main story of the movie begins with Akbar eliminating his rival Raghavendra Gowda, and sharing the business lead with Mani Menon (Kunchan) and Uncle Sam (John Paul), two other prominent gangsters ruling the city. The city remains calm under them, until Anto (Shekhar Menon), grandson of uncle Sam comes up with a new idea of importing used vaccines from abroad at very low rates and selling them at higher price.
Performances
Highlight of the performances is none other than Mammootty himself. He enacts the role of Akbar to sheer perfection with his stylish looks and dialogue delivery. Nyla Usha as Sana has less screen space in the movie, but is convincing with her role.
Shekhar Menon is with his career best performance as Anto, the main villain. Kunchan and John Paul too have done their roles with brilliance. Rest of the actors including Hareesh Peradi (Michael), Dileesh Pothen (Vidhura), Aparna Gopinath (Lilly) and TG Ravi (Hajikka) have done justice to their roles.
Technical Aspects
Cinematography by Alby is brilliant. The frames look rich and some of the camera angles makes us just awestruck. Music by Deepak Dev is yet another relief for the movie. BGM is well made to suit the mood of the movie. There is just one song in the movie, 'Allahu Akbar' which is a treat to the music lovers.
The climax portions of the movie are brilliantly executed which matches to international standards. The fight sequences are not those ones which we have seen in Malayalam movies. The director and stunt director deserves a big applause for the same sequences.
Verdict
So, putting aside all these positives, what works against Gangster? The movie has pretty much flaws. Many of the the sequences didn't had a proper finishing. Though we don't expect anything new in gangster stories other than revenge, the script was way let loose, which needed a better check from the director and script writers. I do believe a better script could have done wonders to the movie.
On the whole, the movie Gangster works only for its different style, performances, music, visuals and the engaging climax sequences. Rest is pretty much average.
7th Day
Story
The movie begins on a Christmas eve with the intro of David Abraham IPS (Prithviraj) , a special investigative officer of Crime branch who is under suspension. On the way David's jeep gets to a minor accident with a bike, the bike travellers being Vinu Ramachandran (Anu Mohan) and Shaan (Vinay Fort).
In the accident, Vinu gets a small injury in the forehead. David gets them to a nearby hospital from where Vinu goes missing. David and Shaan searches for him in the entire town, but in vain. The next day David comes to know that Vinu has committed suicide when he travels to Vinu's home to return the wallet he forgot in the jeep. On questioning Shaan, David gets to know about the other three friends of their group Eby (Tovino Thomas), Jessica (Janani Iyer) and Cyril Philip (Praveen Prem).
Then follows the flashback story of the five friends who gets into trouble when Cyril loots crores of counterfeit money of a Mafia gang, which they had placed safely in the Computer Centre run by Vinu. Charlie (Yog Bajee) , one of the members of the mafia and his gang is behind them to find out the money. What plans do the friends have to safeguard them? Will David find out the mystery of Vinu's suicide? Answer lies in rest of the movie.
Performances
Prithviraj is in his dashing salt n pepper style for 7th Day. His screen presence is a treat to watch. Though in the first portions, the dialogue delivery felt an artificiality, the later portions were well managed. The young actors including Tovino, Vinay Forrt, Praveen and Anu Mohan did manage to do well with their characters. The female lead Janani Iyer too did justice to her role. Joy Mathew (Bhattathiri) and Yog Bajee, though for a smaller screen space, have done justice to their roles.
Technical Aspects
Cinematography by Sujith Vasudev is a visual treat. Most of the movie is taken in the backdrop of night and he has done extremely well to capture the frames splendidly. Music by Deepak Dev is good. Though the songs fail to create a long lasting impact on the audience, the BGM is highly engaging and full on energy. Though there are portions in the movie, mainly in the first half flashback scenes, which lags at parts, the director and scriptwriter has managed to give out an engaging thriller. The climax suspense elements have been well maintained throughout the movie, making the viewers curious to think what shall happen next.
Verdict
On the whole, 7th Day is a movie worth your money and time. And anyone who loves to watch the thriller genre with high suspense elements, don't give this a miss.
Silence
Released on December 07 2013
Director: V. K. Prakash
Producer: Afseena Saleem
Production Co: Aysha Film Presents
Music Director: Ratheesh Vegha
Cast: Mammootty, Anoop Menon, Joy Mathew, Pallavi
Bicycle Thieves
Cast: Asif Ali, Aparna Gopinath
Direction: Jis Joy
Genre: Drama
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Story:
Bicycle Thieves narrates the tale of three youths who steal bicycles for a living. They later take up a contract for theft which changes the course of their lives.
Bicycle Thieves has quite a few scenes that are heavily redolent of some of the most popular hits. In spite of this resemblance, Bicycle Thieves works to a pretty good effect, mostly owing to its cast who remain true to the narrative.
The film tracks the lives of three boys from their childhood when they take the first steps towards turning themselves into bicycle thieves. The boys grow up, their bond thickens and they chance upon a contract to steal a fairly good amount of money. Betrayal, breach of trust and misunderstanding ensue and the trio split.
Jis Joy in his debut film does show promise with his ability to craft seemingly natural sequences even while bringing in complexities which sometimes fit and most often don't. There is a conscious attempt on the part of Asif Ali to add economy and measure to his acting. He doesn't strain himself playing a good-hearted thief with smart cunning. There is restraint to the way he portrays Chacko, something that adds to the appeal of the film.
The narrative appears a bit hurried towards the end with a sudden flow of twists. They are tailored with a fair sense of conviction, still they leave a jarring effect because of their rush. Vijay Babu pulls off a studied, neatly rendered act carrying different shades in an affecting manner.
Vedi Vazhipadu
Cast: Indrajith, Murali Gopi, Anumol
Direction: Shambhu Purushothaman
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 2 hours
Story:
While their wives are away from home for Attukal Pongala, three men get together with a hooker in one apartment. The hours that follow reveal their true identities.
Going by the tag, Vedi Vazhipadu is meant for adults. However no one gets disrobed in this film. No titillating sounds are heard. Except for some mild foreplay involving a few controlled caresses, the adults in the film don't even make love to each other.
The entire film in fact plays out on a sacred day. While the women are busy with pongala festivities, their husbands deal with a hooker. They are glued to television to keep a tab on the time so that each one can take turns with the hooker.
Of the lot, Sanjay (Saiju Kurup) is a confused, cowering soul. His wife scares him. He tries to rediscover his lost machismo with the hooker. He rolls his eyes at her, flaunts his weirdly trimmed thick, dark moustache. She just stares back at him, blankly. Pradeep (Sreejith Ravi) is a man perennially dissatisfied with the ways of his wife. Rahul is an idle person, who smiles every time he talks to his wife.
Shambhu Purushothaman has an unabashed, ridiculous openness as he would show Sanjay fiddling with a condom or his friends drool over a sex video on screen while waiting for their turns. In the meantime, there is a half-hearted attempt at probing the consciousness of each of his characters. Unwittingly the woman brings about a shocking, shameful and shattering realization in each man.
The film doesn't make any remote attempts to touch upon the profundity of sin or the ironies that crop up in a profane manner. One shot shows the prostitute lazily ambling along the clot of devout women carrying pongala pots. The general weakness of human nature that prompts infidelity and immoral affairs find a faint mention. All of these seem half-hearted, mostly aimless even while conjuring up scattered images of human souls breaking down under material pursuit or emotional weariness.
Vedi Vazhipadu has a playful silliness which gets a tad licentious most of the time, one of the reasons why it tends to repel than attract. It falls way short of the bold, coming of age movies despite its generous dose of innuendoes or some explicit scenes simply because of a shallow narrative.
Aakashathinte Niram
The opening sequence of ‘Akashathinte Niram’ has an old man (Nedumudi Venu) asking a young boy (Govardhan) what the color of the sky is. Blue, .[..]
Cinema Company
Ivan Megharoopan
Ivan Megharoopan Director P Balachandran’s Ivan Megharoopan has been partly inspired from the life of eminent poet P Kunhiraman Nair. The intriguing journey of a genius who preferred to shun [..]Ustad Hotel
Thattathin Marayathu
[..]
Diamond Necklace
Dr. Arun (Fahad Fazil) is one of those many youngsters based in Dubai, who has been for long, living beyond his means, awestruck by the sights and scenes that the magical city has on offer. The squanderer however has a way with women, and before long has the fresh nursing assistant Lekshmi (Gauthami Nair) dancing to his tunes. In 'Diamond [..]Grand Master
Chadrasekhar (Mohanlal) is an officer who has assumed charge of the Metro Crime Stopper Cell, and who finds it extremely difficult to keep things in focus. The reason? He's a divorcee who gets to see his teenage daughter twice a week, and has had enough of living life alone. A reconciliation with wife Deepthi (Priyamani) seems out of question. It's essentially [..]22 Female Kottayam
22 Female Kottayam, the new Aashiq Abu movie, is a revenge tale without any gunshots. It narrates the transformation of Tessa Abraham (Rima Kallingal) from an innocent nurse to a strong blood thirsty woman. Tessa, a Malayalee nurse in Bangalore, meets a guy named Cyril and become friends. Cyril runs an agency which recruits nurses from India in various hospitals overseas. [..]KARMAYOGI
Karmayogi is a re interpretation of the classic tragedy Hamlet written by William Shakespeare. The background is northern Kerala. The characters belong to the yogi community. The yogis perform a ritual known as Kelipatram. Kelipatram is a symbolic form of begging to evoke the myth of lord Siva. According to the myth, Siva had spent twelve years on earth [..]Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty
Thalsamayam Oru Penkutty is a social satire which mocks at the reality shows being aired on various channels. People flock before the TV screen on prime time to enjoy the staged realities. This movie, directed by TK Rajeev Kumar, is targeting such realty show addicts to make them aware of what is really happening behind the screen. Real TV is planning [..]
Nidra
Nidra is a rare tribute made by a son to his late father, who happened to be a master film maker in Malayalam. Sidharth Bharathan’s directorial debut comes in the form of a remake of a rare classic by his father Bharathan. Nidra was a psycho-drama directed by Bharathan decades ago, with Vijay Menon and Shanthi Krishna playing the lead roles. [..]Fathers Day
Fathers Day, directed by the well known scenarist Kalavoor Ravikumar, delve deeply into the trauma of rape victims. The central character Seethalakshmi, played by Revathy, is a college lecturer who lives with his niece (Played by Indu Thampy). Seethalakshmy’s brother Gopan (Vineeth) is upset about his sister’s unwillingness to marry someone. With his consent, her old friend Mathan (Lal) proposes to [..]Unnam
Unnam seems to be the remake of Johny Gaddhar which gave actor Neil Nitin Mukesh a much required break in Bollywood. A retired smuggler Sunny (Lal), one day, receives a call from one of his old acquaintances named Balakrishna (Sreenivasan), a policeman in Bangalore. The call was about an illegal deal which may fetch a huge amount of money [..]Njanum Ente Familiyum
Second Show Review
A host of youngsters also mark their debut in this film. Dulquer Salmaan is the protagonist in “Second Show” and Gauthami Nair plays his heroine. Director Srinath Rajendran also makes his debut with this movie. Others making their entry in to Malayalam filmdom include Bollywood TV and cinema actor Sudesh Berry, and Vini Vishnulal who authors the script and screen [..]
1 comment:
good films
Post a Comment