Flashback 2009 - Malayalam Films

A review on malayalam films released in 2009 -


Different from the previous years, 2009 was unique since a wide variety of films got released. There were un usual experiments happening in this medium. Some of them were hits, some were not accepted. Films like 'Kerala Cafe', 'Paleri Manikyam Oru Paathirakolapathakathinte Katha', 'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja', 'Bhramaram' etc which has got versatility in its scripting and presentation side, happened this year. 'Bhoomi Malayalam' is on the top position from the parallel films group having 'Oru Pennum Rendaanum', 'Raamaanam', 'Vilapangalkkappuram' and 'Pathaam Nilayile Theevandi'. After being rested for a gap of 4-5years, films like 'Nammal Thammil', 'Aayirathil Oruvan', 'Winter' and 'Seetha Kalyanam' were released and all of them were not accepted. Thus the year 2009 was a mix of commercial entertainers and parallel films, hits and flops, family oriented and action subjects etc.



The year saw many new faces entering the industry like Sasikumar ('Loud Speaker'), Nishal, Asif Ali & Rima Kallingal ('Rithu'), Kailash & Archana Kavi ('Neelathaamara') and Mythili and a group of debutant actors from 'Paleri Manikyam Oru Paathira Kolapathakathinte Katha' also. Though Suraaj Venjarammood (Duplicate) and Ramesh Pisharady (Kappalu Muthalaali) did hero oriented roles, they didn't get big success. MT's script 'Neelathaamara' has been remade by Lal Jose with many new faces, but it was not a big success. The year saw the rise of many new directors also, among them actors like Shankar, Mahesh & Baburaj were there. It is sad to see that top films of the year like 'Kerala Cafe' and 'Palerimanikyam...' are not big successes commercially. One of the worst films in the malayalam film history, 'Bhagavan', also happened this year, that too under the label of our favourite super star.


Like previous years, the focus was mainly on Mammootty & Mohanlal films. Mammootty did a variety of roles in films like 'Paleri Manikyam Oru Paathirakolapathakathinte Katha', 'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja' & 'Loud Speaker'. Mohanlal's excellent performance came through 'Bhramaram'. Dileep had many flops, can share the credit of 'Passenger'. Suresh Gopi does not have a single hit. Jayaram must be happy with 'Bhagyadevatha' and also 'My Big Father' (to a certain extend). Prithviraj's star value increased through 'Puthiya Mukham' and 'Robinhood'. Jayasurya's popularity is more as he is doing hero oriented roles and supporting characters at the same time.



Lohithadas, Murali, Rajan P Dev, singer Sainoj, Adoor Bhavani were all loses of 2009.











It is difficult to spot out the best one from the group; so it is better to give the top positions from the list...


Best Films -

'Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha'
'Kerala Cafe'
'Keralavarma Pazhassiraja'
'Bhramaram'
'Loud Speaker'
'Bhoomi Malayalam'









Best Entertainers -

'Robinhood'
'Bhagyadevatha'
'Passenger'
'To Harihar Nagar'
'Chattambinaadu'








Best Directors -

Hariharan - 'Keralavarma Pazhassiraja'
Ranjith - 'Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha'
Anwar Rashid - 'Bridge' from 'Kerala Cafe'
Blessy - 'Bhramaram'
TV Chandran - 'Bhoomi Malayalam'
Jayaraj - 'Loud Speaker'









Promising Debutant Directors -

Ranjith Shankar ('Passenger')
Saji Surendran ('Ivar Vivahitharaayaal')
Shankar Ramakrishnan ('Island Express' from 'Kerala Cafe')
Mahesh P Sreenivasan ('My Big Father')
Baburaj ('Black Dhalia')








Best Actors -

Mammootty - 'Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha', 'Loud Speaker', 'Puram Kazhchakal' from 'Kerala Cafe'
Mohanlal - 'Bhramaram'
Jagathi - 'Raamaanam', 'Happy Journey' from 'Kerala Cafe'
Sasikumar - 'Loud Speaker'
Innocent - 'Patham Nilayile Theevandi'

Santha Devi - 'Bridge' from 'Kerala Cafe'
Archana Kavi - 'Neelathaamara'
Rima Kallingal - 'Rithu'








Special Mention -

Sharath Kumar - ('Keralavarma Pazhassiraja')
Jayasurya - ('Gulumaal', 'Ivar Vivahitharaayaal', 'Vairam')
Prithviraj - ('Puthiya Mukham')
Suresh Menon - ('Bhramaram')
Kailash - ('Neelathaamara')
Baby Niveditha - ('Moz and Cat', 'Kaana Kanmani')
Padmapriya - ('Keralavarma Pazhassiraja', 'Bhoomi Malayalam', 'Kaana Kanmani')

Lal Jose - (director of 'Neelathaamara')
Lal - (script writer / director of 'To Harihar Nagar')


Best Comedian -

Suraaj Venjarammood (different films)






Best Script -

Ranjith / TP Rajeevan ('Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha')
TV Chandran ('Bhoomi Malayalam')
Unni R ('Bridge' from 'Kerala Cafe')
MT Vasudevan Nair ('Keralavarma Pazhassiraja', 'Neelathaamara')
Ranjith Shankar ('Passenger')











Best Cinematography -

Ramnath Shetty / Venu / Manoj Pillai ('Keralavarma Pazhassiraja')
Ajayan Vincent ('Bhramaram')
Suresh Rajan ('Bridge' from 'Kerala Cafe')
Manoj Pillai ('Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha')
Amal Neerad ('Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded')


Best Editing -

Sreekar Prasad ('Keralavarma Pazhassiraja')
Venugopal ('Bhoomi Malayalam')
Samjith ('Red Chillies', 'Puthiya Mukham')
Vivek Harshan ('Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded')
Don Max ('Black Dhalia')


Best Sound Designing -

Rasool Pookkutty ('Keralavarma Pazhassiraja')


Best Art Direction -

Muthuraj ('Keralavarma Pazhassiraja')


Best Film Posters / Publicity Stills -

'Keralavarma Pazhassiraja'
'Ivar Vivahitharaayaal'
'Rithu'


Technically Sound Films -

'Keralavarma Pazhassiraja'
'Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded'
'Red Chillies'


Super Hit / Hit Films -

'Keralavarma Pazhassiraja'
'To Harihar Nagar'
'Bhagyadevatha'
'Puthiya Mugham'

'Robinhood'
'Passenger'
'Bhramaram'
'Ivar Vivahitharaayaal'
'Makante Achan'
'My Big Father'
'Gulumaal'
'Loud Speaker'
'Paleri Manikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha'



Big Flops / Flops -

'Bhagavan'
'Angel John'
'Moz and Cat'
'Hailesa'
'Colors'
'Seetha Kalyanam'
'Black Dhalia'
'Kancheepurathe Kalyanam'
'Vellathooval'
'Rahasya Police'
'Kaana Kanmani'
'Winter'
'Nammal Thammil'
'Aayirathil Oruvan'
'Keralolsavam 2009'
'Meghatheertham'
'Chemistry'
'Shudharil Shudhan'
'Decent Parties'
'Kadha Samvithanam Kunjakko'
'Dr.Patient'
'Sulthan'
'Currency'
'Malayali'
'Bharya Swantham Suhruthu'
'Banaras'
'Love In Singapore'
'Bharya Onnu Makkal Moonnu'
'IG'
'Kappalu Muthalaali'
'Vairam'
'Calendar'
'Swa. Le.'
'Uthara Swayamvaram'
'Samastha Keralam PO'
'Red Chillies'
'Sagar Alias Jacky Reloaded'
'Rithu'
'Daddy Cool' etc etc...


The future of last releases of 2009, 'Ividam Swargamaanu' & 'Chattambinaadu' can be judged only after two weeks. Some films like 'Neelathaamara', 'Kerala Cafe', 'Duplicate', 'Ee Pattanathil Bhootham', 'Oru Black and White Kudumbam' etc has not been included in either of the groups...