Neelathaamara

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Kailash, Archana Kavi, Rima Kallingal, Sredevi Unni, Samvritha Sunil, Suresh
Sript : MT Vasudevan Nair
Director : Lal Jose
Music : Vidyasagar


Director Lal Jose is a prominent name in the malayalam cine field. He has given notable films like 'Oru Maravathoor Kanavu', 'Meesamadhavan', 'Chandranudikkunna Dikkil', 'Chandupottu' etc His last few films like 'Achanurangaatha Veedu' and 'Mulla' were not hits. Now he has got a golden chance to direct the legendary writer MT Vasudevan Nair's work. In the last 20years, MT had written script for directors like Hariharan (films like 'OVV', 'ESJ', 'Parinayam' and 'KVP'), IV Sasi ('Midhya'), Bharathan ('Thaazhvaaram'), K.S.Sethumadhavan ('Venalkkinavukal'), Sibi Malayil ('Sadhayam'), Harikumar ('Sukrutham'), Ajayan ('Perumthachan'), Venu ('Dhaya'), Kannan ('Theerthadanam') and also a couple of them for his own direction ('Kadavu' and 'Oru Cheru Punjiri'). The new film for Lal Jose, 'Neelathaamara' is not a fresh subject. It is the remake of an old film with the same name that got released 30years before. It was directed by Yusafali Kecheri; Ravikumar, Sathaar, Ambike etc did the main roles.


This 'Neelathaamara' is produced by Suresh Kumar under the banner Revathy Kalamandhir. New faces like Kailash, Archana, Suresh, Sreedevi Unni, the three film older Rima Kallingal, Samvritha etc are in the main cast. Unlike the old version, here the director had included three songs; Vidyasagar had given some good numbers here.


The film opens in the current period when the youngest member in the family reaches her native village as a part of a video production. The grandmother's (Sreedevi Unni) niece cum daughter-in-law (Jaya) and a lady (Parvathi) also visits the house hearing about her disease. The flashback portions are shown through the memory of those characters. Almost three decades before, you can see the poor young girl (Archana, doing the younger age role of Parvathi) reaching the big house as a servant, where the mother and her son (Kailas) alone stays. He has completed his studies and is waiting for the result. He gets into an affair with the servant girl. She gets a friend (Rima) who is also a servant in the neighbor house, to share her feelings. Later, the hero's marriage is fixed with a rich girl (Samvritha, doing younger age role of Jaya). What happens to the cheated girl, the bride and the other characters are shown later.


The film mainly highlights on the relationship between the hero and the servant girl. There is nothing unpredictable here. In the first few scenes itself, the story is understood. Hence the script and the dialogues by MT becomes the main attraction. The concept of the flower "neelathaamara", the conversation between the neighbors, the lunch menu given by the grandmother, the quotes regarding the steps in the house, the mention of the disease of the singer character etc are some of the areas which we can't witness in the films now a days. The director had presented the film as the script demands. The performance of the new heroine Archana and the new hero Kailash were good. They are promising talents, where the industry can utilize. Casting a new face like Sreedevi Unni (later actress Monisha's mother) in the grandmother's role also felt different. Rima Kallingal had also made her role notable. Using the old non popular hindi song by Yesudas, "zid na karo..." in the background (as if from the radio) for the romantic scene, the telegram shot, remarks about the bridge, close up of the calendar etc are all sequences done to establish the period.


The performance of the old lady who accompanies the heroine girl looks amateur and the dubbing given to her character by Anandavalli is also not matching. The quarreling between the couple felt dramatic in few shots. The divide in the relationship between the lovers happens all of a sudden. Here and there, you are having the after effect of the film 'Nandanam'. The selection of heroine's old age character done by Parvathi is good, but old age character of Samvritha is not a real prototype. Director's boldness to include songs is good, which can in turn becomes a promotion factor for an ordinary film (theme wise) like this. Since I have not seen the old version, no scope for a comparison here.


Vidyasagar's background score is good. Cinematographer Vijay Ulaganathan ('Madambi' fame) gave colorful frames without any gimmicks.


'Neelathaamara', acted by many new faces is told in the village background. It is not extraordinary and it won't surprise you also; but it is a fact that this film highlights certain situations which we can't see usually in commercial films these days...


Rating : 8 / 10

Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Mammootty, Sarath Kumar, Suman, Manoj K Jayan, Jagathi, Kaniha, Padmapriya
Direction : Hariharan
Script : MT Vasudevan Nair
Music : Ilayaraja

The most awaited malayalam film of the decade has released at last. It has got many specialties. After a gap of 20years, veteran writer MT Vasudevan Nair and director Hariharan creates an epic with Mammootty in the lead role; top musician in the country, Ilayaraja works with the director and the script writer for the first time; Oscar winner Rasool Pookkutty's first malayalam movie; tamil actor Sharath Kumar's debut in malayalam; the costliest film ever made in our state; the malayalam film that took a long period to complete the shooting schedules etc. were some of them. Gokulam Gopalan, a relatively new name in the field has produced it, in the middle of many hurdles and hazards. It all happened in the last 3 years for such a multicast mega budget project named 'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja' which has been released in four languages now.


The film tells the story of the brave ruler Pazhassiraja, who fought against the East India Company during the 17th century. His palace was attacked and his wealth were looted by the British. Now he started war against them from the covers. He has got many supporters. There were many loses on either sides. Here the main area discussed is the tough time that goes through the ruler's life till his end. How such a great freedom fighter is still remembered at this point of time is what the creators have tried to show through the film.


It is a request that don't ever compare 'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja' with 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha' which is created by the same team two decades before. May be it is one of the best movies happened in the malayalam film history. But here the circumstances is totally different. A history is totally different from a myth. What all happened in that period is what shown here (an exception is only there in the climax area). The previous movie was straight, silent and it gave more importance for the family sequences and the dramatic areas along with the dialogues. Can you spot a single war sequence in the previous movie. But 'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja' is not clam, the deep dense forest and the office of the British forms the atmoshere in most areas. Moreover it is flourished with many small and big war scenes. "Less dialogues, more action" is the motto here. 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha' is known as the writer's movie, but 'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja' will be remembered in the name of the director. Hariharan stands behind MT in 'Panchagni', 'Nakhakshathangal', 'Amritham Gamaya', 'Aaranyakam' and 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha'. As the situation, demanded the director has dominated for the first time. (i am not pulling down the efforts given by the great writer in creating such an unusual plot on papers...)


'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja' is technically brilliant in all aspects. The cinematographer Ramanath Shetty (did tamil films like 'Allaudin', 'Mrigam' etc) has done a great job here likewise editor Sreekar Prasad. The film which has got many actors along with a bulk of extra artists and that too in the middle of war shots; needs the hands of such experienced technicians. Cameramen like Venu and Manoj Pillai also worked for few scenes.


Another main area to be noted is the music section. I heard many complaints here and there regarding the songs before the release of the film. "kunnathe konnakkum..." by Chitra; "aadiyusha sandhya..." by Yesudas, MG Sreekumar, Chandrasekhar, Vidhuprathap etc; "ambum kombum..." by Ilayaraja, Manjari etc; "aalamadankala..." by MG Sreekumar, Vidhu Prathap, Ashraf, Edavanna Gafoor etc; were among them. Anyway I kept silent for the criticism, I was sure that the songs will be suited well for the situations. Watching the film, my assumption was correct. The songs are blended well according to the situations, especially "aadiyusha sandhya...". It is sad to see that "ambum kombum..." song was not included. But we can't complaint, such compramises have to be done since the length of the film is already 210 minutes. Then, regarding the background score, done by the support of the Budapest Orchestra from Hungary, the musical genius have given one of this best works so far, which holds the backbone for the film. It stands on the top when compared to his works in the bg score side for 'Kalapani', 'Guru', 'Hey Ram', 'Virumaandi' etc.


Sound designing by Rasool Pookkutty is also excellent. The particular shot where the injured hero checks the usage of sword is the best example. I have not seen so far in an indian movie where the war sequences has been covered brilliantly with sounds; which may felt like we are in the war front. Mixing Engineer Anup Dev, who always works for bollywood films has given the best audio output. Art director Muthuraj, Costumers Sai, Vajramani etc might have witnessed sleepless nights during the schedules, but they can claim this as their best project so far. Ravi Dewan from bollywood along with Thyagarajan and Mafia Sasi have composed the best action scenes which involves the 'kalarippayattu', bow and arrow fights along with the sword fights in the film; but they should have avoided graphics shots involving ropes in it which felt un natural.


The performance of all the artists are good. The role of the "roaring lion of kerala" is comfortable in the hands of Mammootty; his scenes towards the end is notable. Sarath Kumar as the lieutenent, Manoj K Jayan as the tribal leader, Jagathi as the mediator and Padmapriya as the tribal lady should be mentioned here.


The problem that can arise while discussing a historical subject may happen in the case of Pazhassi Raja also. Almost all such films are having a common formula. It will be X against Y or vice versa all the time. Since we areaware of the base story, there won't be any chance for a curiosity or a suspense during the journey. But you should keep in mind that in those days the only aim for any citizen was to achieve independence by all means. Hence there is no chance for any dramatic situations, family scenes or any such cliche things which is part of the ordinary masala movies. The producer, director and the script writer who took the boldness to create such a big project should be noted here.


Once out of the theater, a stranger asked whether i have watched the movie, when i said 'yes', he immediately enquired whether Mammootty dies in the end!!! This is where our sensibility lies, we don't know any thing related to history, also the attitude of the audience have changed a lot in the recent past; by asking such a foolish question it is clear that the particular man is a fan of star oriented films; he doesn't want to see the hero dies in the end. who is the culprit here, the creators or the viewers ?!


Movies like 'Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja' happens once in a while; Does it gives any happiness for you by running way from it...? Such bold attempts should be welcomed and appreciated.


Rating : 8.5 / 10