Malayalam Cinema

The death of music director Johnson is untimely, but life is always like that...can't say when anyone's life can come to a screeching halt, abruptly.... let's take comfort in the thought that he has done his work and left the stage that we all are destined to leave sooner or later...

The first and the last time I met music director Johnson was years back, in Chennai. It was a recording studio in Vadapalani and he was there to do the background score for 'Arayannangalude Veedu', directed by Lohithadas. During the break, he and Lohithadas came and sat; my friend, a much elder person who used to write 'censor scripts' for films, introduced me to them. And then there we sat, discussing lots of things. Or to be precise, it should be said that they discussed the things and I was, for most of the time, just a listener. Those were my early days in journalism and I should confess that I sometimes, of course rarely, went nervous or a bit self-conscious when coming across certain film personalities (I remember slightly trembling with nervousness when I was talking with veteran director Hariharan during the re-recording of 'Prem Poojari'). But somehow I felt comfortable talking to (or rather being there and listening to) Johnson (hey, not to think I am showing disrespect to him by not calling him 'Johnson Master', a name that many who do not even spare time to listen to his compositions would use during the next couple of days with pretended respect; I love his songs, just as many of my friends do and I do speak of him with the respect that he deserves). He was, I'd say by borrowing the most popular phrase of today, 'cool'. He generated some kind of warmth that made me feel comfortable in his presence.

Johnson and Lohithadas spoke a lot, on many things pertaining to Malayalam Cinema. It was then, from Johnson himself, that I came to learn for the first time that he was the first music director from Malayalam to bag a National Award. That was for his work in T.V.Chandran's 'Ponthan Mada'. He said that even the veteran Devarajan Master, whose assistant he was in his early years, had won only a mention at the National Awards. He went on speaking till it was time for them to resume work.

That the man who composed so many lilting melodies in Malayalam is no more is a sad thing, but even sadder is the fact that people now tend to overlook and forget real talents like Johnson in a bid to be 'trendy' and 'modern'. The sad thing about Malayalam film music is that we now get to hear lots of songs that are rendered with an anglicized accent and don't touch you the way songs composed by Devarajan, Baburaj, Dakshinamoorthy, Johnson, Bombay Ravi, Raveendran (I know I may be forgetting names) etc do. This is the thought that saddens me on this day, the day when we have lost to death one of the most talented of contemporary composers in Malayalam Cinema.

I do know that there are good songs too that happen these days, but the overall trend, is it heartening? Not sure, but let's hope for the best....

Adieu Johnson Master... I, like many others of my friends (my friend Jayan, whom I call Jayanji, is an ardent fan of Johnson and plays and discusses his songs in office too), will remember you through your songs.....

It was recently that I got to see the new 'Rathinirvedham', directed by T.K.Rajeev Kumar and with Shwetha Menon and Sreejith in the lead, at a multiplex in Kochi. It was not a big audience, families were less in number. I decided to forget that there was already a 'Rathinirvedham' that was penned by Padmarajan and directed by Bharathan; I preferred to see this as a new, totally fresh movie.

I saw the film, liked it, came out of the theatre satisfied at having seen a good movie; yes, I won't call it a so so movie, I'd prefer to be unpretentious and call it a good movie. As I was moving out, I was in fact surprised by the comments that were coming up. It seems most of the guys coming out wanted to be there because of the element of sensuousness that the film was supposed to have and hence were disappointed. The comments suggested so. In an age when sex, though considered to be a taboo in our social life, is served in all varieties and flavours over the internet and is so easily available, a coming of age story set in a little village in Kerala won't have much appeal. But those who pretend to have grown up and see those things as belonging to an age bygone perhaps forget that coming of age is still almost a similar thing. Changes have occurred, but that's mere superficial. In essence, it's almost the same. Not just in little villages, in towns, in cities and everywhere we can find characters like Pappu and Rathi and similar stories happening; only that with the change in lifestyle it has acquired different colours and dimensions. Agreed that there won't be a Pappu who'd ride by in a bicycle and peep at dames bathing in village ponds, agreed that there won't be a 'sarpakkavu' and the exchange of books, agreed that there won't be the kind of simple and slow, uneventful life that's depicted so beautifully by Padmarajan, the master story-teller. Times have changed; there are no kites that boys fly during lazy evenings, there are no comic books of the old times that they read and cherish for ever, the old-time games that kids used to play in their compounds and all around are disappearing, you may not find kids going after things like pickles, balloons, simple little toys, film posters cut out of newspapers, stamp collection etc. There may not be the paddy fields, rivulets, mango trees, dragon flies etc. in the lives of most kids today. But take a peep into the mind of an adolescent who exchanges SMS messages rather than books with love-letters hidden in it with a girl of his age or who is older to him; take a peep into the mind of an adolescent who, from his rooftop in a teeming metropolis, views a much older girl in the neighbourhood; take a peep into the mind of an urban schoolboy who develops a liking for his beautiful teacher or a senior student..and you will understand it. The feelings are still almost the same; it's something that helps you understand yourself better; it's something that offers you some primary insights into love and sex; it's something that gives you a glimpse of how diverse relationships could be; it's something that helps you grow up, come of age...Hey, it's all so universal, so simple...Sitting there watching the new 'Rathinirvedham', I was mesmerised by the story that Padmarajan had woven up, over three decades ago. The story was not just a story. It was life portrayed as simply as possible, with a charm that exceeds all bounds...I was bowled over by the kind of insight that the much talented writer-director, who unfortunately is no more.

Coming out of the theatre and in the parking lot, I took out my cellphone, sent a message to director Rajeev Kumar, who is a friend too, saying that I liked the movie. Yes, I liked it, I liked it because I didn't compare Shwetha's performance to Jayabharathi's, Sreejith's to Krishnachandran's and I liked it because I didn't expect anything sensuous in it, except what would be part of the story, simply because Padmarajan has always been one of my favourites. I liked it because I tended to overlook many of the shortcomings in the film (some of which I had pointed out in my reviews elsewhere) and saw it just as myself. I liked it because I didn't compare it with the old 'Rathinirvedham'.

I still believe that those who go see all the trash dished out in the name of cinema should find time to see films like 'Rathinirvedham' too. Such films do matter... we need to come of age, at least now...

Yeah, I do know that Kerala is the land where films like 'Venalkinaavukal' won't be remembered for long and where films like 'Rugmini' would cause unwanted fuss. But that's all past. Let's change history at least now; things are changing so fast outside Kerala, as regards films. Tamilians see and enjoy 'Enthiran', but they also accord a warm welcome to films like 'Autograph', 'Mynaa', 'Vennila Kabbadi Kuzhu' and 'Kalavani'.

Yes, we need to come of age....

It's been a long time since I wrote something here, on this blog...

In fact, it all began with a break that was supposed to be short, but it got extended and then I forgot my log in details...

So today, I got it recovered and here I am, blogging about cinema, something that I love to do...
Much water has flown under the bridge; many good films have come and gone...in Malayalam 'Traffic' happened, it was a very different thing to happen to Malayalam Cinema and I earned a friend in the director Rajesh Pillai. Good films happened, along with some regular ones and some trash too. At this instant I remember names like 'City of God', 'Urumi', 'Manikyakallu', 'TD Dasan Standard VI B', 'Maanikyakallu', 'Chaapakurishu', 'Best Actor', 'Rathinirvedham' (the TK Rajeev Kumar one), 'Salt n' Pepper', 'Mumbai March 12' and such films that happened in the recent past, in between my stopping and resuming this blog. There could be names that I forgot. Also got to see some real good films from other languages- Hindi, Tamil etc. But for those, I am thinking of starting another blog...

So, lemme start afresh, writing once again with the passion that I have always had, for movies of all kinds....

Lemme see if I can continue to do this regularly... hope so...

Hydrose, the funny goon who struts with a knife in hand and utters loud and empty threats and changes sides as and when needed, taking care to be always on the safer side- who’d forget this character played by Cochin Haneefa in ‘Kireedom’, a film that’s among the all time favourites of film lovers in Kerala?

It’s indeed sad to think that the actor who had given life to Hydrose and many such funny characters, emoting with ease and delivering dialogues in his characteristic style (mimicked so often on the stage) is no more. My early memories of the actor, like many others of my generation, happen to be of the many negative characters that he played in so many films. Little did I know that the guy would metamorphose into one of the most loved of comedians in Malayalam (Another actor who underwent such a surprising kind of transformation of course is Janardhanan). I didn’t know either that Cochin Haneefa was a scenarist and a director.

Anyhow the man who played the funny Mahout in ‘Narendran Makan Jayakantan Vaka’, Eldo in ‘Mannaar Mathai Speaking’, Philippose in ‘Swapnakoodu’ and those many interesting characters in films like ‘Punjabi House’, ‘Pathram’, ‘Dubai’ etc is no more. The man who directed films like ‘Valsalyam’, ‘Veenameettiya Vilangukal’, ‘Bheeshmacharya’, ‘Oru Sandesham Koodi’, ‘Oru Sindoorapottinte Ormaykku’ etc breathed his last yesterday at a hospital in Chennai, the city that earned him many friends, both in the film industry and out of it.

Lots will be said about Cochin Haneefa today and for the next few days in the very same papers and TV channels that dared to ‘kill’ him a few hours before the end actually happened. So, instead of dwelling on his biographical details and his evolution as an artist, I’d prefer to remember him and his many characters along with you all and bid a silent adieu.

Adieu Hydrose!! Yes, you remain, forever our favourite Hydrose. Can’t say about the new generation, but my generation will continue to remember you for those umpteen funny characters that you have left behind.

Films on terrorism, made in other languages, have hit screens in Kerala. ‘Fiza’, ‘A Wednesday’ and its remake ‘Unaipol Oruvan’, ‘Droh Kaal’ and its remake ‘Kuruthi Punal’, ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’, ‘Aamir’ and such other films have reached Kerala. Noted cinematographer-director Santhosh Sivan from Kerala had, in 1999, made a film named ‘The Terrorist’, with Ayesha Dharker playing the key role; and there have been references to terrorism in mainstream Malayalam films, especially those of the Suresh Gopi-Shaji Kailas genre. But we haven’t had in Malayalam a film that deals with terrorism in an exclusive and sensitive manner.

Amal Neerad, cinematographer-turned-director, now gets ready to bring to Malayalam Cinema the subject of terrorism, with his next offering, ‘Anwar’, starring Prithviraj in the lead. (‘Anwar’ incidentally is the name of a Hindi movie, made in 2007 and directed by Manish Jha, the man who made ‘Mathrubhoomi: A nation without women’, and which discussed terrorism too, in a rather satirical tone).

Amal Neerad’s ‘Anwar’, according to the makers, is “the story of one man’s crusade against society’s evil plots to term him as an outcast”. The key characters in the film include Anwar, a Muslim youth who lives in contemporary Kerala; Ayisha, Anwar’s friend, who is well-educated and who is a chemical engineer; Babookka, who is like a father and an elder brother to Anwar and a tough, daring Anti Terrorist Squad officer who is out to wipe out terrorism.

Prithviraj plays the title role, that of Anwar while Mamta Mohandas plays Ayisha and Lal becomes Babookka. Prakash Raj once again comes to Malayalam playing the role of the Anti Terrorist Squad officer.

Produced by Raj Zacharias, ‘Anwar’ features cinematography by Satheesh Kurup, music and background score by Gopi Sundar and editing by Vivek Harshan. Written and directed by Amal Neerad, ‘Anwar’ will start rolling in February and is slated for a July release.

Best film- ‘Pazhassi Raja’ (Directed by Hariharan and produced by Gokulam Gopalan)
Best Director- Ranjith (‘Palery Manikyam: Oru Paathirakolapathakathinte Katha’)
Best actor- Mohanlal (‘Bhramaram’, ‘Ividam Swargamaanu’)
Best actress- Kavya Madhavan (‘Banaras’)
Actor of the Millennium- Mammootty
Youth Icon of the Year- Prithviraj
Popular actress- Lakshmi Rai
Best character actor- Sreenivasan (‘Passenger’, ‘Makante Achchan’)
Best character actress- Shwetha Menon (‘Palery Manikyam: Oru Paathirakolapathakathinte Katha’)
Best Villain- Laloo Aalex (‘Ividam Swargamaanu’)
Best Comedian- Jagadeesh (‘2 Harihar Nagar’)
Best Script- Ranjith Shankar (‘Passenger’)
Best lyricist- Vayalar Sharath Chandra Varma (‘Neelathamara’)
Best music director- Deepak Dev (‘Puthiya Mukham’)
Best playback singer, male- Shankar Mahadevan (‘Puthiya Mukham’)
Best playback singer, female- K.S.Chithra (‘Pazhassi Raja’)
Best child artist- Baby Niveditha (‘Bhramaram’, ‘Kaanakanmani’)
Best cinematography- Ajayan Vincent (‘Bhramaram’)
Best editor- Vijay Shankar (‘Bhramaram’)
Best star-pair- Jayasurya and Bhama (‘Ivar Vivahitharayal’)
Best debut artist, male- Nishan (‘Ritu’)
Best debut artist, female- Archana Kavi (‘Neelathamara’)
Lifetime Achievement award- P.V.Gangadharan
Special award for overall contribution to Indian Cinema- Resul Pookutty
Special jury awards- Manoj.K.Jayan, Sarath Kumar, Kaniha (‘Pazhassi Raja’)

Ranjith Shankar’s only association with Cinema, it’s heard, was that he has been a friend to director Lal Jose and had been to Lal Jose’s shooting locations as well. But this guy, when he directed his debut movie, ‘Passenger’, did take us all by surprise. ‘Passenger’, one of the hit movies of 2009, seemed a movie coming from a seasoned director, who knew his job very well.

The script (by Ranjith Shankar himself) was well written, with no loose ends at all and the direction well handled too. The film was a hit, though it didn’t have the usual box office formula and came without songs either.

Now Ranjith Shankar gets ready for his second film. If it was Dileep and Sreenivasan who played the key roles in ‘Passenger’, along with Mamta Mohandas, in Ranjith’s new film, titled ‘Arjunan Sakshi’, it’s Prithviraj who is the hero. The film has Prithviraj playing an architect named Roy, who comes to Kerala after having worked in different cities all over India. He lands up in Kerala

Let’s stay tuned for more on ‘Arjunan Sakshi’.