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Reviews
Kireedam (1989)
One of the best Malayalam classics
I write this just a few minutes after I watched Kireedam for the first time. I am blown away by this film. After seeing films like Manichithrathazhu (1993), Manasinakkare (2003), and Kireedam, I have a totally new respect for Malayalam cinema. Because most Malayalam films are basically about super-hero men who walk around giving melodramatic speeches, I spent my whole life thinking that those silly Bollywood blockbusters were India's best films. But now I know better. While the Hindi film industry has offered some fine films (e.g., Dil Chahta Hai and Sholay), the majority of the best Indian movies I've seen are Malayalam films.
I became a Mohanlal fanatic after watching his performance in Mani Ratnam's criminally under-appreciated Iruvar (1997). For me, seeing Kireedam cements Mohanlal's position as one of India's top 2 or 3 greatest actors, if not the greatest.
What makes Kireedam so special is that it is completely plot-driven. As we all know, a completely plot-driven film is a rarity in Indian cinema, North or South. Also, this movie is an intense character study both of a young man whose bright future deteriorates before his very eyes and of a father (Thilakan) who is forced to watch helplessly as it happens. Before seeing Kireedam, I never realized how brilliant an actor Thilakan can be.
Kireedam is one of Indian cinema's best films, and it is a cultural treasure for every Malayalee. I actually think that I understand my parents' native Kerala much better now that I have seen this film.
Manichitrathazhu (1993)
One of the greatest Malayalam movies ever made
The first half of Manichithrathazhu may be slow, but the second half becomes gripping. The amazing climax, featuring Shobana's spectacular dance with her partner, pushes this movie from a simple Malayalam thriller to the level of high art. Although the film isn't perfect--there are minor plot holes, and Mohanlal's entertaining performance goes over the top in some scenes--Manichithrathazhu is one of the best Indian movies I've seen.
After watching this movie, I couldn't believe it was directed by Fazil, the same guy who churned out overly sentimental mush like Aniyathi Pravu (1997) and shameless, cookie-cutter Hollywood remakes like Life Is Beautiful (2000). Manichithrathazhu has to be the high point of Fazil's career.
After a lifetime of avoiding most Malayalam movies like the plague, old classics like this film are turning me into a big fan of Malu films. Also, after watching his charismatic performances in films like Nadodikattu (1987), Pattana Pravesham (1988), Akkare akkare akkare (1990), and Manichithrathazhu, I find myself becoming an enthusiastic fan of Mohanlal. If you're not already a Mohanlal fan, watching Manichithrathazhu may make you one.
Hulchul (2004)
Remade from Malayalam Hit
Hulchul continues Malayalee director Priyadarshan's habit of remaking Malayalam hit movies into Bollywood box office success. Hulchul is a remake of the Siddique-Lal-directed "God Father" (1991), in which two kids from rival families fall in love. Their romance is complicated by the fact that the guy's patriarch and the girl's matriarch bitterly hate each other. The story is somewhat inspired by Romeo and Juliet, except that it's a comedy.
("Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega..." (2000), which was not directed by Priyadarshan, was a remake of Priyadarshan's Malayalam superhit "Chandralekha" (1997).)
"Hera Pheri" (2000), touted as one of the biggest Bollywood comedies of the past decade, was Priyadarshan's remake of Siddique's first big Malayalam hit, "Ramji Rao Speaking" (1989).
It would be nice if Priyadarshan could bring something original to the Bollywood screen, rather than remakes.
Manassinakkare (2003)
better than average film
Don't let the first 15-20 minutes of this film fool you. The first time I tried to watch this film, the first few minutes gave me the impression that this would be another boring, shoddy melodrama (which is unfortunately what most Malu movies are). I stopped watching Manasinakkare about 10 minutes into it.
Good thing I decided to give Manasinakkare a second chance. After sitting through the first half hour, I was hooked.
This film is not so much a melodrama as it is a thoughtfully written and unusually well made film. I believe the number one rule of film-making is to never insult the audience's intelligence. This cardinal rule is broken by the majority of Indian films I've seen (especially Bollywood), either because of glaring plot holes or overly sappy sentimentality. Manasinakkare, however, is an intelligent film that was clearly made for an intelligent and demanding audience. While the film obviously is sentimental, it never lays on the syrup too thickly.
While the pacing is unhurried, it never lags. All the scenes in this movie are there to drive forward the plot. Just as natural as the dialogues is the characterization. There are flawed characters in this story, but not one of them is portrayed as a villain. (Can you imagine-- an Indian film without villains!) Instead, both the "good" and "bad" guys in this film are well rounded characters who could easily be people you'd meet in your own life.
Manasinakkare is the simple story of a society coming to grips with the new wealth it has gained from India's rapid economic growth. Due to centuries of poverty, Indian society relied extensively on tight family bonds to survive. Now, with the explosion in wealth, India faces the problem of how to adapt traditional family values to the irresistible flow of modernization. This is the problem faced by Kochu Thresia (acting legend Sheela in a comeback performance), who raised her children through grinding poverty to great financial success.
Now that her sons are busy chasing after money, they neglect their lonely widowed mother. By chance, she meets Reji (Jayaram), who earns a small living raising poultry. Reji and Kochu Thresia slowly become friends as he gives her the attention and respect that her own sons deny her. Meanwhile, Reji has problems of his own as he keeps an eye on his father's (Innocent) drinking problem.
Hello My Dear: Wrong Number (1986)
Mohanlal film with the classic song "Nee En Kinavo"
Watching this movie is a nostalgic trip back to the days when Mohanlal was younger, thinner, and very capable of pulling his little acrobatic feats on camera, something he has gotten too old and unfit to do in his recent movies. (The man is still quite young; just imagine how many more crowds his movies would pull in if he just took the time to exercise a little and look like he did in "Hello My Dear"!)
And of course, this movie is remembered not only for its Priyadarshan-Mohanlal-style comedy, but also for it's Yesudas-Chitra hit song "Nee En Kinavo." I saw this movie on TV in India in 2002. The fact that they air this movie more than fifteen years after its release shows how popular it still is.