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Abin Thomas Thattil 2 55 days ago

BEST MOVIE EVER IN MALAYALAM INDUSTRY.IT IS AN IMMOTIONAL MOVIE TOO.

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One of the best movies seen and would like to see the boat "Mary Matha".

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The best I have ever seen so far

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• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor. Share
• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor.
• This is the second time Arjun Kapoor is playing a double role, the first being Aurangzeb (2013).
• The song ‘Yamma yamma’ from ‘Shaan’ is sampled in the song ‘Partywali Night' for the film.

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Home » Reviews » Malayalam Movie Reviews

Anweshippin Kandethum Movie Review: Double The Thrill, One Investigative Package

The storyline of anweshippin kandethum revolves around two separate crimes and their subsequent investigations set in kerala.

Star Cast: Tovino Thomas, Siddique, Arthana Binu, Baburaj, Pramod Velliyanad, Vineeth Thattil David

Director: Darwin Kuriakose

What’s Good: The film adeptly sustains suspense, captivating audiences from start to finish. It diverges from investigative thriller conventions by not introducing a family for Tovino, instead focusing solely on the investigation without unnecessary diversions, thereby enhancing its appeal.

What’s Bad: Specific viewers may find a lack of emotional connection to the investigating officer, a characteristic often present in films of this genre. Tovino Thomas’s character, however, lacks any personal connections such as a girlfriend, wife, or children.

Loo Break: Given the intricacies of the plot, it’s not advisable to take breaks as they may lead to missing vital information.

Watch or Not?: “Anweshippin Kandethum” is a compelling choice for enthusiasts of investigative thrillers, offering engaging narratives, talented performances, and thematic depth.

Language: Malayalam

Available On: Theatrical Release

Runtime: 2h 22m

The storyline of ‘Anweshippin Kandethum’ revolves around two separate crimes and their subsequent investigations set in Kerala . The film is organized into two discernible segments, inviting viewers into an investigation in the late 80s and a distinct investigation in the early 90s. Each segment delves into the enigmatic circumstances surrounding the deaths of young women in their early twenties, with each case presenting a unique and separate narrative.

Anweshippin Kandethum Movie Review: Script Analysis

The script propels the narrative forward, focusing on the investigation and avoiding unnecessary diversions. Jinu Abraham adeptly weaves a narrative that maintains viewer engagement from start to finish, with every scene advancing the plot. The script instills a feeling of suspense and intrigue, holding audiences captive. Furthermore, deliberately omitting extraneous subplots or distractions produces a more cohesive storytelling experience.

Although Tovino Thomas’s character lacks personal ties, the script showcases his commitment to his profession and relentless quest for justice. Each character is intricately developed, adding depth to the narrative. In sum, the script of “Anweshippin Kandethum” provides a sturdy framework for the film, propelling its storyline while effectively captivating the audience with its suspenseful storytelling.

Anweshippin Kandethum Movie Review: Star Performance

In “Anweshippin Kandethum,” Tovino Thomas delivers an exceptional performance as Anand Narayanan, portraying the character with depth and conviction. He skillfully captures the intricacies of a committed police officer navigating complex investigations, exhibiting a spectrum of emotions from resolve to vulnerability. Tovino’s portrayal effectively conveys the internal conflicts and external obstacles his character encounters, imbuing the film with authenticity and inviting viewers to empathize with Anand’s journey.

The other cast of “Anweshippin Kandethum” significantly enhances the film’s overall quality. Actor Siddique convincingly portrays a superior officer to Tovino, while Indrans delivers a commendable performance that does justice to his role despite appearing in only a few scenes. Additionally, Shammy Thilakan adds depth and subtlety to his character, further enriching the film with his performance.

Anweshippin Kandethum Movie Review: Direction, Music

Directed by Darwin Kuriakose, “Anweshippin Kandethum” is a fast-paced movie focusing on essential scenes devoid of unnecessary fillers, enhancing the overall viewing experience. The direction ensures a cohesive storytelling experience . The late 80s and early 90s are captured impeccably, with attention to detail evident in the portrayal of vehicles, clothing, and street scenes. Each scene adeptly conveys the depth of the situations depicted.

The music by Santhosh Narayanan is good, although it leans too heavily on the bass for my taste. However, other audience members enjoy it. It effectively enhances the film’s enjoyment and immerses us further in the storyline.

Anweshippin Kandethum Movie Review: Last Words

“Anweshippin Kandethum” shines as a mesmerizing police procedural, elevated by stellar acting, an enthralling plot, and masterful direction. It adds to the esteemed tradition of top-notch cop dramas in Malayalam cinema, ensuring it’s a must-watch for aficionados.

Anweshippin Kandethum Trailer

Anweshippin Kandethum releases on 09 February, 2024.

Share with us your experience of watching Anweshippin Kandethum.

For more recommendations, read our The Promised Land Movie Review here.

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Review: “The Great Indian Kitchen” Showcases the Subtle Suffering of Women in Indian Households

The Great Indian Kitchen highlights the subtle suppression of women as a practice carried out in their own homes and even perpetuated by other women.

By Anuj Chakrapani , 7 Mar 21 23:55 GMT

The flashes of delectable cuisine at the start of Malayalam filmmaker Jeo Baby ’s The Great Indian Kitchen , are reminiscent of other movies where food forms a central theme to the plot. Unlike those films, this movie’s attention quickly shifts away from the entrees and the side dishes, and onto the ladies in this traditional Indian household dealing with a stacked sink and rotten leftovers every single day. With a backdrop that millions relate to, The Great Indian Kitchen highlights the suppression of women as a practice systematically carried out and handed from one generation to another, bringing to light an undeniable truth about the ingrained bias against them prevalent in traditional Indian households.

The wife in The Great Indian Kitchen has a seemingly simple goal: all she yearns for is an equitable relationship, one that lets her share a meal with her partner within the confines of her home. We aren’t told her name, for this is the story of the quintessential Indian housewife.

Silent Abuse

The movie is set in a picturesque town in the southern Indian state of Kerala and starts at the wedding of a couple ( Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu ). In what she thinks is a bonding exercise with her newly adopted family, the wife lends a helping hand to her mother-in-law with her chores in the kitchen. unaware that the husbands demonstrate a callous and condescending attitude towards their wives. Relegating their spouses to thankless servants, they tacitly have the women do things like carry their footwear when they head out. It is one of many duties that the submissive women perform without questioning — a subtle form of slavery to the untrained eye. The movie depicts this unique form of domestic abuse, one that involves no explicit cruelty. They don’t raise their voice, nor lift an arm, but inflict an equally deep wound. When the workhorse at the center of this family, the mother-in-law, has to leave town for a family commitment, the mantle of head servant now falls on the wife. That’s when the cracks begin to appear — literally and figuratively.

It isn’t only the subject matter of The Great Indian Kitchen that makes it powerful. Director Baby uniquely immerses the audience in the wife’s pain through the imagery of the film. Take for instance the scene in which the wife stands at the doorstep of the kitchen, and stares at it a tad longer than usual. In an earlier life, she was a dancer. Now she’s a housewife forced into a different kind of dance where she juggles pots and pans, while dealing with a broken drain pipe. The pipe becomes emblematic of the fissure in her relationship with her husband, unraveling like their relationship, and ignored by him until the end. Sajayan enacts the wife’s pain beautifully; it’s wordlessly clear that she wants to run away from this mess, or even just get a day off.  With such nuanced performances and little background music, the movie soaks us in the atmosphere, and sets up a telepathic connection between the viewers and its characters.

Perpetuated by Generations

After praying for a day off, the wife finally gets it, just not in the way she wanted.  In fact she gets an entire week off from the kitchen when she gets her menstrual period. Sadly for her, it opens up a wholly different level of torture, as she is banished to being an untouchable. Ironically, it isn’t a man that treats her the worst during this time. Her aunt-in-law is unflinching in her restrictions on the wife, even subjecting her to solitary confinement. Interestingly, her restrictive behavior doesn’t stem from hatred; she just remains steadfast in enforcing the same boundaries for the wife that she had to adhere to. Her actions highlight how women are taught by patriarchal tradition to oppress, rather than protect, each other. The scene in which the aunt-in-law bids adieu to the wife on the seventh day is especially gut-wrenching. She leaves with a smile, as though nothing has happened. Jeo Baby highlights this social evil in our cultures, arguing it borders on a human rights violation. Meanwhile, the background score harmonizes with news commentary and viral social media posts that highlight how a woman’s biological cycle is used to body-shame her and deny her entry to temples, such as the Ayappa temple in Sabarmiala . On the other hand, men are considered messengers of God during the 40-day, “ Ayyappa Mandala vratham ” period, which culminates with a visit to the very same temple. The Great Indian Kitchen encourages us to examine the shocking dichotomies that Indians witness every year and remain detached to.

Global Resonance

Jeo Baby deftly maneuvers the film to keep it focused on its leading lady, and her husband’s dismissiveness of her simplest desires: a life beyond the kitchen, and some gentleness in bed when the lights go out.. Her story about abuse behind closed doors speaks to a universal problem, one exacerbated by the pandemic we are living in the midst of. Oppression of women isn’t a problem isolated to the Indian subcontinent, as seen by its prevalence in global films. For instance, Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 , talks about the undercurrent of sexism in Korean society, and the classy Georgian movie My Happy Family , highlights how a woman’s role in a family and society is taken for granted.

On its surface, The Great Indian Kitchen appears to be a simple tale, but it delivers a powerful message about gender inequality, whilst opening our eyes to how we conveniently disguise it in everyday actions. We see flashes of brilliance in the film, such as a restaurant scene where the wife sits shoulder-to-shoulder with her husband on a table, a privilege she never enjoys inside their home. Centuries of social evils, regressive behavior, and gender bias don’t vanish with the passage of time; they are rigidly reinforced by succeeding generations. The movie depicts these issues effectively while also offering a bold solution: breaking the cycle and ending the generational chain of intolerance, by starting a new one that taps into a woman’s freedom and self-worth. We see a powerful step in that direction when the wife turns her back on the husband, severing their relationship to chase her passion. She starts a new chain by teaching her liberating art form to a group of young girls. The film teaches us that we don’t change the world by trying to reform the incorrigible, rather we do so by empowering the vulnerable, so there’s none left to prey upon.

Anuj Chakrapani is a cinema enthusiast, who believes that film, like other art forms, is open to interpretation. He adopts a deconstructionist approach when writing about movies. He lives in Silicon Valley.

The Great Indian Kitchen —India. Dialog in Malayalam. Directed by Jeo Baby. Running time 1 hr 40 min. First released January 15, 2021. Starring Nimisha Sajayan, Suraj Venjaramoodu.

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പ്രേമ കളി, കാര്യമാകുന്ന സമയം...: രസം പിടിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ചിരിപ്പടം: മഹാറാണി റിവ്യൂ

കൈയ്യടിക്കേണ്ട കാതല്‍: വീണ്ടും 'ആക്ടര്‍ മമ്മൂട്ടി ആന്‍റ് കമ്പനി' ഞെട്ടിക്കുന്നു: ജിയോ ബേബി ചിത്രം റിവ്യൂ

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Portrayal of Masculinity in Malayalam Cinema: A Comparative Study of Great Indian Kitchen and Aarkaryam

2021, Dialogist, Kannur University

The concept of masculinity and the representation of male remains a contested terrain in the recent Malayalam cinematic realm. It's a known fact that cinema has a persuasive impact on the public's view on women empowerment and gender equality. There have been attempts by Malayalam cinema to challenge the traditional gender roles and cultural practices within the society. The films such as The Great Indian Kitchen (2021) and Aarkaryam (2021) approach the notion of masculinity from different perspectives. The Great Indian Kitchen gives a glimpse of the hardhitting reality of the society and how patriarchy is deeply entrenched in our minds. On the other hand, Aarkaryam normalises the domestic space for men rather than glorifying or romanticizing men for sharing equal space in the kitchen. This research article tries to delineate the portrayal of male figures in these films from a feminist gaze. The paper also attempts to analyse and compare the portrayal of masculinity in both films in terms of their ideologies and cultural norms.

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Shodh Kosh , reshma krishnan

Power packed performances of the male lead with the goons flying in the air has become a mundane visual treat for the Malayali audience. It is those heroes with the 'guy next to door' image that the audience feels acceptable and relatable. Malayalam film industry, popularly known as Mollywood, witnessed in the year 2022 the release of a couple of brilliant films notable for their scrupulous character portrayals. Such characters narrated and detailed the lives and ways of common men and thus were critically acclaimed post release, as noticeable entries in contemporary popular culture. Culture demands and conditions men and women to act out their gender roles in specific ways, which in turn, put pressures on them to live up to the expectations of the societal and cultural standards. The paper intends to focus on these aspects by analyzing three Malayalam films-Puzhu, Malayankunju, and Nna Thaan Case Kodu, all released in the year 2022. All these three movies have different plot settings and character sketches, but are unique in respect of the portrayal of male protagonists in them. According to Raewyn Connell's categorization of masculinities, each of the male characters in the film identified belongs to hegemonic, marginalized, and subordinate masculine categories. The main focus of the paper is to analyze the ideologies of masculine representations in the popular media and thereby to point out the cultural nuances in these portrayals.

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S.S. Sooraj , Kavya Krishna K R

The Malayalam film Kumbalangi Nights (2019) received wide appreciation as a mainstream/popular movie which decoded masculinity. This article attempts a close reading of the film to see how the film unsettles the usual representation of 'the hero' in Malayalam/Indian films. It argues that Kumbalangi Nights can actually be read as a satire of the filmic hero usually seen in the earlier decades' Superstar films in Malayalam. It argues that what Kumbalangi Nights does is to show that the 'hegemonic masculinity' which hero centric popular Malayalam/Indian films celebrate is actually 'toxic masculinity'. The institution of family is quite central in keeping the gender divisions intact. The article also tries to point out that our set understanding about the 'proper' middle class family as the space of ideal domestic contentment, as usually depicted in popular movies, is shattered in Kumbalangi Nights. It also tries to delineate how the agency of women is central to the narrative of the film in the unravelling of toxic masculinity and in problematising power relations within the family. The article argues that the film shows the inside of the ideal middle class household as a place of power play, where women are most often living in constant fear; it is the space of the most violent attacks-physical and emotional-against women and children. It reads that Kumbalangi Nights offers an alternate model of family based on love, empathy, kindness and virtue rather than relation through body fluids. The article is divided into five sections: the first section gives the theoretical framework of the article, the second section introduces the plot and setting of the movie, the third section-Men of Kumbalangi and Masculinity-is further divided into two parts which look at the film's undoing of the concept of hero and hegemonic masculinity and its portrayal of other masculinities. The fourth section presents a critique of the normative middle class family in the film. The fifth section analyses the characterization of women in the film and its importance in the undoing of the hegemonic masculinity and power play in the normative family. The final section concludes the article by briefly placing Kumbalangi Nights against the Malayalam Superstar films of the 1990s and 2000s to bring out the contrast and ends by opening up further possibilities of research on the film.

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Oishika Ghosh

In the context of a patriarchal societal framework, entrenched perceptions regarding femininity and masculinity prevail. These perceptions, while subject to variation across societal strata, frequently align with the portrayal of the masculine as robust and assertive, shaping gender depictions notably in cinematic productions, particularly within the domain of Bollywood. This article endeavors to elucidate such gender dynamics through the critical examination of two films, discerning prevalent themes of male hegemony, sexism, and misogyny therein.

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Sanghita Sen , Harjant Gill

Review of Indian Masculinity Series - Roots of Love, Mardistan/Macholand & Sent Away Boys by Harjant Gill (written by Sanghita Sen)

Ruchita Chowdhary

The cinema in India has its different mark upon the masses and has a huge fan following. Being the most popular art form in the nation it has been in luencing the viewers with its magical effects. With its tremendous reach among the youths, it not only depicts the virtual image of the society but on the same hand it is creating a world which is juxtapose of realm. Since the beginning Hindi ilms are revolving around the set plots of the scripted feature ilms showcasing a hero, a heroine, a villain and a climax after which everybody has a happy ending. Accordingly, the Hindi ilms have de ined the heroes in its own way with some set parameters i.e., muscular body, taller than heroine, a ighter, good looks and a never-ending list of traits. However, some heroes have broken this myth that a ilmy hero is always a MACHO MAN. They are again rede ining the personality of the heroes on the silverscreen. Thus, the aim of this research paper is to examine the change in de inition of the heroes ...

Gender Reflections in Mainstream Hindi Cinema

Dr. Nidhi Shendurnikar

Cinema is meant and believed to entertain, to take the viewer to a world that is starkly different from the real one, a world which provides escape from the daily grind of life. Cinema is a popular media of mass consumption which plays a key role in moulding opinions, constructing images and reinforcing dominant cultural values. The paper deals with representations of women characters in mainstream Bollywood movies. It is deemed appropriate to examine this issue because women are a major chunk of the country’s population and hence their portrayal on screen is crucial in determining the furtherance of already existing stereotypes in the society. The paper begins with a discussion on the field of feminist film criticism and how mainstream Hindi Cinema has restricted itself to defined sketches of womanhood. It also undertakes some glimpses from popular films to analyse this process of stereotyping the ‘other’ – considering that reality in mainstream cinema is constructed from the male view point. A section is devoted to discussion on contemporary realistic brand of cinema and its understanding of women. In conclusion, a debate ensues on whether mainstream Hindi cinema has been successful in portraying Indian women of different shades in a society dominated by patriarchal values. Key Words: Cinema, popular, media, women, Bollywood, movies, stereotypes, feminist, mainstream, patriarchal

Manish Dutta

Cinemas can’t function in isolation. Either they are the reflection of the society or they tend to change the accepted social order by displaying the truth. The Indian Film industry is a multimillion-dollar industry and produces the highest number of films each year in the world. There have been some very good films which upheld the need to purge the Indian society of patriarchy but the greatest number of the mainstream cinemas instilled the idea of the male toxic hegemony which has led to the escalation of crime against women. In this paper I’ve chosen Indian cinemas and primarily mainstream Bollywood because they have a great impact over our society. If one is born in India then Bollywood has crept in his/her life at least once. The objective of this paper is to examine the effect of Bollywood films on society from a feminist perspective. Keywords: Patriarchy, Objectification of women, commodification of women, traditions, Indian cinema, Bollywood.

Iqbal Sevea

By drawing upon a series of immensely popular Punjabi films that centre around the character of Maula Jatt, this paper explores the code of masculinity depicted in the genre of rural based Punjabi vendetta films. The character of Maula Jatt and other similar characters in Punjabi films are approached here as constitutive of a specific male cultural type. Films, it should be noted, are studied as sources through which to understand wider cultural discourses of masculinity that are compelling at a particular historical juncture. It is stressed here that in critically engaging with masculinity one has to discard notions of natural, fixed or unitary notions of maleness. Not only is masculinity in itself a relational construct, there are also numerous codes of masculinity that co-exist in a particular context. Hence, this paper is attentive to ways in which Punjabi films present a series of actions and qualities as being the sole domain of manly men as well as to the celebration of a particular code of masculinity over others and its presentation as the standard to judge the worth of all men by. For instance, the ability to protect one’s izzat (honour), which is vested in the body and chastity of women (who are under the guardianship of men), openly display arms and ammunition, exact revenge and rise against the state’s law and order machinery are heralded as markers of masculinity. Beyond examining the presentation of men in relation to women, this paper asserts the importance of examining masculinity in terms of caste identities. Approaching gender in relational terms entails the study of how hegemonic masculinities function by demonstrating their superiority not only over women but also ‘other’ men. In the films studied here, the Jatt protagonist is portrayed as representing the hegemonic masculinity. Other caste groups are measured according to their ability to live up to this form of masculinity. In turn, the Jatt’s superior masculinity is itself reified by the very fact that other caste groups are valued according to characteristics that are supposed to mark out a manly Jatt.

South Asian Popular Culture

Swapna Gopinath

Mithibai College

Annalise Benjamin

The concept of masculinity has been discussed for generations at end and the common conception would end up being a stoic and arrogant man is an ideal form of masculinity. Hindi cinema was the forerunner in portraying ‘the ideal, perfect, angry young man’ which was added pressure on men. With time the definition of masculinity evolved and became more welcoming. Men come in various forms and their personalities differ. Millennial Hindi cinema is accepting these forms of masculinity and dabbling with them. This dissertation will analyze two recent films; Kabir Singh and Dream Girl. Both showcasing varied masculinities yet normalizing a man emoting and being true to himself. The dissertation will dissect the film from a hegemonic masculinity angle; analyze the characters based on Jungian archetypes and their version of cultural liberalism.

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webExclusive Report --> ഇൻ: വേറിട്ടൊരു സൈക്കോ ത്രില്ലർ; റിവ്യു

ആർ.ബി. ശ്രീലേഖ

Published: July 08 , 2022 03:34 PM IST

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സൈക്കോ കൊലപാതകികളുടെ കഥ പറയുന്ന ചിത്രങ്ങൾ മലയാളത്തിൽ ഉണ്ടായിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിലും രാജേഷ് നായർ രചനയും സംവിധാനവും നിർവഹിച്ച് മനോരമ മാക്സിൽ റിലീസ് ചെയ്ത ‘ഇൻ’ വേറിട്ടൊരു കഥാപരിസരമാണ് പ്രേക്ഷകർക്കു നൽകുന്നത്.  കുറ്റാന്വേഷണതൽപരയായ ഒരു പത്രപ്രവർത്തകയുടെയും കുറ്റവാളിയെ തിരഞ്ഞു നടക്കുന്ന പൊലീസ് ഓഫിസറുടെയും ഉൾപ്പോരിന്റെ കഥ കൂടിയാകുമ്പോൾ കാണുന്ന പ്രേക്ഷകരെ ആകർഷിക്കാനുതകുന്ന തരത്തിൽ ‘ഇൻ’ മികച്ചൊരു കാഴ്ചാനുഭവമായി മാറുന്നു. ജേണലിസ്റ്റിന്റെ വേഷം പ്രശസ്ത ചലച്ചിത്രതാരം ദീപ്തി സതി അനുപമമാക്കുമ്പോൾ കരിയറിലെ ആദ്യ പൊലീസ് വേഷത്തിൽ മികച്ച അഭിനയപ്രകടനവുമായി മധുപാൽ എത്തുകയാണ്.

തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തെ ഒരു ചെറിയ ഗ്രാമത്തിലും പരിസരപ്രദേശത്തും നടക്കുന്ന റിപ്പർ മോഡൽ കൊലപാതകങ്ങളുടെ നിഗൂഢത അന്വേഷിക്കുന്ന ജേണലിസ്റ്റാണ് ജെന്നി. ക്രൈം ജേണലിസ്റ്റ് എന്ന നിലയിൽ പേരെടുക്കാനാണ് ജെന്നി കൊലപാതകങ്ങളുടെ പിന്നാമ്പുറങ്ങളിലേക്ക് എത്തുന്നത്.  അടുത്ത വീട്ടിലെ കുട്ടിയുമായി ചേർന്ന് മണി ഹീസ്റ്റ് കാണുന്നത് ഹോബിയാക്കിയ ഗ്രേസ് എന്നുവിളിക്കുന്ന അമ്മാമ്മ മാത്രമാണ് അവൾക്കു സ്വന്തമായി ഉള്ളത്. കൊലപാതകങ്ങളുടെ രഹസ്യം അന്വേഷിച്ചു നടക്കുന്ന ജെന്നിക്ക് എല്ലാ കൊലപാതകത്തിലും ചില സാദൃശ്യങ്ങൾ കണ്ടെത്താനാകുന്നു.  

ഡിഎസ്പി അയ്യപ്പനാകട്ടെ ഇതേ കൊലപാതകങ്ങൾ ഒരു തലവേദനയായി മാറിയിരിക്കുകയാണ്. ജോൺ ലൂക്ക എന്നയാളിൽ തുടങ്ങിയ കൊലപാതക പരമ്പര സുകുവിലും ഭാര്യയിലും അവരുടെ അരുമ മകളിലും എത്തിനിൽക്കുമ്പോഴാണ് സിനിമയുടെ കഥ തുടങ്ങുന്നത്. പലപ്പോഴും ക്രൈം സീനിൽ ആദ്യം തന്നെ ഓടിക്കിതച്ചെത്തുന്ന ജെനി എന്ന പെൺകുട്ടി അയ്യപ്പന് തലവേദനയാണ്. അടുത്തിടെ തന്നെ പെൻഷൻ ആകാനിരിക്കുന്ന തനിക്ക് പൊല്ലാപ്പായി വന്ന ഈ റിപ്പറെ എങ്ങനെ പിടികൂടുമെന്ന് അറിയാതെ വിഷമിക്കുമ്പോഴാണ് അവസരത്തിലും അനവസരത്തിലും ജെന്നിയെന്ന പെൺകുട്ടി ഇടിച്ചു കയറുന്നത്. 

പക്ഷേ പിന്നീടങ്ങോട്ട് ജെന്നിയുടെ ചില കണ്ടെത്തലുകൾ അയ്യപ്പനെ വിസ്മയിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ആളൊഴിഞ്ഞ വീടുകളിൽ കയറിപ്പറ്റി അവിടെ ആഴ്ചകൾ സുഖവാസം നടത്തി ഒടുവിൽ അവിടെയെത്തുന്ന വീട്ടുടമയെ ചുറ്റിക കൊണ്ടടിച്ചു കൊല്ലുന്ന വിചിത്ര സ്വഭാവമുള്ള അക്രമി ഒരു സൈക്കോപാത്താണെന്ന് ജെന്നി കണ്ടെത്തുകയാണ്. അവളുടെ ചില കണ്ടെത്തലുകൾ കേസന്വേഷണം വേഗത്തിലാക്കുകയും ഒടുവിൽ അവളെത്തന്നെ വിഴുങ്ങാൻ പാകത്തിനെത്തുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. അസാധാരണ മെയ‌്‌വഴക്കമുള്ള ബുദ്ധിശാലിയായ ജേണലിസ്റ്റ് ജെന്നി എന്ന ജെന്നിഫർ ഫെർണാണ്ടസായി ദീപ്തി സതി എത്തുമ്പോൾ ഡിഎസ്പി അയ്യപ്പനായി എത്തുന്നത് മധുപാൽ ആണ്. കരാട്ടെയും ജൂഡോയും നാടൻ തല്ലുംവരെ തനിക്ക് വശമുണ്ടെന്ന തരത്തിലുള്ള അഭിനയപ്രകടനവുമായി ദീപ്തി സതിയുടെ കരിയർ ബെസ്റ്റ് ആയി മാറിയേക്കും ഈ ചിത്രം. 

പ്രേക്ഷകന്റെ നട്ടെല്ല് മരവിപ്പിക്കുന്ന പ്രകടനവുമായി സൈക്കോപാത്തായി അഭിനയിക്കുന്നത് കിയാൻ കിഷോറാണ്. സഹജീവികളോട് മമതയേതുമില്ലാത്ത കല്ലിച്ച മുഖഭാവവുമായെത്തുന്ന സൈക്കോ അബോയ് ഓരോ നിമിഷവും പ്രേക്ഷകരെ ഞെട്ടിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്.  ആ ചെറിയ ശരീരത്തിൽ നിന്ന് അടുത്ത നിമിഷം എന്താണ് പുറത്തുവരുന്നതെന്നറിയാത്ത കുടിലത നിറഞ്ഞ കഥാപാത്രമായി കിയാൻ കിഷോർ കസറുകയായിരുന്നു. മിനിസ്‌ക്രീനിൽനിന്ന് മലയാളത്തിന് ലഭിച്ച പുതിയ അമ്മയായ മഹേശ്വരി ജെന്നിയുടെ ഗ്രേസ് അമ്മച്ചിയായി മികച്ച പ്രകടനമാണ് കാഴ്ചവച്ചത്. എസ്ഐ അൻവറായി കൃഷ്ണൻ ബാലകൃഷ്ണനും സുകുവായി ഷാജുവും ശ്രീബയായി ആര്യയും ഗിരിയായി വിജയ് ബാബുവും ചിത്രത്തിലുണ്ട്. കീർത്തന, കാർത്തിക, പാർത്ഥവി, നിഷാന്ത്, ജീവ തുടങ്ങി ഒരുപിടി താരങ്ങളെക്കൂടി ഇൻ എന്ന ചിത്രത്തിലൂടെ രാജേഷ് നായർ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

ജൂലൈ എട്ടു മുതൽ മനോരമ മാക്സിലെത്തുന്ന ചിത്രം പ്രമേയം കൊണ്ടും അവതരണത്തിലെ വ്യത്യസ്തത കൊണ്ടും മികച്ച ത്രില്ലർ അനുഭവം തന്നെയാണ്. പ്രേക്ഷകനെ മടുപ്പിക്കാതെ ത്രില്ലർ മൂഡ് നിലനിർത്തുന്നതിൽ പ്രശാന്തിന്റെ സംഗീതം പ്രധാന പങ്കുവഹിക്കുന്നു. രാജേഷ് നായരോടൊപ്പം മുകേഷ് രാജയും തിരക്കഥാരചനയിൽ പങ്കാളിയാണ്.  സൈക്കോപാത്തിന്റെ മാനസിക വ്യാപാരങ്ങളും ചടുലമായ ഫൈറ്റും ആകാംക്ഷയുടെ മുൾമുനയിൽ നിർത്തുന്ന രംഗങ്ങളും ഒപ്പിയെടുക്കുന്നതിൽ രാജ്‌കുമാറിന്റെ ഛായാഗ്രഹണം മികച്ചുനിന്നു.  പ്രേക്ഷകനെ സ്‌ക്രീനിൽനിന്ന് കണ്ണെടുക്കാനാകാത്തവിധം പിടിച്ചിരുത്തുന്ന സൂരജിന്റെ എഡിറ്റിങ്ങും ഗംഭീരമാണ്. 

അടുത്തിടെയിറങ്ങിയ ത്രില്ലർ സിനിമകളിൽനിന്ന് വ്യത്യസ്തമായ രീതിയിലാണ് ഇന്നിന്റെ മേക്കിങ്.  സ്ഥിരം ക്ളീഷേ ത്രില്ലർ സിനിമകളിൽനിന്ന് മാറി വ്യത്യസ്തമായ പ്രമേയവും അഭിനയ മികവുമാണ് ഇന്നിനെ വ്യത്യസ്തമാക്കുന്നത്.  ഒടിടിയുടെ മാറിയ കാഴ്ചക്കാലത്ത് മാനുഷിക പരിഗണനയില്ലാത്ത ഈ സൈക്കോപ്പാത്തും അയ്യപ്പനെന്ന പൊലീസുകാരനും ജെന്നിയെന്ന ജേണലിസ്റ്റും പ്രേക്ഷകരുടെ മനം കവരുക തന്നെ ചെയ്യും.

English Summary: In 2022 Malayalam Movie Review by Manorama Online. In is a 2022 Malayalam thriller movie, directed by Rajesh Nair. The movie stars Deepti Sathi, Arya and Madhupal in the lead roles.

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Start, Action, Cut - Decoding Malayalam movie Aavesham (EP 69)

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In this episode of Start Action Cut, Swathi and Padmakumar are analysing the Malayalam movie Aavesham directed by Jithu Madhavan and starring Fahadh Faasil in the lead.

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• Elippathayam - Film (Movie) Plot and Review

ELIPPATHAYAM - Film (Movie) Plot and Review

(The Rat Trap)

India, 1981

Director: Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Production: General Films; Eastmancolour, 35mm; running time: 121 minutes.

Producer: Ravi; screenplay: Adoor Gopalakrishnan; photography: Ravi Varma; editor: M. Mani; assistant directors: Meera, Mohan, Babu; art director: Sivan; music: M. B. Srinivasan; sound recording: Deva Das, Chandran, Suresh; costumes: Ganeshan.

Cast: Karamani ( Unni ); Sarada ( Rajamma ); Jalaja ( Sridevi ); Rajam K. Nair ( Janamma ); Prakash ( Janamma's son ); Sonan ( Estate Manager ).

Publications

Variety (New York), 10 February 1982.

Daney, Serge, in Cahiers du Cinéma (Paris), March 1982.

Pulleine, T., Monthly Film Bulletin (London), November 1984.

Dissanayake, W., "Self and Modernization in Malayalam Cinema," in East-West (Honolulu), June 1987.

Film a Doba (Prague), October 1989.

"Not So Servile: Indian Films (Film Industry in India)," in Economist , vol. 331, no. 7863, 14 May 1994.

Ganguly, S., "Mapping Interiors: An Interview with Adoor Gopalakrishnan," in Asian Cinema (Drexel Hill), no. 1, 1997.

Tournès, Andrée, and Lucien Logette, "Pesaro 1997," in Jeune Cinéma (Paris), May-June 1998.

Gopalakrishnan's melodrama hinges around the paranoic central character of Unni. Utterly dependent for the running of his home, and for his personal needs on his unmarried sister Rajamma, Unni demonstrates his pathological insecurities with, for example, a horror of getting mud on his spotless clothing, of cows entering his ancestral yard, and through his utter inability to intervene into—or even address—the growing difficulties posed to his family by a decaying feudal system.

His elder sister arrives asking for a division of the family property; his coconut grove is invaded by thieves; his youngest sister Sridevi elopes with a flashy youth working in the Middle East. Eventually, when Rajamma collapses under the strain, Unni withdraws, literally like a rat into a hole.

The motif of the rat trap is written large into the film. It begins with a whimpering Unni, calling for assistance when a rat enters his room, and replicates the early chase for the rat with the villagers chasing Unni himself in the film's end.

This is Adoor Gopalakrishnan's third feature, his first in colour, and the film that established him as one of India's foremost independent directors. His first two, Swayamvaram (1972) and Kodiyettam (1977), were both melodramas, in which he worked with a specific, relatively unchanging style: with a few characters, an episodic narrative, and a style of quite literally shooting close to his central characters. He tries a larger expanse here, with a circular, slow pattern of shooting: typically through close-ups, tracking cutaways onto the different characters of his plot, thereby creating a series of narrative bridges from person to person, space to space. The spaces are patches of light and dark, and the soundtrack often consists of isolated units of realist effects and long silences. The result is a numbing, obsessive style, which is the only way his drama—which actually features something as abstract as a decaying feudal system—can focus on specific characters, and from them onto a loaded, obvious, repeatedly mentioned, metaphoric image of the rat caught in a trap.

Crucial to the understanding of the film is the fact that Unni comes from Kerala's Nair community: the community that, together with the Namboodiris (Brahmins) formed the land-owning class of the state. Historically a military caste, later moving towards administrative service with the formation of a modern state in Travancore (now Southern Kerala), the Nairs are most distinctive for their matrilineal family structure "so loosely arranged as to raise doubts as to whether 'marriage' existed at all" (Nossiter, 1982). It was, as Nossiter shows, the end of a long era: "the ending of the warrior role, the abolition of agrestic slavery, the growth of a money economy, and the impact of Western education that combined to undermine the relevance of Nair traditions. The young men of the tarawad (joint family) were condemned to idleness; the management of the estates was more difficult; the expenses of customary practices more burdensome; and the competition of rival communities, notably the Syrian Christians and Ezhavas, more challenging."

Most of these issues are directly illustrated by Gopalakrishnan's plotting: Unni's undefined marital status, his effort to keep Rajamma under his control when the three sisters—notably the eldest, Janamma— have clear rights to the family property, the thief Meenakshi's barely concealed effort to seduce the vacillating hero, Janamma's son Ravikuttan smoking idly behind the barn. In this, to some extent, the film adheres to an established literary genre pioneered by the noted novelist M. T. Vasudevan Nair, featuring the Nair community's decline in several existentialist stories (some of which he later adapted to film).

The film, however, differs from that established genre in significant ways: particularly in consonance with Gopalakrishnan's controversial next movie, Mukha Mukham (1984). The Nair community, it is known, were among the strongest supporters of Congress, Congress socialist, and Communist parties during the turbulent 1940s that effectively saw Travancore catapult directly from a regressive, authoritarian feudal state into one ruled by a communist agenda. Gopalakrishnan, it is arguable, attempts in both these films, Elippathayam and Mukha Mukham , to create something like a backdated social reform for a people who saw no measured historical transition into modernity. It is as though he critiques feudalism in his state, but from a perspective that sees Kerala's emergence into modernity as a process that it had no means to comprehend. It is as though he now wishes to provide his people with that perspective through using his cinema, his slow visuals and soundtrack, so that the tragedy of Unni could itself be bracketed through a metaphor, for defining—but also evacuating—that tragic, existential, history of noncomprehension.

—Ashish Rajadhyaksha

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Sombath Vun 1725 days ago

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watchable movie

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Shyamaprasad's movies are unique. You may love them, hate them ... but they are different.

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