Shafi's Mayavi (Myayavi, as Salim Kumar's character Kannan Sraank prefers it) is one Malayalam film I really enjoyed watching. One can count them on one hand -- Pandippada (by Rafi-Mecartin), Rajamanikyam (by Anwar Rasheed) and Udayanaanu Thaaram (by Rosshan Andrews) is all I can think of in, say, last three or four years. (Classmates came close).
Looks like everyone else is also enjoying it, going by the near-full house in the sixth or seventh week of its release. Kannan Sraank is one major factor in the film's success (I am becoming more and more a fan of Salim Kumar with every movie of his), as is Gopika's character (and the scene in which she buys the hero a lemon drink). The scriptwriters Rafi and Mecartin also deserve mention for coming up with crazier ideas every time. `Namovakam' to the entire team! [The poster above is not an "official" one. It's designed by a well-wisher of Mayavi and is available on the web at http://img.photoamp.com/i/nq4qfWylu.jpg]
[Malayalam film buffs are known for their dislike for newer faces when it comes to heroes but thankfully, they don't seem to have such a reservation against new directors. The "experienced" lot has been biting dust time and again, while it's the fresh lot that's coming up with big commercial successes. Be it Jayasurya of Speed Track, Ravi of Keerthichakra, Johnny Antony of CID Moosa, Shafi, Anwar Rasheed, Rosshan Andrews.. These directors have had some freshness in their themes and treatments. If this is any sign of things to come in Malayalam cinema, I count it as a good sign.
I am looking forward to Chota Mumbai. I hope Anwar does not disappoint like Johnny Antony and Rosshan Andrews did after promising first films. One has to give credits to Shafi for not following that path. He seems to be getting better.
7 comments:
Your preference of noted movies in last 3-4 years is quite surprising. Playing down of classmates is understood as I read your previous comments on it. If I rate these pandipaada and classmates wont figure in it, both for different reasons.
Coming to Salim Kumar. See Achanurangaatha Veedu. Your comments on him wont be complete without that film.
Did you say, Rosshan Andrews disappointed after first film? I would like to differ. Notebook is a beautiful film. I want to see more of Roma. Waiting for the film in which she pairs with Pritvi.
-maymon
If you name the films that would make your list, I can try to list the resons why they don't figure in my count.
As for Notebook, I find it more of a moral science textbook. Roma's performance was the only highlight in the film. Girls who have seen it say it looks like the director or the scriptwriters have no idea what goes on in a ladies hostel. And if in a mixed college there's no boy and girl who are friends, and there can only make boyfriends and girlfriends (or if they think thats the way it should be), I think they are giving the wrong message even if they are out to give us a moral story.
Pandippada I think is one of the most under-rated movies of recent times. Could you tell me why you didn't like it?
There was nothing new in the story. A malayali lands up in TN border, There is Thevar, and his beautiful daughter, with goondas. And there was over acting Prakash Raj.
-maymon.
In Notebook, I think the director is not talking about ideal situation, but what is existing there in such campuses.
It was mixed residential school. There girls make only boyfriends not friends and vice versa. At least that was my perception, coming from such a school. I still remember how our teachers protected the girls from mingling with boys. I dont know if this is the story in all such schools.
I am still very backward in making friendship with girls. All of my friends from opposite sex are either due to sympathy or through a common friend.
I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The visuals were refreshing, theme was innovative, and it was a total female oriented movie.
-maymon.
About Pandippada: I thought the film succeeded in making violence look silly (it did have a lot of violence) and making a comedy out of it. That was one reason I particularly liked it (somewhat like how Kung-Fu Hustle did). I have not seen any other Malayalam film attempting such a thing.
And some of the scenes and sequences were extremely funny, like the "athala pithala thavalaachi", Dileep-Harisree Asokan sequence in the beginning..
maymon,
ok -- i do value your comments on notebook. a couple of others also told me they felt notebook was a good film for various reasons.. listening to all of you and the arguments you have for it, i tend to agree with at least some of the pints, and now i'd rate notebook more than what i did before. but still not along with, or better than, udayanaanu thaaram:-) thanks a lot for the comments!
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