Malayala Chalachitra Lokam (The World of Malayalam Cinema)

[psanthosh]

http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bi...Id=3&BV_ID=@@@

[psanthosh]

source : facebook

[Malayaali]

The reviews after it's Premiere are quite good. Eminent directors like Priyadarshan, Anjaly Menon quoted the movie fantastic.

[psanthosh]

KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Film Exhibitors' Federation today alleged that the superstars of Malayalam film industry were behind the 'one film release a week' rule that would come into effect from Thursday onwards.

The federation said the move by the Kerala Film Producers and Distributors' Association was part of a conspiracy to scuttle the new trend in Malayalam film industry which is fuelled by a new crop of actors, producers and directors.

"We strongly suspect that the superstars of the industry were behind the decision. The Malayalam film industry had witnessed unprecedented box-office successes during the last five months producing seven hit films -- all featuring new actors. The superstars are wary that if the trend continues they would soon become second grade actors," said P V Basheer Ahmed, president of the federation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/14071335.cms

[psanthosh]

So we can expect a cinema strike soon just before the release of big budget other language movies...

Originally Posted by psanthosh

KOZHIKODE: The Kerala Film Exhibitors' Federation today alleged that the superstars of Malayalam film industry were behind the 'one film release a week' rule that would come into effect from Thursday onwards.

The federation said the move by the Kerala Film Producers and Distributors' Association was part of a conspiracy to scuttle the new trend in Malayalam film industry which is fuelled by a new crop of actors, producers and directors.

"We strongly suspect that the superstars of the industry were behind the decision. The Malayalam film industry had witnessed unprecedented box-office successes during the last five months producing seven hit films -- all featuring new actors. The superstars are wary that if the trend continues they would soon become second grade actors," said P V Basheer Ahmed, president of the federation.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/14071335.cms

[DileepKS]

Sreejith Vijay is doing the young age of Sathya Sai Baba. That portion is already completed.

[Malayaali]

[Malayaali]

'Bachelor Party' Audio launch in Kochi

[Malayaali]

Ozhimuri

Lal!

[Malayaali]

[DileepKS]

That vijana surabhi song by Ramya Nambeesan is TORTURE, so is the dance. I started to tune out the radio when it comes.

[Aslesh]

You see the dance through radio?

[DileepKS]

The memory of the video makes it more horrible when I hear the song on radio.

There were a couple of articles about that song sequence, claiming that the gal is doing belly dance etc. So I took a look at the Youtube video, and hastily closed it within the first 20 seconds itself because it was soo horrible. Then the usual റേഡിയോ മാങ്ങാത്തൊലി started playing that cacophony often, so had to tune out.

I mean, I listen to the radio only when I drive (5-10 min normal commute) and what I get is THAT ONE!! See the irony, after all the sweet as honey renditions of Chitra/Shreya/Sujata/Swetha being available with them, they play this utter CACOPHONY!! The lady can't even hold a pitch or follow a tune!!

[psanthosh]

source : facebook

[Malayaali]

‎BACHELOR PARTY FROM TOMORROW

[ajithv]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

That vijana surabhi song by Ramya Nambeesan is TORTURE, so is the dance.

Don't the music of that song is a replica of a famous song by Backstreet Boys? Not sure, but I felt like that.

[Malayaali]

[DileepKS]

Originally Posted by ajithv

Don't the music of that song is a replica of a famous song by Backstreet Boys? Not sure, but I felt like that.

I have zero knowledge on non-desi music, so can't comment.

[Malayaali]

Watched 'Diamond Necklace'. I know it's a late review, but here in the ME, we have to wait a month or more to get the movie displayed. Really loved the theme as it depicts one of ours story in the real sense.

[psanthosh]

Spirit, a Mohanlal-starrer directed by Ranjith, explores how and why a person falls prey to any kind of addiction.

Ranjith is on a roll. His last two movies (Indian Rupee and Pranchiyettan And The Saint) raked in the moolah and won critical acclaim as well. The director-writer-actor's latest film, Spirit, which reached theatres yesterday, discusses alcoholism. Not a common or popular subject in Mollywood which seems to prefer tackling subjects such as real-estate mafia, smuggling, terrorism and so on to issues such as alcoholism.

That Kerala is tipplers' haven is a well-known fact. However our movies and filmmakers have continued to ignore the topic or turn a blind eye to it. Some movies do make a passing reference to the problem of alcoholism but many of our heroes are shown as drowning their sorrow in drinks or reaching for that glass to celebrate!

This time around, Ranjith, whose past movies had taken booze for granted, nay celebrated it in some scenes, focusses on alcoholism. “The movie does not, in any way, advocate or proscribe alcohol. Spirit discusses the subject and examines what happens when a person, however intelligent, falls prey to an addiction, any addiction for that matter,” explains Ranjith.

After a fairly long break, Mohanlal and Ranjith, who have created box office magic in the past, team up for Spirit. Putting to rest rumour mills that the two had a fallout after Rock n' Roll, their previous movie together, did not really rock the cash registers, Mohanlal acts as Reghunandan, the lead in the film directed and scripted by Ranjith.

Casting the right actors

The film director makes it clear that he opted for Mohanlal as he felt he was the best for this character. He adds that it is the characters that choose an actor and the casting is done on that basis. “Each of my leads, whether it be Mammootty in Pranchi… or Prithviraj in Indian Rupee, were cast because I believed that only that particular actor could do justice to that role,” he clarifies. Kaniha plays the female lead, Meera.

Talking about the film, Ranjith explains: “I believe there are two kinds of people in Kerala. On one hand, you have intelligent, successful people who become slaves to alcohol. They cannot function without it. As a result of it, their families suffer. Many of these alcoholics have marital problems and often, physically and emotionally, abuse their spouse. On the other, there are many others who are not teetotallers but they don't need booze 24X7 to keep them in good spirits," says Ranjith. Reghunandan falls in the first category. A divorcee, Reghunandan's fatal addiction towards alcohol takes a heavy toll on his personal and professional life. However, good sense dawns, albeit late, when he comes across a man who is worse than him because of his drinking problem.

“That is a plumber who is so drunk that he cannot distinguish between what is real and unreal. His character manifests all the worst characteristics of an alcoholic, including abusing his wife. The role has been enacted by Nandu. This man forces Reghunandan to rethink his priorities in life. That is when he decides to take charge of his life,” narrates Ranjith.

While Reghunandan struggles to become the master of his life, his best friends turn out to be Alexy Thadeus and Meera, Reghunandan's former wife, who is now married to Alexy. Shankar Ramakrishnan makes his screen debut as the suave Alexy.

Ranjith points out that contrary to popular perception of divorcees on screen, Reghunandan and his former wife are not enemies. They remain friends even after their marriage breaks up.

Instead of a diatribe on the ills of alcohol, a few of the trailers on YouTube show that Ranjith has used humour with devastating effect to make his points. Thilakan, Suraj Venjarmoodu, Kalpana and Siddarth Bharathan are in the cast.

An obviously pleased Ranjith says that Priyadarsan complimented him after seeing the film and told him that although the theme was not common, it would connect with a lot of viewers in Kerala.

And while viewers get into the spirit of the film, Ranjith will go back to his writing table to script Malabar, a Mammootty-starrer that will be directed by G.S. Vijayan.

Welcoming the new spring in Malayalam cinema that has seen a handful of young directors go where no Malayali filmmaker has been before, Ranjith says that a churning has to take place in Malayalam cinema that will weed out the fly-by-night operators, leaving only those genuinely interested in cinema in the field.

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/...?homepage=true