Oscars from Freeprana

Today got to see Vijay awards on TV ( missed most of it when it was aired last week ). It is Star-Vijay's annual fete for recognizing 'good' Tamil films and artists who did well in 2008. There were repeated references to Subramaniapuram and Varanam Aayiram; that they would bag many of the awards. ( Knew the results that they actually did win ; as news on the awardees was in the papers last week )

Of 108 films, seems only 7 did really well last year. This was good and bad news. Was glad that many that would have done well in TN a few years back bombed/fared very average ( some even had heroes who had become idols and guaranteed box office success ). This meant the audience was craving something more than pure Shakthi Masala.

The bad part was films like Varanam Aayiram and Subramaniapuram that had turned the corner as they claimed, were not "brilliant" , if that is the word. Probably it was ....."In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king". ( Subr... in fact I got to see it after watching the awards today and I was really longing to see it after all the hype ) .

I did enjoy watching both films and they had certainly deviated from the regular formula of lovers, villains and happy endings.
But there was still the "filmi" thing about Varanam Aayiram , a son who creates pathos by telling us about his father who was more of a friend . However it was better made than Abhiyum Naanum in which a father tells us about his affection for his daughter. Subramaniapuram was raw violence.......the situation creation, dialogues and screen play were pretty natural though.

I think both were still loud.

I prefer this genre to be told like Kireedom or Deshadanam where there is no explicit attempt to create/ show feeling.
The subtlety is what is missing. This I have got to see all along in Malayalam films.

Sorrow without the attempt to make you cry.
Comedy without the "jokes" to make you laugh.

Sensible stories, great screenplay, household dialogues and the director - all together make a superstar ...the Movie.( And have not mentioned the other main ingredients ; the actors and the music , yet !! )

A film that pained and I felt ; why did I ever watch it,was Moonam Pakkam - After Jayaram is drowned in the sea ; the director shows Thilakan playing around with his dear little grandson( Jayaram as a kid ) - ( BG song: Unarumee Gaanam.....enough to break your heart )
Another one was Thinkalazhchha Nalla Divasam - Kaviyoor Ponnamma .... as she walks into the home for elders... Padmarajan , again after me.
Nokketthha Doorathhu Kannum Nettu - The song Aayiram Kannumay and the last scene where the calling bell comes back ...these get my Oscars for the categories "tearjerkers" and "heartwrenchers" and include , Amaram , Thaalavattom, Karunyam , Kaazhchha.......

Good malayalam films are definitely not all tragedy and I am no "Dukkhaputhran" .

The Oscar nominees for the Laughing Club ; some are absolute laugh riots - Ramji Rao speaking ( its sequel Manaar mathaayi...pre-intermission ), Kouthuka Varthhagal, Dr. Pasupathy, Kilukkam( Do mathanga thalaya , ninne njaan mooku kondu Ksha, njja , chha, ppa varappikkum), Minnaram, Thalayana Mandhram, Midhunam, Hey Auto( Ayye..Ayye ), Sadhanathande samayam, God father, Mele Parambil Aan veedu, Peruvannapurathe Viseshangal, Naadodikkaattu, Vietnam Colony, Vadakku Nokki Yanthram, Manichhitrathaazhu, Chronic bachelor, Punjabi house( Harisree Asokan special ), Vellaanagalude Naadu. There were a few classic old ones - i forget the name of most - one had a village which is being wired for electricity but finally a short-circuit causes a fireworks hut to catch fire and thats the end of most bad elements.
In an interview heard Jayaram saying it is pure coincidence and luck that so many good comedians landed on Kerala film scene at almost the same time . While he probably meant Jagathi Sreekumar, Innocent, Jagadeesh, Mammukoya, Pappu , I think they are more than matched in many films by Jayaram himself , Mohan Lal, Srinivasan , Mukesh , Siddique ....


There are some( in fact many ) films that I can't seem to have enough of, and can watch over and over again.....good movies, made so naturally , you feel you are part of the film. Where do i nominate them ..."Great wholesome entertainers" ?
Namakku Paarkkan Mundhiri thoppugal - If i could lay my hands on Thilakan would wring his neck; Sallapam - Cheer up Dileep , things will get better, and you can become "Senior" Jesudas soon .
Innale - Pls someone console Suresh Gopi - He leaves his wife Shobana with Jayaram in the climax coz' she does not remember him.

Panchavadi Paalam, Koodevide, Uyarangalil( Mohanlal - the cold blooded killer , remember ? ). Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha( Chandhuvine tholpikkan aavilla makkale ! ) , Vatsalyam, Kanamarayathhu(have they lost the print?, they don't show it on TV anymore) , Panchaagni( note: one subtle role by Thilakan as Ramettan in this film, man; he is the ultimate master!! ), Bharatham, His Highness Abdullah, Kamaladhalam, Ayalathhe Adhyeham, Minnaram, Perunthacchan( Prashanth should have continued in Malayalam, he was very tolerable in the film! ), Devasuram, Kilukkam, Kanmadham, Rajamanikyam( ivan PULIYANU ketta ! ), Ponnaramkottiyile Rajavu, Summer in Bethlehem, Manassinakkare, Ulladakkam, Udayanaanu thaaram, Chitram , Raappagal, Manichhitrathaazhu, Varavelppu, Nanma niranjavan Srinivasan, Thoovalkottaram, Pingami, Black, Thaazhvaram( very different film but well made. Salim Ghouse. ), Kaattukuthira, Kudumba Puranam, Lal Salaam, Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranaya kadha, Usthad, Ghazal, Vishnu Lokam, Chandran Udhikkunna Dhikkil, Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam , Sandhesam , Kudumba Puranam, Paithrukam, Sphadikam, Maya Mayooram, Meesa Madhavan, T.P Balagopalan M.A.....can't stop rolling out names....
.............. Most of the credit in the above go to the one and only MOHAN LAL....versatile beyond compare !!

There are some of my personal favourites, those with "super dialogues"!! - All awards to Suresh Gopi who specializes in them - F.I.R, Sathyameva Jayathe, Commissioner, Crime File, Independence Day, Pathram. Mamootty's come a close second - those like King, Truth. I can repeat almost every dialogue in these films !! The films were gripping too. Mohan Lal too got into the mood & tried his version - "Praja" - but the crowd did not like it I think. He probably should have stopped with Devasuram & Ustad style of "dadagiri". Narasimham was a "super-duper" hit though - donno why.

More Oscars.....currently running out of time ...............