All We Imagine as Light The first Indian movie to compete at Cannes since 1994, Payal Kapadia’s melancholic and playful dramedy stars Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha. The film captures the emotional beats of two nurses searching for romantic connection It recalls the essence of Satyajit Ray’s movies such as The World of Apu, noted Jordan Mintzer. An Unusual Love Story in Anora Set in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, Sean Baker’s screwball comedy delves into a sex worker’s turbulent relationship with a Russian oligarch’s son. Mikey Madison leads the role with remarkable sensitivity. Through this romantic entanglement, Baker comments on class,...
- 5/31/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Cannes Film Festival 2024: Read All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews, Including Palme d’Or Winner ‘Anora’
Read all of Deadline’s Cannes Film Festival reviews below, including Palme d’Or winner Anora.
The New York-set romantic dramedy charts the story of a stripper from Brooklyn who transforms into a modern Cinderella when she meets the son of a Russian oligarch.
The film, playing in the official Competition three years after Baker’s success in Cannes with the Simon Rex-starring Red Rocket, scored a 10-minute ovation earlier this week. It was one of a number of critically praised films this edition. Check out all our reviews below.
All We Imagine as Light ‘All We Imagine as Light’
Section: Competition
Director: Payal Kapadia
Cast: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya KAdam, Hridhu Haroon
Deadline’s takeaway: And at a time when so much attention is being paid to the lives of the haves and the have-nots amid such financial imbalance worldwide, it’s refreshing to see the spotlight...
The New York-set romantic dramedy charts the story of a stripper from Brooklyn who transforms into a modern Cinderella when she meets the son of a Russian oligarch.
The film, playing in the official Competition three years after Baker’s success in Cannes with the Simon Rex-starring Red Rocket, scored a 10-minute ovation earlier this week. It was one of a number of critically praised films this edition. Check out all our reviews below.
All We Imagine as Light ‘All We Imagine as Light’
Section: Competition
Director: Payal Kapadia
Cast: Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya KAdam, Hridhu Haroon
Deadline’s takeaway: And at a time when so much attention is being paid to the lives of the haves and the have-nots amid such financial imbalance worldwide, it’s refreshing to see the spotlight...
- 5/29/2024
- by Pete Hammond, Joe Utichi, Damon Wise, Stephanie Bunbury and Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Ex-Ftii Chief Gajendra Chauhan Finally Spoke About The Case Against Cannes Winner Payal Kapadia( Photo Credit – Festival de Cannes / Instagram; IMDb )
Payal Kapadia’s history-making film All We Imagine As Light has become the town’s talk and is raising many questions. A past encounter when she was a student at Ftii is piquing people’s interest. For the uninitiated, a case was filed against Kapadia and many students for protesting the appointment. Now, after her global win, Gajendra Chauhan is finally breaking his silence about Payal Kapadia’s case and has this to say about her win.
Film director Payal Kapadia received congratulations from actor-politician Gajendra Chauhan, who briefly held the position of chairman of the Pune-based Film and Television Institute of India, on her win of the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her film “All We Imagine as Light.” She was disciplined when...
Payal Kapadia’s history-making film All We Imagine As Light has become the town’s talk and is raising many questions. A past encounter when she was a student at Ftii is piquing people’s interest. For the uninitiated, a case was filed against Kapadia and many students for protesting the appointment. Now, after her global win, Gajendra Chauhan is finally breaking his silence about Payal Kapadia’s case and has this to say about her win.
Film director Payal Kapadia received congratulations from actor-politician Gajendra Chauhan, who briefly held the position of chairman of the Pune-based Film and Television Institute of India, on her win of the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her film “All We Imagine as Light.” She was disciplined when...
- 5/28/2024
- by Aayushi Hemnani
- KoiMoi
“Everyone has at least one person in Mumbai.” “There’s work and money in Mumbai. Who would want to go back?” “You better get used to the impermanence.” Like poetry, the hushed voices of real Indian migrant workers pour gently over footage of a busy market glowing in the night in India’s largest metropolis, the spirit of the film’s two tender leads––Prabha and Anu, nurses in the city––evoked by documentary-style voiceover.
Writer-director Payal Kapadia isn’t interested in the flashy world of Mumbai that gets so much global attention. Per its opening soundscape, All We Imagine as Light means to bask in the luminescence of life found among India’s lower classes, which means acknowledging the inequality and socio-economic injustice that defines their everyday as much as it means showcasing their intrinsic glow and dogged refusal to let the inalienable love, beauty, and camaraderie of existence be taken from them.
Writer-director Payal Kapadia isn’t interested in the flashy world of Mumbai that gets so much global attention. Per its opening soundscape, All We Imagine as Light means to bask in the luminescence of life found among India’s lower classes, which means acknowledging the inequality and socio-economic injustice that defines their everyday as much as it means showcasing their intrinsic glow and dogged refusal to let the inalienable love, beauty, and camaraderie of existence be taken from them.
- 5/27/2024
- by Luke Hicks
- The Film Stage
The sky is blue in Payal Kapadia’s revelatory All We Imagine as Light. It’s in the heathered cornflower blue of morning, still cottoned over with sleep, as well as in the gnashing, striated blues of the afternoon grind. And when the sun gives way to the horizon, indigo blossoms like ink in a well of midnight.
The hues of Kapadia’s blues run so deep that they bleed across the entire canvas of the film, from the support beams of a lumbering pedestrian highway crossing where two characters share a wordless intimacy, to the panels of a bathroom door where blue towels are scrubbed over a blue bin, to the workwear and casual dress of her hospital-worker protagonists. And, of course, the sea, where they all end up by the end of All We Imagine as Light.
That Kapadia is able to render such a richly varied emotional...
The hues of Kapadia’s blues run so deep that they bleed across the entire canvas of the film, from the support beams of a lumbering pedestrian highway crossing where two characters share a wordless intimacy, to the panels of a bathroom door where blue towels are scrubbed over a blue bin, to the workwear and casual dress of her hospital-worker protagonists. And, of course, the sea, where they all end up by the end of All We Imagine as Light.
That Kapadia is able to render such a richly varied emotional...
- 5/26/2024
- by Ryan Coleman
- Slant Magazine
Of the many films set in India that premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Payal Kapadia’s feature debut is the only one to hone in on the country and its character, which it does by focusing on its most populated city, Mumbai. Like London, Paris and New York, Mumbai is a city of contrasts, a melting pot of castes and races, but of its 12.5 million citizens, over half are likely to live in extreme poverty. All We Imagine as Light tells the stories of the people on the breadline, those who are just about getting by, trying to hold onto their homes and their dignity as the city’s wealthy elite buy up and bulldoze their properties.
Kapadia’s documentary background is apparent from the outset, a series of tracking shots through a bustling city market. All the workers are migrants, from villages far and wide, and...
Kapadia’s documentary background is apparent from the outset, a series of tracking shots through a bustling city market. All the workers are migrants, from villages far and wide, and...
- 5/25/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
The Cannes Film Festival will crown its Competition winners tomorrow night and the consensus seems to be building around a few titles.
All films have now been seen and it’s fair to say that things really heated up in the back nine. The Competition section took a few days to catch fire sparking rumor that this was unlikely to be a vintage crop of movies but Emilia Perez‘s bow last Saturday finally kicked the contest into another gear and since then multiple films have fared well among critics. There have been some notable highs on trade jury grids. The Palme d’Or winner is often not the movie with the highest final score on such lists but the impressively high numbers reveal a range of critically appreciated movies this edition.
One of the trends to emerge from this year’s lineup is the foregrounded position of women within the most buzzed-about films.
All films have now been seen and it’s fair to say that things really heated up in the back nine. The Competition section took a few days to catch fire sparking rumor that this was unlikely to be a vintage crop of movies but Emilia Perez‘s bow last Saturday finally kicked the contest into another gear and since then multiple films have fared well among critics. There have been some notable highs on trade jury grids. The Palme d’Or winner is often not the movie with the highest final score on such lists but the impressively high numbers reveal a range of critically appreciated movies this edition.
One of the trends to emerge from this year’s lineup is the foregrounded position of women within the most buzzed-about films.
- 5/24/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
BFI Distribution has acquired Payal Kapadia’s acclaimed Cannes Competition title All We Imagine As Light for UK and Ireland theatrical release.
The first Indian film to be selected in Official Competition at Cannes in three decades, All We Imagine As Light was strongly received at its premiere last night and currently sits in joint first place on Screen’s closely-watched Cannes jury grid.
The film centres on two nurses with troubled relationships in Mumbai who go on a road trip to a beach town — a welcome refuge that gives them the space to grow. It stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha,...
The first Indian film to be selected in Official Competition at Cannes in three decades, All We Imagine As Light was strongly received at its premiere last night and currently sits in joint first place on Screen’s closely-watched Cannes jury grid.
The film centres on two nurses with troubled relationships in Mumbai who go on a road trip to a beach town — a welcome refuge that gives them the space to grow. It stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha,...
- 5/24/2024
- ScreenDaily
There is a moment early on in Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light” — her second feature after 2021’s lyrical hybrid doc “A Night of Knowing Nothing” — that exemplifies this gently coruscating movie’s peculiar beauty. Prabha (Kani Kusruti) a hardworking nurse with tired eyes rides the commuter train home at the end of another long day, gazing out at the glimmering blur of the city. Her life is anything but a fairground and yet, clinging to a pole to steady herself with the rushing night air stirring her hair, she could almost be riding a carousel. Just two features into her young career, Kapadia has established her rare talent for finding passages of exquisite poetry within the banal blank verse of everyday Indian life.
Prabha works in a slightly shabby local hospital, where she spends her days tending to even the most difficult cases with a conspiratorial compassion...
Prabha works in a slightly shabby local hospital, where she spends her days tending to even the most difficult cases with a conspiratorial compassion...
- 5/23/2024
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Cannes film festival
Payal Kapadia’s glorious Cannes competition selection is an absorbing story of three nurses that is full of humanity
There is a freshness and emotional clarity in Payal Kapadia’s Cannes competition selection, an enriching humanity and gentleness which coexist with fervent, languorous eroticism and finally something epiphanic in the later scenes and mysterious final moments. Kapadia’s storytelling has something of Satyajit Ray’s The Big City and Days and Nights of the Forest; it is so fluent and absorbing.
All We Imagine As Light is the story of three nurses in modern-day Mumbai: Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha) and Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam). Each has come to the big city from smaller home towns. Prabha and the younger, flightier Anu are roommates and Anu (having only just moved in) is already asking the more sober and sensible Prabha to cover her share of the rent.
Payal Kapadia’s glorious Cannes competition selection is an absorbing story of three nurses that is full of humanity
There is a freshness and emotional clarity in Payal Kapadia’s Cannes competition selection, an enriching humanity and gentleness which coexist with fervent, languorous eroticism and finally something epiphanic in the later scenes and mysterious final moments. Kapadia’s storytelling has something of Satyajit Ray’s The Big City and Days and Nights of the Forest; it is so fluent and absorbing.
All We Imagine As Light is the story of three nurses in modern-day Mumbai: Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha) and Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam). Each has come to the big city from smaller home towns. Prabha and the younger, flightier Anu are roommates and Anu (having only just moved in) is already asking the more sober and sensible Prabha to cover her share of the rent.
- 5/23/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light” is the first Indian film in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 30 years. A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (Ftii), Kapadia’s “Afternoon Clouds” was a 2017 Cannes Cinefondation selection and she won the festival’s Golden Eye award in 2021 for her documentary “A Night of Knowing Nothing.”
Fiction feature “All We Imagine as Light” follows two nurses (Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha) from Kerala, southern India, who are roommates in Mumbai. A trip to a beach town allows them to find a space for their desires to manifest.
What made you want to tell this particular story?
I was interested in women who come to a different place to work, and be financially independent. And it was something that I had seen growing up in a family of a lot of women, and also the ideas that we have,...
Fiction feature “All We Imagine as Light” follows two nurses (Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha) from Kerala, southern India, who are roommates in Mumbai. A trip to a beach town allows them to find a space for their desires to manifest.
What made you want to tell this particular story?
I was interested in women who come to a different place to work, and be financially independent. And it was something that I had seen growing up in a family of a lot of women, and also the ideas that we have,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Sideshow and Janus Films have acquired all North American rights to Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, the first Indian film to screen in Cannes Competition in 30 years.
Kapadia previously brought her documentary A Night Of Knowing Nothing to Directors’ Fortnight, where she won the L’Œil d’Or for Best Documentary in 2021.
Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad star in the Mumbai-set story of a nurse and her roommate who take a road trip to a beach town.
Sideshow and Janus Films plan a theatrical release after negotiating the deal with Luxbox on behalf of the filmmakers.
Kapadia previously brought her documentary A Night Of Knowing Nothing to Directors’ Fortnight, where she won the L’Œil d’Or for Best Documentary in 2021.
Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad star in the Mumbai-set story of a nurse and her roommate who take a road trip to a beach town.
Sideshow and Janus Films plan a theatrical release after negotiating the deal with Luxbox on behalf of the filmmakers.
- 5/20/2024
- ScreenDaily
Sideshow and Janus films (“Drive My Car”) have acquired all North American rights to Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light,” the first Indian film to screen in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 30 years. The movie will world premiere on Thursday, May 23.
It’s also one of only four films in the Competition directed by a woman. Kapadia previously helmed the documentary “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” which premiered at Directors’ Fortnight and won the L’Œil d’Or for Best Documentary in 2021.
“All We Imagine as Light” stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad. Sideshow and Janus Films are planning a theatrical release.
In the last three years, Sideshow — along with its partner Janus Films — have had an impressive track record with their Cannes acquisitions, starting with Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” which went on to become the most...
It’s also one of only four films in the Competition directed by a woman. Kapadia previously helmed the documentary “A Night of Knowing Nothing,” which premiered at Directors’ Fortnight and won the L’Œil d’Or for Best Documentary in 2021.
“All We Imagine as Light” stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad. Sideshow and Janus Films are planning a theatrical release.
In the last three years, Sideshow — along with its partner Janus Films — have had an impressive track record with their Cannes acquisitions, starting with Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car,” which went on to become the most...
- 5/20/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The 2024 Cannes Film Festival may be lighter on glitz and glamour than in years past, but that means arthouse and international fare from emerging and established filmmakers will get a chance to shine. Still, at least two American auteurs, Francis Ford Coppola (“Megalopolis”) and Paul Schrader, have films in the main competition for the first time in decades. David Cronenberg (“The Shrouds”) and Yorgos Lanthimos (“Kinds of Kindness”) are also back at the festival, with both making personal stories in their own way: Cronenberg, here, reckons with grief over the death of his wife seven years ago, while Lanthimos appears to retreat back into “Dogtooth” territory in a film that’s almost a rebuke of the global success he’s acquired with “Poor Things” and “The Favourite.”
Sean Baker, Andrea Arnold, Ali Abbasi, Jia Zhangke, Karim Aïnouz, and Paolo Sorrentino are also back at Cannes this year with new films in the competition.
Sean Baker, Andrea Arnold, Ali Abbasi, Jia Zhangke, Karim Aïnouz, and Paolo Sorrentino are also back at Cannes this year with new films in the competition.
- 5/14/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio, David Ehrlich and Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
"I'm sending you kisses through the clouds." The first festival promo trailer has debuted for a film titled All We Imagine As Light, made by a young Indian filmmaker named Payal Kapadia. It will be premiering at the prestigious 2024 Cannes Film Festival this month as the first Indian film in Main Competition since 1994 and one of just four female-directed features in the section this year. It's one of my most anticipated! The Mumbai-set story follows two nurses & roommates who head off on trip to a beach town to find a space where their desires can manifest. The cast features Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, and Hridhu Haroon. Prabha's routine is disrupted when she receives an odd gift from her estranged husband. Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. They escape to a coastal town which...
- 5/8/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
After helming one of the great directorial debuts of the decade thus far with 2021’s A Night of Knowing Nothing, director Payal Kapadia is stepping up in a big way for her follow-up. All We Imagine as Light will premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, the first Indian film to do so in decades, and now the first trailer has arrived.
Here’s the synopsis for the film starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, and Hridhu Haroon: “In Mumbai, Nurse Prabha’s routine is troubled when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. A trip to a beach town allows them to find a space for their desires to manifest.”
See the trailer below via Screen Daily.
The post First Trailer for Payal Kapadia...
Here’s the synopsis for the film starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, and Hridhu Haroon: “In Mumbai, Nurse Prabha’s routine is troubled when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Her younger roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. A trip to a beach town allows them to find a space for their desires to manifest.”
See the trailer below via Screen Daily.
The post First Trailer for Payal Kapadia...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Screen can unveil the first trailer for Payal Kapadia’s debut feature All We Imagine As Light ahead of its world premiere in Cannes.
It is the first Indian film in Competition since 1994 and one of just four female-directed features in the section.
The Mumbai-set story follows two nurses and roommates who head off on trip to a beach town to find a space where their desires can manifest. The cast includes Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam and Hridhu Haroon.
Paris-based sales house Luxbox is handling sales on the film produced by France’s Petit Chaos with co-producers including India’s Chalk & Cheese,...
It is the first Indian film in Competition since 1994 and one of just four female-directed features in the section.
The Mumbai-set story follows two nurses and roommates who head off on trip to a beach town to find a space where their desires can manifest. The cast includes Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam and Hridhu Haroon.
Paris-based sales house Luxbox is handling sales on the film produced by France’s Petit Chaos with co-producers including India’s Chalk & Cheese,...
- 5/8/2024
- ScreenDaily
Paris-based sales house Luxbox has hopped on international sales for Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light ahead of its world premiere in Cannes next month as the first Indian film in Competition since 1994.
It is Kapadia’s debut fiction feature after winning l’Oeil d’Or (the Golden Eye) prize for best documentary at the festival in 2021 for her Directors’ Fortnight premiere A Night Of Knowing Nothing, about a student writing love letters to her estranged lover.
Set in Mumbai, the new film follows two nurses living together – one whose routine is disrupted when she receives an unexpected...
It is Kapadia’s debut fiction feature after winning l’Oeil d’Or (the Golden Eye) prize for best documentary at the festival in 2021 for her Directors’ Fortnight premiere A Night Of Knowing Nothing, about a student writing love letters to her estranged lover.
Set in Mumbai, the new film follows two nurses living together – one whose routine is disrupted when she receives an unexpected...
- 4/11/2024
- ScreenDaily
Indian sales outfit Indywood Distribution Network has sold Rupesh Paul’s “Kamasutra — The Revenge” wide ahead of Hong Kong’s film rights market FilMart.
Starring Sherlyn Chopra, Milind Gunaji and Gajendra Chauhan, and produced by San2Creations, the film follows two princesses — one who is robbed of her dreams when forced to accept a middle-aged king as her husband, and another thirsty for revenge.
Indywood has sold the film to Twin, A2 Filmes (Latin America TV/VOD), Filmbridge, Pioneer Film and Rft Films.
The company has an extensive FilMart slate that also includes Sri Lankan auteur Prasanna Vithanage’s “Paradise,” winner of the Kim Jiseok award at Busan 2023 and nominated in four categories at the Asian Film Awards. Produced by Newton Cinema and starring Roshan Mathew, Darshana Rajendran and Shyam Fernando, the film follows an Indian couple who arrive in the hill country of crisis-ridden Sri Lanka to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.
Starring Sherlyn Chopra, Milind Gunaji and Gajendra Chauhan, and produced by San2Creations, the film follows two princesses — one who is robbed of her dreams when forced to accept a middle-aged king as her husband, and another thirsty for revenge.
Indywood has sold the film to Twin, A2 Filmes (Latin America TV/VOD), Filmbridge, Pioneer Film and Rft Films.
The company has an extensive FilMart slate that also includes Sri Lankan auteur Prasanna Vithanage’s “Paradise,” winner of the Kim Jiseok award at Busan 2023 and nominated in four categories at the Asian Film Awards. Produced by Newton Cinema and starring Roshan Mathew, Darshana Rajendran and Shyam Fernando, the film follows an Indian couple who arrive in the hill country of crisis-ridden Sri Lanka to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.
- 3/10/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
MollywoodThe film is scripted by director Ratheesh Poduval, who made the popular and critically-acclaimed film ‘Nna Thaan Case Kodu’ last year.After the much-discussed Nayattu, director Martin Prakkat is making his next with actors Kunchacko Boban and Biju Menon. The film, yet to be named, is scripted by director Ratheesh Poduval, who made the popular and critically-acclaimed film Nna Thaan Case Kodu last year, starring Kunchacko. The news was announced by Kunchacko on his social media pages. "One of my dream Combos…!!! With some of my Best friends and Some of the Best in the Industry. The next Directorial venture of Martin Prakkat after @nayattumovie, scripted by Ratheesh Poduval, Visuals by Shyju Khaled and with my evergreen pair Biju Menon. Happy to let know that Udaya Pictures and Kunchacko Boban Productions will also be associating with the movie!! (sic)" Kunchacko posted on Instagram. He and Biju Menon had earlier paired...
- 3/19/2023
- by Cris
- The News Minute
OpinionOnce upon a time, toxic love was extensively romanticised on screen. But today, with such narratives under scrutiny, there have been attempts to address the intricacies of toxic relationships.During an interaction for an interview, scriptwriter Sanjay (one half of the Sanjay-Bobby duo) spoke about how liberating it is to no longer see heroes slapping heroines in Malayalam cinema. There was a time when one ‘tight slap’ was mandatory in most films (especially family dramas) to ‘tame’ the heroine so that she would go back to complete the patriarchal happy family picture. But with the political correctness lens firmly fastened on films by social media, writers and filmmakers are thinking twice before sitting complacently on their conditioned belief systems. Once upon a time, love was extensively romanticised and lopsided on screen. There were many instances of toxic love being normalised, as well as celebrated, without question. But today, with such narratives under scrutiny,...
- 3/18/2023
- by AjayR
- The News Minute
BIFFThe film is written by Don Palathara and Sherin Catherine and has been produced by Newton Cinema.Malayalam director Don Palathara’s movie Family is set to be screened at the 14th Bengaluru International Film Festival in the Indian Panorama section. The movie, produced by Newton Cinema, will make its premiere in India during the festival. The film had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. According to The Week, the movie received praise for its performances, cinematography, and “thought-provoking themes that explore the complexities and contradictions of familial relationships in contemporary India.” The film revolves around Sony (played by Vinay Forrt), a devout Christian who has an impeccable image in his local community. However, beneath this do-gooder image lurks something darker which is explored in the film. In a press release, director Don Palathara said, “I am thrilled that Family will have its first screening at the Bengaluru International Film Festival.
- 3/15/2023
- by AjayR
- The News Minute
ListicleOf the many interesting women characters of south Indian cinema who graced our screens this year, here are our favourites.Sowmya RajendranThe year 2022 was when cinema bounced back to some semblance of what it used to be before the pandemic struck the world. There were many blockbusters from the south Indian film industries, and quite a few of them had interesting women characters as well. This was a welcome change in a male-dominated field, where most films are hero-centric and mass entertainers have seldom had memorable women characters. Quite a few small budget films this year too had impressive women characters, who broke onscreen conventions and surprised us. Here are our favourite women characters from southern cinema this year: Gargi from Gargi (Tamil) Gautham Ramachandran’s hard-hitting courtroom drama is about a young woman whose father is accused of sexually assaulting a minor. Gargi (Sai Pallavi) is convinced of his...
- 12/23/2022
- by MariaR
- The News Minute
ReviewIt is interesting to watch Divya and Kunchacko’s characters unfold through the course of this narrative, written and directed by Mahesh Naryanan.CrisStill from Ariyippu / IMDBIt is difficult to shake off the image of the twirling hands long after Ariyippu is over. Mahesh Narayanan's film begins and ends in the glove factory where the machine hands keep revolving, giving the film an unquiet background. This is where things go wrong on different levels, involving a couple, played compellingly well by Divya Prabha and Kunchacko Boban. It is a simple enough premise, made interesting by the unhurried script of Mahesh, fitting very much into the character of a festival film. That's where the film has been circulating, in festivals abroad, before making its Indian premiere on Saturday, December 10, at the International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk). Interestingly, though the film slows down later, it begins with the centrepiece of...
- 12/11/2022
- by Cris
- The News Minute
The very first images of Covid-19 that India associates itself with are not ventilators or medical professionals running around hospitals, but of migrant laborers trudging back to their villages hundreds of miles away with their belongings. Afterall, a lion’s share of households in the country rely on income from self-employment or precarious jobs without recourse to rights, stipulated by labor law and regulation. The pandemic led to a very deep impact on the uneven distribution of healthcare material and services across the country, leading to an unmatched shortage of supplies. This eventually led to hoarding across the states, and increased prices of the supplies with black marketing of such utilities. Millions of lives were thus, forever impacted.
“Declaration“ is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival
After making his debut-feature with the 2017 survival thriller “Take Off”, filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan in 2020 brought us a story through the screens (everything from...
“Declaration“ is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival
After making his debut-feature with the 2017 survival thriller “Take Off”, filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan in 2020 brought us a story through the screens (everything from...
- 11/5/2022
- by Aryan Vyas
- AsianMoviePulse
After a roaring response on the film festival circuit, Mahesh Narayanan’s Malayalam film, ‘Ariyippu’, is all set to stream on the Ott platform Netflix! The film made history as the first Indian film in 17 years to compete at the Locarno Film Festival in the international competition section.
‘Ariyippu’ has also been nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2022 and will premiere at the Busan International Film Festival on October 12.
‘Ariyippu’ centres around the lives of a struggling Malayali couple who dream of migrating out of the country for a better life. The film also explores emotional, social, and marital imbalances in their relationship.
‘Ariyippu’ is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival, Marrakech International Film Festival and the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival.
Sharing his excitement about the film releasing on Netflix, director and producer Mahesh Narayanan says, “With the ongoing recognition and love for our film, we...
‘Ariyippu’ has also been nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2022 and will premiere at the Busan International Film Festival on October 12.
‘Ariyippu’ centres around the lives of a struggling Malayali couple who dream of migrating out of the country for a better life. The film also explores emotional, social, and marital imbalances in their relationship.
‘Ariyippu’ is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival, Marrakech International Film Festival and the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival.
Sharing his excitement about the film releasing on Netflix, director and producer Mahesh Narayanan says, “With the ongoing recognition and love for our film, we...
- 10/12/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
“Declaration” (“Ariyippu”) a festival hit film by acclaimed filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan and popular actor-producer Kunchacko Boban, has been snapped up by Netflix.
The film bowed at Locarno and is playing at the BFI London Film Festival. This week it plays in the Busan International Film Festival’s A Window on Asian Cinema strand.
The Malayalam-language film follows Hareesh (Boban) and Reshmi (Divya Prabha), an immigrant couple from Kerala working in a medical gloves factory near Delhi, and who aspire to go abroad for a better life. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, when an old video resurfaces among the factory workers, it opens up a Pandora’s box that threatens the couple’s jobs and marriage.
The film will premiere direct-to-digital on Netflix after its festival run.
“We are overjoyed by the love and appreciation ‘Ariyippu’ has been getting from film festivals all over the world. To be the first Indian film...
The film bowed at Locarno and is playing at the BFI London Film Festival. This week it plays in the Busan International Film Festival’s A Window on Asian Cinema strand.
The Malayalam-language film follows Hareesh (Boban) and Reshmi (Divya Prabha), an immigrant couple from Kerala working in a medical gloves factory near Delhi, and who aspire to go abroad for a better life. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, when an old video resurfaces among the factory workers, it opens up a Pandora’s box that threatens the couple’s jobs and marriage.
The film will premiere direct-to-digital on Netflix after its festival run.
“We are overjoyed by the love and appreciation ‘Ariyippu’ has been getting from film festivals all over the world. To be the first Indian film...
- 10/12/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
A bitter battle for justice is in the core of the story of Mahesh Narayanan’s feminist drama “Declaration” that runs for the prestigious Pardo D’Oro award in Locarno Film Festival’s international competition. This is the first Indian film in 17 years to be screened in the main competition, and only the 4th in the history of the festival in Malayalam language.
“Declaration” screened in Locarno Film Festival
The seasoned editor, writer, cinematographer and producer from Kerala, re-enters the international film landscape after his success with the directorial feature debut “Take Off” (2017) that won the Audience Award in Los Angeles. “Declaration” is the third feature he signs as the director and in which he – yet again – turns to the milieu of skill workers that seek their fortune outside of their (and his) birth province.
The place the movie is set into is as hostile to the outsiders as an average European country.
“Declaration” screened in Locarno Film Festival
The seasoned editor, writer, cinematographer and producer from Kerala, re-enters the international film landscape after his success with the directorial feature debut “Take Off” (2017) that won the Audience Award in Los Angeles. “Declaration” is the third feature he signs as the director and in which he – yet again – turns to the milieu of skill workers that seek their fortune outside of their (and his) birth province.
The place the movie is set into is as hostile to the outsiders as an average European country.
- 8/11/2022
- by Marina D. Richter
- AsianMoviePulse
Ariyippu Review — Ariyippu (2022) Film Review from the 75th Annual Locarno Film Festival, a movie written and directed by Mahesh Narayanan and starring Kunchacko Boban, Divya Prabha, Faisal Malik, Sidharth Bhardwaj, Loveleen Mishra and Kannan Arunachalam. From India comes the intriguing workplace drama, Ariyippu (Declaration). Filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan has crafted a superbly layered film [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Ariyippu: A Heavy Drama from India Which Raises a Lot of Important Issues [Locarno 2022]...
Continue reading: Film Review: Ariyippu: A Heavy Drama from India Which Raises a Lot of Important Issues [Locarno 2022]...
- 8/6/2022
- by Thomas Duffy
- Film-Book
The team of director Mahesh Narayanan’s Malayalam film, ‘Ariyippu’, featuring actors Kunchacko Boban and Divya Prabha in the lead is thrilled with the reception their film has got at the Locarno Film Festival where it premiered on August 4. Taking to Instagram, actor Kunchacko Boban posted pictures of the team at the festival and said: […]...
- 8/6/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Acclaimed filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan and popular actor-producer Kunchacko Boban are re-teaming for “Ariyippu” (“Declaration”), the first Indian film in Locarno’s international competition in 17 years.
The Malayalam-language film follows Hareesh (Boban) and Reshmi (Divya Prabha), an immigrant couple from Kerala working in a medical gloves factory near Delhi, who aspire to go abroad for a better life. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, when an old video resurfaces among the factory workers, it opens up a Pandora’s box that threatens the couple’s jobs and marriage.
Narayanan got the germ of the film’s idea from a newspaper article about a female bank employee who had approached the Mumbai high court demanding a “declaration” clarifying that a video which had been circulated in her bank was a look alike and not her. That idea travelled with Narayanan for a while until he hit upon the premise about a migrant couple working in a gloves factory.
The Malayalam-language film follows Hareesh (Boban) and Reshmi (Divya Prabha), an immigrant couple from Kerala working in a medical gloves factory near Delhi, who aspire to go abroad for a better life. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, when an old video resurfaces among the factory workers, it opens up a Pandora’s box that threatens the couple’s jobs and marriage.
Narayanan got the germ of the film’s idea from a newspaper article about a female bank employee who had approached the Mumbai high court demanding a “declaration” clarifying that a video which had been circulated in her bank was a look alike and not her. That idea travelled with Narayanan for a while until he hit upon the premise about a migrant couple working in a gloves factory.
- 8/3/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
MollywoodAn Indian film is going to be screened after a 17-year-gap at the festival, and this is the first time that a Malayalam movie has been chosen for the competition section.Tnm StaffTwitter/ Bandhu Prasad AleyammaMalayalam director Mahesh Narayanan’s latest film Ariyippu, titled Declaration in English, has been selected for the competition section of the 75th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. An Indian film is going to be screened after a 17-year-gap at the festival, and this is the first time that a Malayalam movie has been chosen for the competition section. The festival is scheduled to take place between August 3 to 13. Ariyippu will be screened on August 4 and this is the first time director Mahesh Naryanan is sending his film to be screened at an international film festival. Describing the plot of the movie in a press statement, the makers stated, “Set in the pandemic stricken times in Noida,...
- 7/7/2022
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe Mahesh Narayanan directorial starring Fahadh Faasil and Nimisha Sajayan in the lead roles will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on July 15.Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe makers of Fahadh Faasil’s much-awaited political drama Malik released the trailer of the movie on Tuesday, July 6. The trailer comes days after Amazon Prime Video announced that the movie will be premiering on the Ott platform on July 15. Sharing the trailer, Amazon Prime Video wrote, “A journey from the streets of Ramadappally to its throne. Trailer out now. Meet #MalikOnPrime July 15.” The trailer gives a sneak peek into the life of Sulaiman (played by Fahadh) and hints at an engaging political-thriller. We meet the younger Sulaiman, actively engaging in the local political turmoil in Ramadappally. In one scene, we see him urging people to fight for their own land. We hear him say: “We know how to protect our land”. In another scene, he says,...
- 7/6/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe political-thriller was initially slated for theatrical release on May 13 this year, marking the festival of Eid.Tnm StaffActor Fahadh Faasil’s most- anticipated political drama, Malik, is all set to premiere on Over-the-top (Ott) platform Amazon Prime Video. Helmed by C U Soon fame director Mahesh Narayanan, the movie will release on July 15. Sharing the news with fans, Amazon Prime Video wrote, “fafa is our maseeha Meet #MalikOnPrime July 15.” The political drama stars actors Fahadh, Biju Menon, Nimisha Sajayan, Joju George, Dileesh Pothan and Vinay Forrt in pivotal roles. Fahadh will be essaying the role of Sulaiman Malik in the film. Fans are eager to watch the actor’s performance since Fahadh had to undergo massive physical transformation in order to prepare for the role. His look from the promo and trailer videos, have gone viral on social media. The film was initially slated for theatrical release on May 13, marking the festival of Eid.
- 7/1/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe Malayalam mystery thriller marks the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri. Tnm StaffNizhal, the Malayalam mystery thriller starring Nayanthara and Kunchacko Boban, is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video in India. The film was recently released in theatres on April 9. The film’s cast includes Saiju Kurup, Divya Prabha and Rony David playing prominent roles. Nizhal marks the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri. The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on May 11. The film has also been playing on another Ott platform Simply South, which caters to diaspora audiences, from May 9. Nizhal was produced by Anto Joseph, Abhijith M Pillai, Badusha, Fellini Tp and Ginesh Jose. Sooraj S Kurup is the music composer and Deepak D is the cinematographer. Apart from directing the film, Appu N Bhattathiri also edited the movie along with Arunlal Sp. Read: ‘Nizhal’ review: Kunchacko Boban-Nayanthara film is tightly scripted,...
- 5/12/2021
- by Jahnavi
- The News Minute
Mollywood The Appu N Bhattathiri directorial released in theatres on April 9 this year. Tnm StaffActors Nayanthara and Kunchacko Boban’s recently released Malayalam mystery thriller Nizhal will stream on Ott platform Simply South from May 9. Announcing the news on Twitter, Simply South wrote, “Kunchacko Boban - Nayanthara starrer #Nizhal, streaming in 4K & Dolby Atmos from May 9.” Kunchacko Boban - Nayanthara starrer #Nizhal, streaming in 4K & Dolby Atmos from May 9.#KunchackoBoban #Nayanthara @appubhattathiri #SoorajSKurup @AJFilmCompany #MelangeFilmHouse #TentpoleMovies#IdhuVeraLevelEntertainment #SayNoToPiracy #Malayalam #NizhalOnSimplySouth pic.twitter.com/PninjU3kBe — Simply South (@SimplySouthApp) May 4, 2021 Nizhal marks the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri. Apart from Kunchacko Boban and Nayanthara in the lead, Saiju Kurup, Divya Prabha and Rony David also feature in the star cast. The movie released in theatres on April 9 this year. The thriller is bankrolled by five producers including Anto Joseph, Abhijith M Pillai, Badusha, Fellini Tp and Ginesh Jose.
- 5/6/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
ReviewThe film is directed by noted editor Appu N Bhattathiri, who keeps to the single-focussed pursuit of truth and never sways into boring territory.CrisThe mood changes from the gloom, created by a drizzle outside a hospital window, and the mystery of a man in a Batman-like mask, to the lightning up of it all by a joke shared between friends. But before all of that, Nizhal begins with a car crash in the dead of the night, awakening an indifferent owl perched on a tree. As far as suggestions go, this one seems to say you are going to be rudely woken up by unannounced noises, and unlike the owl, you can’t turn away unimpressed. Kunchacko Boban plays the man in the mask, looking gloomily out the rain-drenched hospital window. He makes a joke of it when his friend comes into the room and laughs at the black mask covering half his face.
- 4/11/2021
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe Malayalam movie marks the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri. Tnm StaffFacebook/Kunchacko BobanActor Kunchacko Boban, who will be playing the lead role in the upcoming Malayalam thriller Nizhal shared with fans, on Monday, that the film has been given a ‘U’ certificate by the Censor Board. The actor further revealed that the film is all set to hit the big screens on April 9. He also shared a poster of the film. Kunchacko Boban appears as a lawyer with Nayanthara in the background in one half of the poster, and he is seen alongside a child and wearing a mask in the other half. With visually intriguing elements, the poster promises to be an edgy thriller. Award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri will be making his directorial debut with this movie. Nizhal stars Nayanthara and Kunchacko Boban, while actors Saiju Kurup, Divya Prabha and Rony David will be...
- 4/6/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
Mollywood‘Nizhal’ is the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri.Tnm StaffThere is a woman and a child who should be traced immediately. A Class 2 student tells a story of murder in class, scaring the other students and the teacher. An English song begins. The first few seconds of the trailer of Nizhal — a Malayalam film with Nayanthara and Kunchacko Boban in the lead — sets the mood of a thriller without scary music. Kunchacko Boban is seen wearing a protective face mask for his broken nose, and takes the seat of a judge in a courtroom. Nayanthara’s character speaks of her child and has conversations with Kunchacko’s character, who is referred to as Baby. They talk about finding the “truth behind it.” The movie is the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu N Bhattathiri. It is written by S Sanjeev, and has five producers - Anto Joseph,...
- 3/29/2021
- by Cris
- The News Minute
Mollywood In the trailer of the Mahesh Narayanan directorial, we see both actors in different avatars.Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeMalayalam actor Fahadh Faasil’s upcoming movie Malik is one of the most anticipated Mollywood movies of 2021. Putting an end to the long wait, the trailer of the film was released on Thursday. Malik is scheduled to hit the big screen on May 13 this year, coinciding with Eid. We see two different avatars of Fahadh in the one minute and 45 seconds long video. We are first introduced to an older version of Sulaiman (Fahadh’s character in the movie) who appears to be calm, spiritual and collected despite knowing that the police are plotting to kill him. Dressed in a white mundu and shirt, he comes across as an influential person who seems unshakeable. As the trailer progresses, we see the younger version of Sulaiman. Glimpses of Sulaiman leading political campaigns, handling crises and leading a mob,...
- 3/25/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
MollywoodNayanthara and Kunchacko Boban will play the lead in the film which marks the directorial debut of editor Appu Bhattathiri.Tnm StaffWith a mask on his face, much like Batman, Kunchacko Boban looks straight at the camera in the first poster of the upcoming film Nizhal or Shadow, released on Monday. He will act opposite Nayanthara in the Malayalam film that will mark the directorial debut of award-winning editor Appu Bhattathiri. All Appu said about the film in an interview to Tnm was that it is a thriller and every one of the few characters in it would have equal importance. Rony David and Divya Prabha play two other important roles. Kunchacko Boban’s fearless expression behind the masked face adds mystery, while the plasters glued to his nose and forehead suggest action. The film is written by S Sanjeev and produced by five people -- Anto Joseph, Abhijith M Pillai,...
- 11/2/2020
- by Cris
- The News Minute
InterviewThe award winning Malayalam editor talks about why it's taken him so long to direct a film when that was his dream all along.CrisAt 10 minutes to 2 pm, Appu Bhattathiri picks up the phone for a short interview. He has half an hour before work begins again. The shooting of the first film he directs is happening in Ernakulam and Appu has not a moment to lose. This is a dream he has harboured for years, before he accidentally became an editor, did that work so well and won awards for it. It is finally the lockdown resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic that gave him the time to pick up his own film and begin directing it. It’s called Nizhal – meaning shadow – and it has got a stellar cast. Nayanthara, the Malayali actor who became a superstar in Tamil cinema, and Kunchacko Boban, who has been having back to back success in recent years.
- 10/24/2020
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe Manju Warrier starrer was directed by Rosshan Andrrews based on a story by Unni R.Digital NativeA few days ago, reports surfaced that the Malayalam film Prathi Poovankozhi will be remade in multiple languages. And now, it has been confirmed that ace Bollywood producer Boney Kapoor has the remake and dubbing rights of this film in all languages. The Manju Warrier starrer, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, released last year. The film also had Anusree, Rosshan Andrrews (making his acting debut), Saiju Kurup, Grace Antony, Alencier Ley Lopez, Sp Sreekumar, Divya Prabha, Sekhar Menon, Chali Pala, and others forming the supporting cast. Gokulam Gopalan bankrolled the film under his banner. The technical crew of this film included Unni R, who has written it, G Balamurgan for cinematography, Jyotish Shankar for art direction and Gopi Sunder for music. Prathi Poovankozhi tells the story of a woman who is molested in a...
- 10/13/2020
- by Cris
- The News Minute
FilmThe film was directed by Rosshan Andrrews who also made his acting debut in it by playing the antagonist.Digital NativeManju Warrier starrer Prathi Poovankozhi, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, will reportedly be remade in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada. Sources in the know say that the deal has been sealed for the Kannada and Telugu remakes and talks are on for the remake in Hindi and Tamil. The film that released last year showed the revenge of a woman against a man who assaults her on a moving bus. Rosshan Andrrews, the director, made his acting debut with the film, playing the antagonist. The film was based on a story by Unni R. Other actors in the film included Anusree, Saiju Kurup, Grace Antony, Alencier Ley Lopez, Sp Sreekumar, Divya Prabha, Sekhar Menon and Chali Pala. Gokulam Gopalan bankrolled the film under his banner. The technical crew of this film included G Balamurgan for cinematography,...
- 10/10/2020
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodVinay's role as a comical professor in ‘Premam’ was much appreciated and his lines in the movie got quoted a lot.Digital NativeFacebook/ Vinay ForrtVinay Forrt, whose character as a college professor in the movie Premam was much appreciated, has bagged a similar role again. This time around it is for the Malayalam movie Thamasha which is directed by Ashraf Hamza and produced jointly by Sameer Thahir, Shyju Khalid, Lijo Jose Pellissery and Chemban Vinod Jose under the banner of Happy Hours. The first look poster of Thamasha was released recently, featuring Vinay Forrt in a new look. Sporting a slightly bald head, the actor stands in front of a black board. According to reports, he plays a Malayalam professor in the film. Playing the female leads in Thamasha are Divya Prabha, Grace Antony and Chinnu Sarojini with Navas Vallikkunnu, Arun Kurian and Arya Salim also included in the cast.
- 4/16/2019
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodBinu S who made 'Ithihasa' would also direct the sequel, which appears to follow the 'magical' thread in the first film, involving a pair of rings.Digital NativeThere is going to be a sequel to the film Ithihasa, which had released four years ago, and was a massive hit at the time. According to reports, director Binu S, who made Ithihasa, would direct the sequel too, and Indrajith Sukumaran would play the lead role. The rest of the cast and crew are yet to be revealed. Ithihasa had been the first directorial of Binu, and he brought with him a bunch of new actors in the cast. The film was a fantasy comedy, that seemed to be an adaptation of the 2002 Hollywood film The Hot Chick. In place of a teenage girl and criminal in the English film, the Malayalam movie revolved around a female software engineer and a petty thief.
- 10/14/2018
- by Cris
- The News Minute
Protest The strongly worded statement says the attitude of Amma is clear from their decision to bring back Dileep.Tnm StaffIn yet another strong move from the Women in Cinema Collective, 15 of its members have come out with a statement explaining why they had never become part of Amma (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists). The statement signed by 15 female actors including Amala Akkineni, Ranjini Pierre, Sajitha Madambil and Kani Kusruti, says they realised Amma as an organisation cannot be trusted from the way it approached the sexual assault on their colleague in February 2017. In a strongly worded statement shared on Wcc's Facebook page, the female actors cited eight reasons why they chose to abstain from the most powerful body of the Malayalam film industry. The reasons are as follows: 1. In an industry where there is not even a concept of equal pay, the act of imposing Rs 1 lakh as membership fee is neither pro people nor democratic. 2. The way Amma approached the issue of sexual assault of one of our colleagues, shows that their decisions cannot be trusted. 3. The silence that the organisation (Amma) generally maintains towards the founding members of Wcc, and the issues they raise, are precarious and irresponsible. There is no other option but to reject an organisation which is not capable of a healthy and ideological debate. 4. The attitude of the organisation towards women was clearly portrayed in the retrogressive skit which was presented in the recent celebration of Amma, and in their move to take back an actor accused in a case of sexual violence. 5. The history of the organisation; which has been scripted together by fans associations and star centered power coteries, has convinced us that there is no possibility of a democratic system paving way for a debate in the near future. 6. We also understand that star personalities who head the body are not capable of reconstructing it in a way which would incorporate women with self-esteem, and to respect their work place. 7. Other than using women as show pieces, the organisation has not attempted to ensure their participation in its responsibilities and decision making. 8. We firmly declare that we don’t want to be part of an organisation that is anti-human. "We are committed to open all the needed ways for the coming generation to create timely art which is beyond caste, religion, gender and factionalism through movies, a medium Malayalis immensely love," the statement further said. The statement has been issued by actors Abhija Sivakala, Amala Akkineni, Archana Padmini, Darsana Rajendran, Divya Gopinath, Divya Prabha, Jolly Chirayath, Kani Kusruti, Sajitha Madathil, Ranjini Pierre, Samyuktha Nambiar, Santhy Balachandran, Shylaja Ambu and Sujatha Jannnethri. The ultimate aim, the statement says, is to create a space to approach movies as a medium and an art with more care, respect and trust. Read ‘Your decision is anti-women’: Wcc lashes out at Amma for reinstating Dileep...
- 7/1/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
MollywoodDileep is stiff in the second half, but is convincing as crooked Kammaran, while Siddharth is a fine fit for Othenan. Fahir Maithutty“History is a set of lies agreed upon - Napoleon Bonaparte”. This appears on the screen as the closing credits of Kammara Sambhavam starts rolling. What you read in books or watch on screen about your real life heroes - Are they always true? Or were they twisted so that you would adore and admire the protagonist? This forms the crux of Murali Gopi’s script in Kammara Sambhavam. It is an interesting concept as it quickly makes you re-think the impact some of the great biographical films had left on you. The intentions of Murali Gopi’s script are right but it falters as a whole, because the lengthy film (3 hours 2 minutes) becomes tiresome when you realise where it’s heading. A set of producers (Vijayaraghavan, Sudheer Karamana, Baiju and Vinay Forrt) and director Pulikeshi (Bobby Simha) approach Kammaran Nambiar (Dileep), an old man and Indian Liberation Party member to make a movie on his life. What Kammaran tells Pulikeshi about his early life back in 1945 in a village named Amrutha Samudhram and how Pulikeshi makes it into a film forms the storyline of Kammara Sambhavam. Murali Gopi ‘the writer’ is in fine form in the first half when he etches out the characters well. He succeeds in bringing out the contrast in the ideologies of his protagonists. Kammaran, a medical practitioner is an opportunist and wouldn't mind treading the path of treachery to accomplish what he wants. Othenan, (played by Siddharth) on the other hand, believes in the principle - “You don't need to live long, just make sure you don’t bow down your head as long as you breathe”. It is a nice touch to connect various historic events like the Battle of Imphal, the deaths of Hitler and Subhash Chandra Bose and Japan’s fall in World War II to Kammaran and Othenan’s stories. The film's pre-interval sequence of around 20 minutes is its best portion as all the characters, who appeared so far are finely connected in the narrative with a twist and turn for everyone. But Kammara Sambhavam’s big problem is the second half when the flashback ends and you are brought back to the present day. Murali Gopi tries to mock many films by poking fun at how the songs, stunts and punch scenes are picturised. Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar isn’t spared either with the film taking a dig at the lyrics of Ayirathil Oruvan. But it all falls flat because the script just stalls over here. Rathish Ambat impresses in his debut as director when the script supports him in the first half, but equally fails when the writing lets him down in the second half. Captured in a few minutes, the Battle of Imphal is shot wonderfully. Cinematography (Sunil Ks) and art direction immensely help Rathish to take the film to the pre-Independence era. Gopi Sundar's background score is effective only in parts. Dileep appears in various avatars. He is stiff in the bearded, mass look in the second half, but gives a convincing performance as the meek but crooked Kammaran in first half. The actor is at his hilarious best in a scene when he learns about the Japanese defeat in World War II and realizes the Japanese money he had collected is of no value. Siddharth is a fine fit for Othenan’s role and it was good to see the actor lending his own voice for Malayalam lines too. Murali Gopi as an actor doesn’t have much to do. A bunch of good actors like Siddique, Bobby Simha, Indrans and Vijayaraghavan are wasted because they have such minuscule screen space. But at least Siddique as Boss, Kammaran’s son, has some decent one-liners to lighten you up when the proceedings are mundane. Namitha Pramod is adequate. Divya Prabha once again leaves a mark in a supporting role. It’s unfortunate that the talented Shwetha Menon is asked to overact when she could have done a lot more. Santhosh Keezhattoor keeps up with his track record of dying on-screen. When you leave the cinema halls, you cannot help but wonder if this same movie would have worked a lot better if its first and second half were swapped. It seems like a big trick missed by Murali Gopi as it could have held the attention of viewers for longer. For now, in its current form, you need a lot of patience to sit through Kammara Sambhavam, even for a one-time watch. Let’s hope that Murali Gopi backs up his big ambitions with apt execution when he teams up next with director Prithviraj and actor Mohanlal for the big Lucifer.
- 4/14/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
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