The spotlight is shining on Malayalam cinema. Malayalam films have seen a release in a couple of single screens in Bangalore in proximity to Malayalee populated localities. So, there’s a healthy spurt thanks to multiplexes. Malayalam is still a language that befuddles a Bangalorean who considers himself a linguist. There was a time when he would surreptitiously sneak into the dilapidated Opera to catch a soft porn Malayalam hit enticed by the buxom actresses in the posters. The best of Malayalam cinema was elusive like the Bengali films made by Ray and Mrinal Sen. Not much has changed. It’s still the ever burgeoning Malayalee population in Bangalore that fills the theatres with the city being portrayed in their films as an exotic destination. You feel strange, sitting in stoic silence while those around are giggling at a subtle joke that the subtitles have failed to translate. You just have to be glad their fascinating films are getting a wide release.
It probably started with the films of Mammooty and Mohanlal like ‘Oru CBI Diary Kurippu’ and ‘Kireedam’. When I mentioned to Lal that they’d managed to overcome the soft porn wave he was not amused. He opined that the films made by the likes of I.V. Sasi had a strong storyline and exhibitors in neighbouring States sullied their image by inserting pornographic ‘bits’. “Those films in their original form were much ahead of their times and talked of things that were considered taboo till recently,” said the great actor. Malayalam cinema was free of unnecessary frills, till recently. Conventional storylines were shunned and the plots were content driven because they were catering to a populace that was considered more literate, in the cinematic sense of the term too. Things have changed, slightly. You can blame it on the opulently mounted blockbusters in Tamil and Telugu, dubbed and released. Local producers are wary of releasing their films alongside Vijay and Allu Arjun starrers. The content is more youth centric. A crop of brilliant, young talent has spouted. Mammooty and Mohanlal are still crowd pullers but their fans are growing old.
Vinay is the main distributor of Malayalam films in Bangalore since about eight years. He agrees that it’s the youth that are thronging the theatres these days. “The content has also seen a slight change. Mammooty and Mohanlal still have a loyal following and are bankable but youngsters in the audience want contemporary stories. Anyway the average Malayalee is a reluctant cine goer. They cannot be enticed just by big names in the cast. A Bangalore resident will call someone in Kerala and only if he gets a positive feedback about a film will he venture to the theatre.” We only get to watch the cream. Vinay paints a pretty grim picture. “Of the 150 odd films released last year, only around five managed to recover their investment. Distribution is a gamble. Nobody knows the fate of a film irrespective of the cast and crew.”
‘Premam’ starring Nivin Pauly and directed by Alphonse Putharen is the latest megahit in Malayalam and according to Vinay, it will surpass the collections of ‘Drishyam’ in Kerala making it the biggest grosser, ever. Alphonse made an interesting debut with the bi-lingual ‘Neram’ also starring Nivin. The great thing about Malayalam actors is that they decide on the strength rather than the length of their role. After a spate of multi-starrers including ‘Bangalore Days’, Nivin gets a role he gleefully bites into. He’s now being compared to Mohanlal. ‘Premam’ is about the different stages in the protagonist’s love life, from infatuation to disappointment to finally commitment. The narration is clever and the characters are colourfully etched with some terrific performances. The film has turned unknown faces into sought after stars. Everyone is raving about Sai Pallavi who plays a lecturer the hero falls for. ‘Premam’ is loud by Malayalam standards including the songs and background score. “It’s not as big a hit as ‘Bangalore Days’, not in Bangalore,” says Vinay. It’s not a better film either. Characters in the film talk about Bangalore as the city to visit and strangely Ilayaraja’s songs are referred to repeatedly. His appeal defies linguistic boundaries. Ramzan, a month when Muslims don’t watch films is considered a lean month but distributors are refusing to remove ‘Premam’. “The producers expect a surge in collection after the holy fasting is complete,” says Vinay.
Nivin Pauly’s previous hit ‘Oru Vadakkan Selfie’ is being remade in five languages. The producer of ‘Premam’ expects four crores for the remake rights of his film. Malayalam cinema is finally getting the exposure and success it rightfully deserves. Hopefully, the quality in content will be a constant!
sshivu@yahoo.com
