Monday, November 30, 2009

Neelathamara, film review

(This was published in the Hindu Metroplus, Kochi, dated November 30) R emakes always draw a high degree of curiosity interest. How is it different from the original? The actors are compared, the technicians, music and most of all how faithful it has been to the original. To tackle the last part of the doubts, if it is as faithful to the original as possible, then why make another film at all?
Well, one goes to see a Kathakali performance, knowing the story well, even the dialogues and the ‘padams' perhaps. Then what is it that draws audiences to such performances?
The Ambika link
Let's evaluate the overall effect of the new batch of artistes and technicians. The one link that Ambika has with the new Neelathamara, directed by Lal Jose is this: her brother Suresh Nair acts the role of Apputtan, a negative character. Ambika can definitely be proud of her kid brother who has made this cameo role memorable, with his apt mannerisms.
The woman-centric film that Suresh Kumar, of Revathy Kalamandir, dared to make, rather remake, is an experimental one in many ways. “The producers' association decided to make small budget movies and this is the first one after that decision. Neelathamara cost us under Rs. 1.5 crore. The decision to make movies with new faces was also implemented. After the first day, we are happy that the cinegoers have accepted this small movie with open arms,” says a visibly happy Suresh Kumar, who saw the film 14 times in his youth. Such was its romantic draw. “There's one person who saw it many more times than me: Suresh Gopi, who saw it 27 times,” Suresh Kumar laughs.
M.T.Vasudevan Nair, director Lal Jose and producer Suresh Kumar
Where the first ‘Neelathamara' ends, the present one opens. The remake is actually the flashback. MT has woven a topical twist to his old script which jells well. Sreedevi Unni who dons the mother's role stands out for her natural acting.
Archana Kavi has that vulnerable look and understated emotions that go well with rural girls. The male protagonist is played by Kailash. The smaller characters like the caretaker, the man under the banyan tree and the old servant leave an impression with the viewer.
Carefully cast characters
The young set of characters and the old ones are very carefully cast. When you see a dentist among the credits you wonder why, but Jaya had dentures similar to Samvrutha's fitted in to bring about the similarity.
Rima Kallingal did not seem comfortable in the role of Sharath Ammini. Every character, howsoever small, is a crucial link in the chain of events unfolded in this super-star script.
The short movie (less than two hours) has wonderful photography by Vijay Ulaganathan. Lal Jose has proved that he can handle quite a handful. Cheers to the small is beautiful credo!
Prema Manmadhan

Scripts, books and more (on John Paul)

(This was published in the Hindu Metroplus dated November 30)

What sets John Paul apart from many of his tribe is the ability to call a spade a spade in decent language, be it cinema or a book. He does not sandpaper over faults in bombastic euphemisms, neither does he even call them faults, but qualities that humans possess.
What would one choose to call him? A scriptwriter or a writer? Both hats suit him well. In the eighties, most good Malayalam cinema had one thing common: John Paul. Be it P.N. Menon, Bharathan, I. V. Sasi, Mohan, Balu Mahendra, K. S. Sethumadhavan, Fazil, Kamal, they all made movies with John Paul's story or script. Films like ‘Marmaram', ‘Kathayariyathe', this love affair with words, which started in the late seventies, continues in different avatars today.
“One MUST change one's attitude to cinema with the times. Reading the pulse of the audience is important,” says John, whose latest book on Bharat Gopi (‘Adayala Nakshatramayi Gopi', published by Green Books) is being released tomorrow. He did not have to do much research for this book, for his association with Gopi went back to ‘Palangal' days. This movie had Gopi playing the brother-in-law who coveted his wife's sister. “We would sit on the banks of the Bharathapuzha and talk about various subjects till the wee hours of the morn. There was a certain chemistry between us which lasted till the end. There was really no need for me to do much. This book was already within me, it just needed to be documented. His attitude to any role was so intense, taxing, that it would take a toll on his health. It was spiritual as much as it was physical. He always said ‘Every character is the first and last for me'.”
While doing the role of the tabala player, Ayyappan in ‘Yavanika', he told K.G.George that he did not know how to play the mridangam. “George told him, ‘but Ayyappan does'. And that was it. While shooting, he played as if in a trance, getting into the skin of Ayyappan's role, it was a sort of super reality,” remembers John.
John's earlier books on cinema and people he was close with like Bharathan, was honest and appreciated precisely for that, for not sensationalising the truth. That is not to say John has distanced himself from what he is best known for, scripting. His next movie, ‘Swapnangalil Hazel Mary' is directed by George Kithu. And that will be his 99 {+t} {+h} film! What about the 100 {+t} {+h}? “Maybe next year. There are a few ideas but nothing has been decided,” says John.
Passion for cinema
Though John's philosophy of life is very different from the present crop of filmwallahs, he has learnt to be take life as it comes. “For our generation, money was not the only aim. Cinema was a passion, it still is and we thrived on learning more and more about cinema, discussing cinema and making them as best as we could. We all helped one another. When Mohan's grandmother passed away, it was K. G. George who directed some scenes for the movie ‘Vida Parayum Mumbe'. That was the kind of relationship we shared.” Though John has not done a single script for K. G. George, he remains a very close friend of his. Teamspirit was also very strong in those days, he reminisced. Aravindan was someone who was unparalled in creativity, John says, who was a very strong influence.
The film society movement initiated John into tinselworld. Else how would the Economics post graduate who worked in a bank be in cinema today? The passion for cinema brought him close to many in the field. Once I. V. Sasi asked him to recraft the script of ‘Njan Njan Mathram'. And that was thespian Thoppil Bhasi's script. He was shocked. But he did it without changing anything. “I just rejigged it with 27 flashbacks and that was my first brush with scripts. Mankada Ravi Varma helped me a lot when I worked with him in my early days, in documentaries.”
Is a good script the ticket to a successful film? “No,” says the veteran scriptwriter. “No good script can be made into a good movie, unless it is directed well. Likewise, the very best direction cannot make a bad script into a good movie. I didn't say that, Kurosowa said it,” he says smiling.
There is a lot to be documented in the Malayalam film world, which will be lost if not done soon, John feels. He is busy teaching about cinema at various intitutions and says he is surprised at how much he enjoys teaching. At the back of his mind is a play, an academic play. On Thespis, who is credited with putting up the first play.
Prema Manmadhan