Merger !!!

Have merged all my blogs into one.. http://meerablogs.blogspot.com/ !!!
Keep checking there for more updates .

Vadakkumnathan (Malayalam)

Film Name : Vadakkumnathan
Year of Release : 2006
Director : Shajun Karyal
Screenplay : Girish Puthenchery
Production : Baba Creations
Starring : Mohanlal, Biju Menon,Padmapriya, Murali, Shammi Thilakan, Vineeth, Risa Bava, Babu Namboothiri, Madambu Kunjukuttan, Vijayan Peringodu, Kaviyoor Ponnamma, Kavya Madhavan, Sona Nair, Remadevi, KPAC Lalitha
Music : Ravindran
Lyrics : Girish Puthenchery
Cinematography : S. Kumar
Editing : Hariharaputhran
Storyline : Iringannoor Bharathan Pisharody, professor at the Sanskrit University, a very knowledgeable man with a keen interest in the Vedas, astrology and Kathakali, author of several critical works and winner of numerous awards, is the central character of Vadakkum Nathan. Meera is his student and murapennu.Though Bharathan does not encourage it, Meera often tries to take advantage of the relationship even in class.Both families have agreed to their wedding and a date has been fixed. But when the auspicious day dawns and the bride arrives at the mandapam, she realizes to her utter dismay and desolation that the groom has disappeared.Gloom settles over the household. Meera is inconsolable.Years pass. No one knows Bharathan's whereabouts. Even death is not ruled out.Then one day his mother and uncle on a pilgrimage to the holy shrines of Haridwar, Kedarnath,Rishikesh and Rudraprayag, meet Bharathan on the foothills of the Himalayas.From there unfolds the touching story of Vadakkum Nathan.


The film opens with Bharathan's mother and brother (Kaviyoor Ponnamma and Biju Menon) getting to Haridwar to perform some religious rites for Bharathan, who is given up as dead. The mother luckily spots Bharathan on the banks of the holy Ganges. But Bharathan is not normal. The relatives think he is on a hallucination trip.At times he shows some eccentric behaviors which even disrupt his sister’s marriage proposal. All thinks that his behavior is caused by smoking pot, which he incidentally started using a few days before he ran away and everyone hates him.
Then one fine day, It is his brother who stumbles on the fact that Pisharody is mentally ill. The papers relating to his treatment, found in his suitcase, were the give-away. So they come to know of his mental distress, a case of extreme depression. Now that everyone is aware of his problem, instead of running away from his illness he turns around and faces it. He straightens out, one by one, the troubles caused by him with the help of Meera. They get married and live happily ever after !

Few Points to mention :

• There is no larger-than life stunts, songs and dialogues.
• Everything carries a matter-of-fact attractiveness. Mohanlal as the troubled professor is singularly top rate.
• His face throws up myriad expressions. It is an amazing portrayal of mentally disturbed man.
• Padmapriya has proved that she can also shine in performance-based roles.
• The music of Ravindran is another major plus. Special mention must be made of "Kalabham Tharaam, Gange and Oru Kili Pattu".
• S Kumar's camera is also vital to the film's feel.
• Shajoon Karial has given a serious film with all the right touches. He has eschewed the urge to go commercial. You can crib on the length and speed of the movie. But that is insignificant considering intrinsic essence of the movie.

Vadakkumnathan deals with inner demons and depressions of a highly-skilled Sanskrit scholar. Backed by some lilting music, Vadakkumnathan at once tugs at your heart strings as well as soothes your jangled nerves. The pace maybe slow, but it is pregnant with poignant pauses. Full marks to director Shajoon Kariyal for making a film with conviction and clarity. There is no effort to shortchange the audience with ersatz entertainer.
Vadakkumnathan deserves a watch by all those who love and value cinema, especially good cinema.

Darling Darling Darling

Film Name : Darling Darling Darling
Year of Release : 1982
Director : K Bhagyaraj
Starring : K Bhagyaraj, Poornima Jayaram, Suman
Music : Shankar Ganesh
StoryLine : Raja (Bhagyaraj) is the son of the watchman at an Ooty bungalow. The owner is a rich industrialist, whose daugther Radha (Poornima Jayaram) was best friends with Raja back when they were in school together. Years later, Radha returns to Ooty after having studied and lived abroad. Raja is still in love with her, but she remembers him as just as the watchman's son.

The film starts with a musical chair competition for little children in a convent. The final round is with two children, one boy and one girl .. yesss u are right, the Hero and Heroine. The baby artist is Baby Anju who acted in Uthiri pookal, Keladi Kanmani and is now acting in lots of mega serials. Back to the story.. the kids don't sit on the last chair , giving up for the other to win :) That's the intro , and then comes our Hero KB who has all his childhood photos and is still in 'Divine Love' with his childhood love!

Poornima arrives from abroad after her studies(dont ask what!) with a bunch of friends(typical 80s movie style!).They then derraa pootufy at the heroine's guest House for a looong time. Radha just remembers Raja as the watchman's son and no special feelings, is amused by Raja's actions and thinks he is mentally imbalanced.
After a number of incidents she comes to know about his love but asks him to forget such ideas as she is already engaged to Suman.

Suman comes in as the typical rich, stubborn bad guy who ill-treats Raja, the servant at home. A series of incidents follow that develops sympathy and love in Radha's heart towards Raja. But then now comes the twist, Sendamarai Radha's father is caught up in a financial crisis and seeks the help of Suman's father. Now Radha is forced to marry Suman, and all arrangements follow.
At the end however , Suman's dad reads the dairy of Radha and comes to know of all the mattersss and gets them married ;)

Few points to mention :

• Anju as the child artist is very cute.
• So is Poornima Jayaram,with very little makeup she looks good (except for the intro).
• KB continues 2 place flowers for a dog for 15 years jus becos Baby Anju asked him 2!
• You get to see pictures of MGR and costumes of his time in this movie as well ;)
• Livingston and Pandiarajan play a small role as station master and watchman respectively.
• The little sister of KB has done a neat performance.
• Poornima Jayaram addressess KB as Mr.Raja thro' out the movie till she falls in love with him.
• Suman - of now Shivaji fame plays a negative role here.
• Poornima's Dairy is the Hero/Heroine in this movie :)
• Dance movements of KB definitely deserve a mention in the song Ye azhagiyae.. !!!
• Bhagyaraj is married to Poornima , i think it was after this movie !

About the Director :
Beginning his career as an assistant to directors G. Ramakrishnan and Bharathiraja, Bhagyaraj is recognised for his scriptwriting talent. Bhagyaraj often cast himself in the lead roles of the films he scripts and directs, effectively carving out a niche for himself in the actor-auteur vein. His style of film making is notable for its relatively elaborate, witty, and double entendre-laced script and socially-themed framework. His on-screen personae are typically characterised by their ironic sense of humour and intelligent bravado and his big glasses !

Prologue

Created this blog to post my reviews and comments on all the movies that I see regularly ... I mean daily ;)
Watch this space !!!