Malayalam Films 2012 - January 5th/6th

It's been my habit for a while now to make a list of all the Malayalam film releases, so that I can get them when they finally come out on DVD (on average, 4 to 6 months after their theatrical release), but I thought this year, I'd gather up the film trailers on a weekly basis, as I'm making up my list of what to see later.

There are three releases this weekend, Orkut Oru Ormakoot (or O3 for short), Kunjaliyan and Asuravithu:

First the trailers for each, and then some thoughts:

Orkut Oru Ormakoot:

 

 

Kunjaliyan:

 

Asuravithu:

 

O3 is the story of Crystal (Rima Kallingal), a Malayali living in Germany, who makes friends with four young men via a social networking site.  They help her learn about her roots when she returns to Kerala.

I'll be honest -- I'm not sure that O3 sounds like my cup of tea, and I'm guessing that I'm clearly not in the tarket audience for the film, which seems like a youth oriented venture.  And this is a film featuring a host of new faces, although new faces with some filmi pedigree:  Joe Sibi Malayil (son of director Sibi Malayil), Ben Lalu Alex (son of actor Lalu Alex), Anu Mohan (Grandson of actor Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair), Vishnu Raghav and Arjun Ashokan (son of actor Harishree Ashokan). 

It's a debut venture for writers/directors Manoj-Vinod, but what pricked my interest was the fact that Manoj had previously worked as an assistant director with director Lohithadas.  That fact alone would make me watch the film, out of curiousity.  I'm also interested in what Rima Kallingal will do here -- I follow her on Twitter and quite like her energy.  And if it comes out on DVD with subtitles, I will, indeed, watch it.  Sadly, youth-oriented comedies are the ones that often come without subtitles.

Kunjaliyan is billed as a "family entertainer", and the trailer would certainly seem to confirm that.  It's the latest film from director Saji Surendran, and stars a Totally Filmi favorite, Jayasurya (who has appeared in all of Saji Surendran's films).  It's the story of Jayaraman (Jayasurya), who's known in his village as "Kunjialiyan" or "Young Brother-in-Law".  Looked after by his three sisters, he ends up abandoned by them after they marry men who aren't interested in the young brother-in-law.  He leaves his village, moves to Dubai, becomes a millionaire, loses his job, and reluctantly returns to his village, where he is, bewilderingly, given a warm welcome.

I have a soft spot for Jayasurya, so this is one film I'll definitely be getting once the DVD is out.  Do I have great expectations of it?  Not really.  But I'm open to being surprised -- perhaps it will turn out to be the entertainer it purports to be.

I have to admit -- this weekend is kind of being billed as the clash of the two up-and-coming stars in Malyalam cinema, with Jayasurya on one side, and Asuravithu's star Asif Ali on the other.  And as much as I like Jayasurya, I will say that the film I most wish I could see this weekend is director A.K. Sajan's Asuravithu.  Asif Ali stood out for me in two films last year:  Traffic and Salt n' Pepper, and of all the new generation of actors in Mollywood, he's fast becoming the one I want to watch.  In Asuravithu he plays Don Bosco, a religious young man (how could he not be with that moniker?) studying in a seminary, whose life is changed after he witnesses an incident.  What, I don't know, and I'm dying to see the film to find out.

 

Comments

[Leaf]

Orkut looks like all sorts of bad. I love Rima, but idk what she was thinking signing this. You'd think she'd be tired of doing films where she's required only for her "modern girl" image.

Love the songs for both Kunjaliyan and Asuravithu. Samvrutha seems to have an interesting role in the latter. Though Lena is far too young to be playing Asif's mother.

[katherine]

I'm thinking Rima was thinking, "It's work, I'll take it." :-) Maybe we'll be surprised and it will be better than the trailer looks?

(I'm being optimistic, I know...)

Oh, yes, Lena is *far* too young for that. Sigh. I'll forgive the film that, though, if it's as good as the trailer looks.

And I'd just been thinking I had to go see if I could track down the songs for Kunjaliyan and Asuravithu, now I'm even more keen, hearing you like them.

[Leaf]

From what I can tell, after City of God and Indian Rupee, Rima is not in a position where she is pressed to find work.

She got to do such varied work in 2011 that I get the feeling that O3 is just her paying her dues to friends and mentors (considering who the guys' dads are).

Btw, I just saw on the news that Asuravithu has opened big in Kerala. And here are some of the songs from the two films.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e5h75reXaY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW8ZN40lx_o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZVhdfrpNo

[katherine]

Ooo, lovely, thanks for those links! So looking forward to the DVDs coming out :-)

I didn't necessarily mean Rima was pressed to find work -- but all the actors I know talk about the need to be working actors -- sometimes for the money, but sometimes just because that's what they love to be doing. And yes, paying dues is probably part of that as well. Nothing wrong with that, but do hope what she does next is something more fulfilling for her and for her audience!