Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Directing Mammootty, the villain!


Directing Mammootty, the villain!

Director Padmakumar's new Malayalam film Parunthu (eagle) with Mammootty as the hero is out. The director's earlier films -- Ammakkilikkoodu, Vargam and Vasthavam had Prithviraj as the hero.

Mammootty plays the role of a tough money lender (described as blade in the local slang) in Parunthu. The film has been scripted by T A Razack and has Lakshmi Rai in the female lead.

Parunthu hogged the headlines for a different reason as well as the Mohanlal starrer Madambi, which hit the theatres a few days ago is the story about a money-lending Shylock. With these two films going head to head, the popular rhetoric is that it is no less a visual treat for the Malayali audience.

In an exclusive interview, Padmakumar shares the details about Parunthu. Excerpts:

Why did you decide to cast Mammootty as a villain in Parunthu?

I think it is more appropriate to visualise Parunthu Purushu (Mammootty's character) as a realistic one. He has virtually no sentiments at all about his deeds. Purushu is a ruthless money lender but he has his own justification for his acts. He is often seen warning those who approach him for money with the dire consequences that they will have to face if the repayments are not made in time. Even those who take debts from him during various occasions plainly blame him when he tries to get his money back.

COLLECTION

TRIVANDRUM:
here are the 7 days' figures given by velli/kalli for Parunthu:

Rs 14,80,450.00

madambi figure for 21 days is Rs 25,52,790.00

annan thambi - 101 days Rs 63,75,685.00

Annan Thambi will be shifted to Kalabhavan on 8th August (posters are there already)

ANNAN THAMPI GROSS:27 CRORES FROM 100 DAYS

ANNAN THAMPI COMPLETED 100 DAYS IN TRIVANDRUM INSPITE OF THE RELEASE IN NEAR BY THEATERS SUCH AS Tvm New, Nedumangad, vetturod, kaliyaikkavila,
Attingal ..

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

I don't want to rule country, only hearts: Mammootty

 

I don't want to rule country, only hearts: Mammootty


Malayalam superstar Mammootty has rubbished speculation about him contesting in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying that he is too busy with movies to enter politics.

"This has now become a habit ahead of any election in Kerala. Let me make it very clear that I do not want to rule the country. Instead, I want to rule the hearts of people through my films", says Mammootty.

Speculation was rife that the veteran actor, who has over 300 films to his credit, was offered either the Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat or the Ponnani seat in Muslim-dominated Malappuram district.

"It is true that many want me to enter politics, but I'm not interested because I'm very comfortable with my present job that I have and my hands are full," said Mammootty, who is currently shooting for 'Maya Bazaar' in Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

His latest film 'Parunthu' received a mixed response from audiences. The star said that people might not have liked him playing a character with negative shades. He portrays a cutthroat moneylender in the film.

"Maybe some do not like me in such a role. Nevertheless, this is all part of the game. As far as an actor is concerned, Mammootty has done his job as he always does," he quipped.

Source: IANS



New Review for Parunthu

dear all

watched parunthu from tvm anjali yesterday - saturday 2nd show.
balcony was housefull. first class wasn't. almost all the audience were families.
parunthu - it has a weak script; but very good storyline.
mammootty was fantastic, esp the intro scene was superb! it said everything about the hero in a single shot. but the raw energy of padmakumar director evident in vasthavam was not that visible here.
first half was really gud but for the total waste kavadi - wondering how ikka could agree to do such a crass scene! the buidd up and developments in the second half was not convincing ENOUGH. (does not mean that not convincing at all).
simply unable to understand why it raised such a hue and cry amongst the fans why it is such a "bad film". i think the bad initial mouth publicity might have done harm to the movie. however, going by the advt strategy things are safe as of now, i assume.
i am now adding an unavoidable note here. compared against madambi, this film and the character purushothaman are much better and convincing. this was shared by my wife, my 11-year old son, and 70-year old mother. they all agreed with me that the symbol of all goodness on earth - he is fair to everyone, quotes marx, teaches sakunthalam and leads people's fight against mafia!! - it was too much one can stand. if mallus find madambi more acceptable it is also because they are really hestiant to accept reality,

overall the movie desrves better response from fans. for the general public seeing ikka in a pukka negative role could be slightly difficult. if u do that then it needs rock soild support from the script. remember vidheyan. M did an unbelievably cruel character - but the characterisation was PERFECT. ok, comparing adoor and razaq is too unfair. but bhaskara pattelar is one among top 3 roles of Mammootty.
rajesh menon
tvm

Top 5

Top five movies:


Even though the week was filled with continuous showers, the release centers of various new films also registered satisfying collections. The top five movies of the week are:

1. ‘Maadambi’ - The Mohanalal movie ‘Maadambi’ has regained its first position in the box office, after going down for the ‘Parunthu' hype for a couple of days. The movie now into its fourth week is registering full houses in metros and in important cities. In other centers also, the movie has got sixty percent collections. ‘Maadami' is already in a break even stage from theatre collections alone and will move to be a good hit within a couple of weeks.

2. 'Paruthu' - As expected, ‘Parunthu’ has started its run down after the thunderous initial collections. The movie has registered more than three crores gross from its first week in eighty centers. But the bad word of mouth will further worsen the collections, unless family audiences and rigorous marketing save the movie in the current weeks. The movie may at the best, end up as an average to a hit status. ‘Parunthu’ continues in 70 centers in the state with average collections, but in metros the movie is still going strong.

3. ‘Minnaminnikkoottam’ - The movie which is really blessed with the bad reviews of ‘Parunthu’ is 'Minnaminikkoottam' which still has a steady audience in the metros and other cities. The movie in its third week continues in 40 centers across kerala. The intense marketing and the songs in the chart top lists has helped the movie to maintain its collections.

4. ‘Laptop’ – Suresh Gopi's new release ‘Laptop' which made into theatres yesterday opened in the Fourth place in the box office. The movie which was released in 20 centers yesterday will start in another 12 centers by Monday. The movie is opined as a high class film, with good songs.

5. ‘Dasavatharam’- Kamal's ‘Dasavatharam’ continues to invite audiences in select centers .The movie is entering its fiftieth day, this weekend.

The other movies in theatres include ‘Annan Thampi’ which has just completed hundred days, ‘One Way Ticket’, the new release ‘Thrill', ‘Kismet Connection’ , ’Mision Istambul’, ‘Darknight’ and ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Top5 Movies:

Indiaglitz:Top 5:

1.Parunth
2.Madambi
3.Minnamminnikkuttam
4.Dasavatharam
5.Jaane Tu Ya Jane Na

With the release of latest parunthu, Mollywood box-office throws little surprises and the verdict is out in the open.And within a few days the final verdict of the war between star films will become more clear.just have a look at the top five ,prepared out of the theater responses of Friday.

1.’Parunthu’- Mammootty's latest 'Parunthu' made a flying start with house full boards in every centers. Released in a record 80 centers, the movie was shown 325 times yesterday in the state, which is expected to gross more than an eighty lakhs from the day one. But the mixed responses from the first day audience will take its toll, and the movie is destined to fly low after this initial round of excitement.

2. ‘Maadambi’- Mohanalal's ‘Maadambi' is still reigning high with good collection reports all over. The recent rains have reduced the in flow of viewers in certain centers but the movie is rock steady in almost all urban centers. ‘Maadambi’, is already proclaimed as a hit, by the trade.

3. ‘Minnaminnikkoottam’- After an initial couple of days with bad reviews, Kamal’s ‘Minnaminnikkoottam’ has finally survived the tide and has started inviting quality audience, who don't boo from the very first credit roles. The movie, as per the present collections is expected to turn safe with in a steady run for another three weeks. With no other big releases in the near months, ‘Minnaminnikkoottam’ may even surprise the trade by the ultimately ending up as a winner.

4. ‘Dasavatharam’ - Kamal's ‘Dasavatharam’ is nearing fifty days and still continues with better collections in urban centers. The movie is already a profit maker for its Kerala distributors.

5. ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jane Na’ - Following the trends in the entire Nation, this new movie with newcomers is doing excellent business allover Kerala. The reports are very good and the film is expected to enjoy a strong, long run, even after its first two weeks of good business.

‘Annan Thampi’ is racing towards hundred days while ‘Innathe Chintha Vishayam’ has just reached hundred in a centre in the capital city. The other movies in the business includes ‘One Way Ticket’, ‘Kanichukulangarayil CB I’ and ‘Shakesphere M A Malayalam’.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Pazhassi Raja starts final schedule in August

Pazhassi Raja, a forthcoming biopic magnum opus historical film from the team consisting director Hariharan, script writer MT Vasudevan Nair and superstar Mammootty who gave us the unforgettable Oru Vadakkan Veera Gatha (1990), will start its final schedule of production by the last week of August.

It is said the movie needs another 25 days of shooting for completion. Major parts of its final portions, including the climax, will be shot in the dense forests of Karnataka and Kerala.

Mammootty will join the sets after completing his latest Maya Bazaar by Thomas Sebastian. Lead actress Kanika, who had been away from films after her marriage last month, will return to complete her parts in Pazhassi Raja, one of the biggest budgeted movies of Mollywood.

Mammootty to wear Khaki uniform for 26 times

Mega star Mammootty is going to wear the Khaki uniform once again for a debutant director's film. The film has titled as Dady Cool, new comer Ashiq Abu directs Mammootty in Daddy Cool. The story is about a police official and his only son, who is in love with cricket. Mammootty plays the character of Antony Simon, a Crime Branch officer.

This is Mammooty's 26 film as a police officer. Indrajith and Kalabhavan Mani are also play in important roles. The boy, who would play the cop's son, and the leading lady are yet to be finalized.

Produced by Alwin Antony, Samir Tahir handles the camera.

Mammootty's special female fan


Mammootty is already a well-known actor in India and has received the National Award for best actor thrice. So it was not surprising when the elite writer and socialite Shobha De confessed in public that she is an ardent fan of the great actor. She was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 'Bollywood and Beyond' festival in Germany.

Mammootty played the protagonist in Ore Kadal which won the audience award in the festival. De congratulated director Shyamaprasad on winning the award and said that it is a shining example that more people are now realizing that Indian cinema has much more to offer than Bollywood movies.

De also asked Shyamaprasad to let Mammootty know that she is his fan.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Orekadal for onam:

The Malayalam classic 'ORE KADAL' will have its world television premiere during this ONAM - in AMRITHA TV!!



source: shyamaprasad quoted in today's new indian express city page

New Mammoottytimes[july 15-31] is out:

* "Mammootty ennum ottakkayirinnu" - article abt his one man show.
* Parunthu report-Razzaq defends himself asking if Baaba Kalyaani &
Aavanaazhi has the same story.
* Maaybazaar starts in Pollachi
* Mammootty sings in Kuttisraank. lyrics "aarandum kurillutti ente
kaalel mullu keri naathoone... "
* Mam projects after parunthu-
Maayabazar
Pazhassi Raja
Vande Maataram
T 20
Kuttisrank
Daaddy cool
Rafi Mecartin-Vyshak movies(for jan 2009)
Pattanathil Bhootham -2009 Vishu
Anwar Rashedd -Vyshak movies
Padmakumar film
Ranjan Pramod film
Shafis project
Sheikh's Tamil-Malayalam project
VM Vinu- TA SHahid: ente deivame..ithu vendaarinnu

*Annanum Thambikkum 100-report. Marikkarinte markatingine
vimarshichirikkunnu .
*Megastar & Showman-Mamootty IV sasi combo report
*Innalekaliloode- Mammootty

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

'Ore Kadal' wins audience award at German festival beating 'chakde' & 'Tare zamin par'

 
'Ore Kadal' wins audience award at German festival



 
 
 
     


Shyamaprasad's Malayalam film on infidelity, won the audience award at Bollywood and Beyond, Germany's only festival of Indian cinema, that concluded here Sunday.

At a midnight ceremony, Shyamaprasad recieved a trophy and cash prize of euros 1,000 from Shobha De, author and celebrity socialite.

"Ore Kadal" beat Manish Acharya's "Loins of Punjab", Umesh Kulkarni's "Valu, The Wild Bull" and Jag Mundhra's slick, new film "Shoot at Sight" at a festival where 20 feature films were screened over a period of five days including Kunal Kohli's "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic".

The programme included 23 documentaries and 13 short films.

A visibly overwhelmed Shyamaprasad paid tribute to the power of cinema where a film made in Kerala, based on a novel in Bengali, is able to steal hearts at a screening in Germany before an audience from all over Europe.

Congratulating Shyamaprasad, De said that the popularity of "Ore Kadal" is a shining example that more and more people realise that there is much more to Indian cinema than Bollywood and Shah Rukh Khan.

The 60-year-old De was flooded with questions about Shah Rukh Khan when she admitted that she has known the Bollywod heart throb of millions for many years.

"Shah Rukh is one of the most intelligent human beings in Bollywood today," De replied to questions at an earlier event organised on the fringe of the festival on Gossip in Bollywood.

"Shah Rukh is very smart but he is more charming than sexy," said De, adding that the only reason why people find her looking so great is because she feels good from the inside.

"If I were to say that it is coconut oil and ayurveda that makes me look good it would be a lie.

"A person looks as good as a person feels," De told audiences here.

In a very loud whisper De admitted to Shyamaprasad that she would like Mamooty, the protagonist of "Ore Kadal", to know that she is a fan of the Malyalee hulk.

De was part of an impressive guest list from Bollywood that included filmmakers Kunal Kohli, Umesh Kulkarni, Jag Mundhra, Richie Mehta and Manish Acharya.

Uma d'Cunha, grande dame of cinema journalism and curator of Bollywood and Beyond, was also present. Mehta dedicated the award the film maker won for "Amal", the best feature film, to d'Cunha who for years has been a great inspiration to independent film makers like himself, the Toronto-born Mehta said.




Parunthu: Reviews:


 
Rediff:

July 21, 2008 13:54 IST

Parunthu, Mammootty's latest Malayalam film deals with the world of
Blade Mafia (a term used for private money lenders charging
exorbitant interest) that has become the bane of the middle class
trying to be upwardly mobile. Directed by M Padmakumar, (his first
with Mammootty), the effort is the most lacklustre of his four films.

Basically, it is a character-driven film without a story (written by
veteran T A Razak) to support him. The intensity Mammootty puts into
his performance is nothing short of thrilling. However, after the
initial adrenalin rush, the realisation dawns that we are not moving
forward.

Parunthu Purashu (Mammootty) is a ruthless money lender who would go
to any extent in humiliating the borrower if he does not return the
sum and the interest on time. This character is full of negative and
villainous traits. And, as if to thicken the plot, there is a
competitor in the form of a childhood playmate who had always
defeated him in the game of soccer by cheating. The competitor is
Aziz (Jayan, who acts as a poor imitation of Siddique). After
establishing the character and the rivalry, the film goes into a
limbo for a while and never returns to top form despite some thrills
pumped in some portions before and after the interval.

The story goes like this: Parunthu spoils the betrothal ceremony of
Rakhi (Lakshmy Rai) the daughter of a Gujarati businessman Hemanth
Bhai (Jagathy Sreekumar), who owes Parunthu money. As a result of
this, the engagement is called off, which unhinges Hemanth Bhai and
his daughter. Aziz is then called in to save the day.

Sounds simple, right? But there is no fluidity in the proceedings.
The scenes are all put up in a haphazard way so as to give us a false
sense of pace. But, the repetitive dialogues jar and mar the flow of
the narrative.

That said, we do see a couple of directorial flourishes in a couple
of scenes like Parunthu devouring chicken legs in the beginning while
watching a news story about a family suicide (his victims as a result
of his threats of eviction if they fail to repay the loan) all the
while justifying his actions.

In the second half the same dining area is enveloped in darkness
(after a change of heart), the food is untouched as a way of
expressing his of guilt that money is the be all and end all in life.

There are characters like the one played by Suraj Venjaramoodu who is
supposedly there to spread mirth.

On the whole, Parunthu is very tough to be endured let alone to be
enjoyed.

Rating-2/5

Indiaglitz:
Parunthu - Fails to take off 
IndiaGlitz  [Saturday, July 19, 2008] 

The hype around two superstar movies with similar plots suddenly fell flat with 'Parunthu', ending up as one that seldom keeps us engaging. Largely inspired from the likes of 'Devaasuram', in drawing the negative caricatures of protagonists, the movie just places another central character, this time a cruel money lender, in the already set frame of transition and turning a new leaf in the life of the lead baddie.

'Parunthu' has Mammootty as 'Parunthu' Purushothaman, a blade mafia chief having a particular penchant for hot cash, operating in Kozhikode city. He is like the ravenous hawk who pounce upon his preys, who are in demand of money and tearing them apart with his sharp eye with little care for any human emotions. He don't believe in any form of relationships as  his mother had abandoned him at a young age, leaving him to grow up as the right arm of a money lender, Kunjikka.

Purushu's  curious forms of  entertainments includes watching football matches on television, and practicing yoga and  exercises other than eating 'Nadan' Chicken fry and creating havoc's in families, trying to milk in his capital and its crude  interests.

Puroshothaman's few  associates includes  Vinayan (Jayasurya), another youth  trapped in  a planned 'Hawala' case, Kunjachan (Cochin Haneefa) a defaulter who now turns out as his cook and Poojapura Mahendran (Sooraj Venjaranmoodu), a small time land  broker. Purushu's only soft corner is with Seetha (Lakshana), whose property he has taken over after the elopement of  her husband, who defaulted Purushu's loan. The only opponent of 'Parunthu' is Kallayi Aziz, another cunning blade mafia don, who runs the Calicut chits and real estates.

The movie opens with a mass suicide of a family due to Purushu's harsh dealings. But Purushu never gets moved by these incidents, which he considers as a regular outcome of his business. He goes on to thrash other families who are already in his debit list and to drive them out of their properties, by using his thugs. The latest in his list is Hemanthbhai, a business tycoon who is in the verge of big loss due to pending court cases. Purushu halts the wedding of Rakhi, Bhai's daughter. And this leads to Bhai losing his mind and gradually succumbing to death.

The later half of the movie presents the expected but unavoidable change of the cruel hero into a hearty person, following a number of reasons of which, very few are convincing. In between all these incidents, Kallayi Aziz creates some situations that demands fights and intense dialogues. 'Parunthu', as usual, drags into its much predictable and sentimental climax, leaving the viewers much in despair.

T A Rasaq is easily the topper in the list of the best of the dialogue writers, available in Mollywood. But that does not qualify him as a good scriptwriter, though the veteran had an experience in the field of around two decades. 'Parunthu' is one best example of this never gripping screenplay writing. The  pit holes of the narratives, show more than itself in 'Parunthu', which even after with this inviting premise fails to take off to better arenas of film realization. Rasaq miserably fails to make the transition of the protagonist smooth enough to suit the demand of commercial format. Like the catchword in the scripts that he talks through the character 'Nammal randum villanmara, Villain jayikkunna charithrame illa'' and ends up taking the old fashioned ways for transformation of the villain into a savior.

Then comes the choreographer Rekha, who has done the most harm to the movie by the two songs that she has done for the movie. The first one, the Kavady song, is embarrassing and awful to watch, disturbing the mood and seriousness of the movie to the levels of amateurism. The repercussions on the viewers, who started booing this song from the shot one, subsided only after ten minutes from the song. The second song in the movie, the Gujarati stuff, also seldom invites much interest with poor shot selections, all through it       

And we suspect the director M Padmakumar who has shown much promise with his first three ventures, did his very little share, to rise over an ever faltering script lines. This movie never matches the quality and ingeniousness of his previous ventures. In the acting front, Mammootty in an out and out negative role holds the movie from ending up as bits and pieces. The  highpoint of the film is his attempt to break the mould of the  super hero  to present himself in black and grey , at the same time resisting any attempt to demeanor 'Maadambi' - the other movie with same plot ,running in theatres, thus avoiding a star warfare. Jay Kumar, a TV serial actor, as Kallayi Azeez  is a revelation and show promise of being in the industry for some more time.

The songs by Alex Paul are nothing exceptional while Ouseppacahan in rerecording has tried his best to make the movie, more engaging. Sanjeev Shankar behind the camera and Ranjan Abraham in editing just go through their routine jobs cycles.

All in all, 'Parunthu', provides a few good moments, but offers little else to distinguish itself from other slashed films, made with similar plots. Like any other humble birds, it is destined to fly low.







3.Nowrunning[1.5/5]:

Parunthu is a feel-nothing movie that tries too hard to find its way into your heart. And in its frantic attempts to do so, it presents before us an outrageous premise and then fails to make us believe it.

Parunthu Purushothaman (Mammootty) is a hawk-eyed moneylender with a particular penchant for hot cash. There are quite a few families that have taken to the streets as the ruthless monster stealthily descends on them, as a falcon in hot pursuit of its kill. Purushu doesn't think twice before rudely barging into a wedding and messing it all up, even as the bride Rakhi (Laxmi Rai) and her sister (Kalyani) gape speechless. In a mad fervor to crush the world under his feet, Purushu goes about waging a losing battle against truth, honesty and integrity.

The male leads in all of Padma Kumar's films have thick streaks of villainy running through their veins. They are seldom champions for a just cause until brought in confrontation with a bitter truth that wholly rips them apart. In Parunthu it's no different, and yet the makeover is terribly unconvincing due to a succession of events that are redundant, stiff and colorless. While the basic idea is an interesting one, two and a half hours of monotony is a bit too much to ask for its disclosure.

Razak's script has a zombie of a protagonist who badly wants to appear persuasive. In drawing up a ravenous soul, Razak disregards the need to perk it up with a prudent tale that constantly engages. Even as a greed for anything that smells of money lingers all over the film, there are a few instances that suggest gluttony as well. There are such nuances aplenty that would most fittingly be content for a character study, but certainly not alluring enough to sustain a viewer's concern.

Parunthu is a film that refuses to move beyond its kick-off point. Adamantly stuck to where it set off, it makes little progression and even lesser transition. There are a few trials to your patience as well, and there is no handsome reward at the end either.

Mammootty sports a frown through the entire length of the film, inkeeping with those shades of black and grey. It's his performance that occasionally lifts the film above its predictability. As a bleeding Purushu staggers along the hospital floors, begging for a bit of attention, we suddenly realize what we had been missing all the while. There is perhaps this only odd instance that's truly demanding of the fabulous actor's potential. The rest of it is a mushy enterprise with no thematic weight to justify the effort.

The most laudable feature of Parunthu is that it doesn't succumb to pave the way for a star warfare, which was eagerly anticipated by all and sundry, especially after its predecessor Madambi took an open dig at the film. As the credits roll, Parunthu has Purushothaman piercingly proclaiming that he would rather compete with himself, thereby pulling down the curtains on an imminent celebrity combat.

In Padma Kumar's Parunthu, the regal bird is uncharacteristically passive. There is simply no ferocity in its eyes nor does it whoosh about with a lethal clinch. All it does is soar senselessly all around with neither a prey nor a perch in sight.

4.Nowrunning[2/5]:

An interesting and promising story-line gone off the track for lack of a well-written script - that's what the Mammootty-starrer Parunthu is. Coming from T.A. Razack (who did the screenplay for films like Ente Sreekuttikku, Raapakal, Vesham etc) and M. Padmakumar (who directed films like Ammakilikoodu, Vargam and Vaasthavam) you certainly would have expected a lot more from Parunthu than the totally disappointing stuff that it has eventually delivered after all the hype.

Produced under the banner of Dream Team Productions, Parunthu tells the story of a heartless money-lender Purushottaman, who is known to all as 'Parunthu' (meaning Eagle) for his rancorous ways. Purushottaman, who has never cared for the feelings of people around him or the destiny of the people who borrow money from him, was bothered only about his business interests.

Purushottaman has two very funny guys - Kunjachchan and Poojapura Mahendran - as his aides. And he has an arch-rival in Kallayi Azeez, who had once been his friend. Azeez wants to see Purushottaman's downfall, but the latter always manages to survive.

One day Purushottaman goes to one Hemant Bhai to recover money lent to him. It happens to be the eve of the marriage of Rakhi, Hemant Bhai's elder daughter. Hemant Bhai fails to return the money and is threatened with dire consequences. The marriage does not take place. Hemant Bhai becomes a mental wreck and his daughters are taken under the wings of Azeez, who decides to protect them.

In the meantime Vinayan, who had been working as a carrier for Azeez, joins Purushottaman. Things move towards a point where (as you might have very well guessed) something drastic happens in the life of our hero, forcing him to mend his ways and turn a new leaf. And that forms the rest of the plot.

The main problem with Parunthu is that the film is extremely slow especially in the second half. It's the script that is to be blamed. The mediocre script led to the director losing his grip over the story and the film as a whole.

Of the three songs, two seem to have been deliberately put in and are totally unwarranted. The only song that is good is "Nee cheytha karmangal...", sung by Jayachandran, while the song "Mayile..." has been visualized rather distastefully. It looks like music composer Alex Paul has lost his magic touch; he has been churning out unimpressive stuff of late. The background score by Ousepachchan however, is good. There's nothing much to be mentioned about the technical aspects of the film.

Performance-wise Mammootty as 'Parunthu' Purushottaman is good, but his character lacks soul. Jayan, who has mostly been seen in television serials and in some films too, is good as Azeez. Jagathy Sreekumar as Hemant Bhai too is good. Lakshmi Rai as Rakhi falters at many places while Kalyani as Hemant Bhai's younger daughter is good. Jayasurya is OK as Vinayan. Cochin Haneefa as Kunjachchan is his usual self. Suraaj Venjaramoodu, though he elicits a few laughs as Poojapura Mahendran, delivers nothing new. Mamookoya as Kunjikka, who had once been a moneylender and now is a wreck of a man, is good, though he and his character have nothing much to do in the film.

The main flaw with the film as mentioned is with the way the story is presented. The dialogues too are unimpressive. The screenplay has too many loose ends and it is doubtful whether Parunthu will make any impact at the box office.

5.sify:[5]

Mammootty as Parinthu Purushothaman does an unusual negative role, as a moneylender (blade) riding a Bullet bike and with hardly any human emotions. He brings about a primal mixture of crudity and savagery into his role, which is the highpoint of the film.

Mammootty has to be appreciated for trying to break the mould or his do-gooder super hero image, by portraying the role of a ruthless 'blade mafia' chief with élan. Sad, for though you could applaud the actor's attempts at innovation, you can hardly savour the film in its totality.

Purushothaman (Mammootty) is a moneylender in Kozhikode town and runs his own blade mafia. He is like the proverbial 'Parinthu' (hawk) with a sharp eye who looks up from the skies to sweep down on his prey. Purushothaman has no human emotion as he was a born a bastard and his mother had abandoned him at a young age.

His only form of entertainment is eating 'Nadan' Chicken fry and watching football matches on television, and whenever he outsmarts his rivals, his favourite punchline is- Adichu Oru Penality.

Purushu occasionally spends the night with Seetha (Lakshana), whose property he has taken over after her husband ran away as he defaulted on his loan!

Those who have taken loan from him pledging their property at cut-throat interest rates normally end up committing suicide or are driven out of their property by his thugs.

Purushothaman celebrates by bursting crackers whenever he takes over the defaulter's property. His biggest rival is Kallai Azeez (Jayakumar). They were together in blade business, but are now competitors gunning for each other.

Puroshothaman's associates are Vinayan (Jayasurya), trapped in a 'Hawala' case by Azeez, and now protected by him . Kunjachan (Cochin Haneefa) a defaulter becomes his cook and Poojapura Mahendran (Sooraj Venjaranmoodu) a small time blade.

One day Purushothaman takes over the house of Hemant Bhai (Jagathy Sreekumar), a business tycoon who lost heavily and has taken a loan. Parinthu goes to Hemanth Bhai's house on his daughter Rakhi's (Lakshmi Rai) engagement day and makes a scene which results in the marriage being called off.

A shattered Hemanth Bai and his daughters Rakhi and Bhuvana (Kalyani) meet Azeez and borrow from him to pay back Parinthu leading to a dramatic twist in the tale.

The trouble with the film is that in commercial cinema you have to show the hero with negative shades turning over a new leaf for the better to justify his early villainy. Here Parinthu in the first half is completely black, with no redeeming features.

But in the second half, writer T.A Razzak and director Padmakumar makes the character have a change of heart, and in the last scene he becomes too sentimental. Purushothaman tells Azeez in the climax fight- Nammal randuperum villain mara. Villain jayakuna charithrame illa….

The makers' justification for turning a rock hard guy with no emotions suddenly into a emotional wreck is the film’s major flaw. The climax is jerky and loses the razor sharpness required of an action entertainer.

However Mammootty's performance, makes the film compelling. He brings about a savvy freshness to the negative role he does in the first half. The rest of the star cast does their usual job, Jayakumar a TV serial actor as the villain Azeez is a revelation.

Cut out the tuneless songs including an embarrassing 'Kavadi' song of Mammootty, Sooraj and Haneefa, the tendency to tilt towards slapstick, prune away the jagged edges Parinthu ,would have been a far better film. Still it is worth a dekko.

Verdict- Average

6.Galatta:



Director M. Padmakumar's latest film Parunthu opens with the mass suicide of a family due to the harsh dealings of Parunthu Purushottaman (Mammootty), a 'blade' mafia chief having a particular affinity towards money, operating in Kozhikode city. But Purushu's heart is least moved by the mass suicide; he does not believe in any form of relationships since his mother abandoned him at a young age, leaving him to grow up as the right-hand man of a moneylender, Kunjikka (Mamookoya).

Purushottaman continues to thrash other families who are unable to repay the loans they took from him and to drive them out of their properties. The latest in his list is a Gujarati businessman Hemanth Bhai (Jagathy Sreekumar), who is on the verge of big losses due to pending court cases.

Hemanth Bhai fails to return the money and is threatened with dire consequences on the eve of the marriage of his elder daughter Rakhi (Lakshmi Rai). Purushu halts the wedding; this leads to Bhai losing his mind and finally surrendering his life.

The story takes a different twist when Bhai's daughters are taken under the protection of Kallayi Azeez (Jayan), another cunning blade mafia don. Kallayi Azeez had always defeated Purushu in soccer during their childhood days by cheating. In the midst of all these incidents, Azeez creates some situations that demand fights and intense dialogues. In the meantime, Vinayan (Jayasurya), an associate of Azeez, joins Purushu. The latter portion of the story presents the predictable and unavoidable change of the cruel hero into a soft-hearted person with a sentimental climax!

Apparently the negative traits in Parunthu are largely inspired from Mohanlal's Devasuram. Like Mohanlal's character in Devasuram (Mangalaserry Neerakandan), Mammootty's character is also very negative. But the difference is that Parunthu is a character-driven film, lacking a good story.

Performance-wise, Mammootty as Parunthu Purushottaman is good, but his character lacks soul. There is nothing much to talk about Jayan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Lakshmi Rai, Kalyani, Jayasurya, Cochin Haneefa, Mamookoya and Suraaj Venjaramoodu, who all deliver nothing new.

The mediocre script is the weak part of the movie, which was not expected from T.A. Razzaq who created screenplays for blockbusters like Ente Sreekuttikku, Raapakal, Vesham, etc. With this insipid script, how can we expect more from director M. Padmakumar, who has directed hits like Ammakilikoodu and Vaasthavam?

Of the three songs composed by Alex Paul, 'Nee cheytha karmangal' sung by Jayachandran is good while the other two songs appear to be deliberately pushed into the film. The background score by Ousepachchan is good. Sanjeev Shankar behind the camera and Ranjan Abraham in editing just go through their routine jobs. There is nothing great about the technical aspects of the film. Though Parunthu offers a few good moments, it provides little to rise above other films with similar plots!
P

Director M. Padmakumar's latest film Parunthu opens with the mass suicide of a family due to the harsh dealings of Parunthu Purushottaman (Mammootty), a 'blade' mafia chief having a particular affinity towards money, operating in Kozhikode city. But Purushu's heart is least moved by the mass suicide; he does not believe in any form of relationships since his mother abandoned him at a young age, leaving him to grow up as the right-hand man of a moneylender, Kunjikka (Mamookoya).

Purushottaman continues to thrash other families who are unable to repay the loans they took from him and to drive them out of their properties. The latest in his list is a Gujarati businessman Hemanth Bhai (Jagathy Sreekumar), who is on the verge of big losses due to pending court cases.

Hemanth Bhai fails to return the money and is threatened with dire consequences on the eve of the marriage of his elder daughter Rakhi (Lakshmi Rai). Purushu halts the wedding; this leads to Bhai losing his mind and finally surrendering his life.

The story takes a different twist when Bhai's daughters are taken under the protection of Kallayi Azeez (Jayan), another cunning blade mafia don. Kallayi Azeez had always defeated Purushu in soccer during their childhood days by cheating. In the midst of all these incidents, Azeez creates some situations that demand fights and intense dialogues. In the meantime, Vinayan (Jayasurya), an associate of Azeez, joins Purushu. The latter portion of the story presents the predictable and unavoidable change of the cruel hero into a soft-hearted person with a sentimental climax!

Apparently the negative traits in Parunthu are largely inspired from Mohanlal's Devasuram. Like Mohanlal's character in Devasuram (Mangalaserry Neerakandan), Mammootty's character is also very negative. But the difference is that Parunthu is a character-driven film, lacking a good story.

Performance-wise, Mammootty as Parunthu Purushottaman is good, but his character lacks soul. There is nothing much to talk about Jayan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Lakshmi Rai, Kalyani, Jayasurya, Cochin Haneefa, Mamookoya and Suraaj Venjaramoodu, who all deliver nothing new.

The mediocre script is the weak part of the movie, which was not expected from T.A. Razzaq who created screenplays for blockbusters like Ente Sreekuttikku, Raapakal, Vesham, etc. With this insipid script, how can we expect more from director M. Padmakumar, who has directed hits like Ammakilikoodu and Vaasthavam?

Of the three songs composed by Alex Paul, 'Nee cheytha karmangal' sung by Jayachandran is good while the other two songs appear to be deliberately pushed into the film. The background score by Ousepachchan is good. Sanjeev Shankar behind the camera and Ranjan Abraham in editing just go through their routine jobs. There is nothing great about the technical aspects of the film. Though Parunthu offers a few good moments, it provides little to rise above other films with similar plots!

7.Oneindia:

Director M. Padmakumar's latest film Parunthu opens with the mass suicide of a family due to the harsh dealings of Parunthu Purushottaman (Mammootty), a 'blade' mafia chief having a particular affinity towards money, operating in Kozhikode city. But Purushu's heart is least moved by the mass suicide; he does not believe in any form of relationships since his mother abandoned him at a young age, leaving him to grow up as the right-hand man of a moneylender, Kunjikka (Mamookoya).

Purushottaman continues to thrash other families who are unable to repay the loans they took from him and to drive them out of their properties. The latest in his list is a Gujarati businessman Hemanth Bhai (Jagathy Sreekumar), who is on the verge of big losses due to pending court cases.




Hemanth Bhai fails to return the money and is threatened with dire consequences on the eve of the marriage of his elder daughter Rakhi (Lakshmi Rai). Purushu halts the wedding; this leads to Bhai losing his mind and finally surrendering his life.

The story takes a different twist when Bhai's daughters are taken under the protection of Kallayi Azeez (Jayan), another cunning blade mafia don. Kallayi Azeez had always defeated Purushu in soccer during their childhood days by cheating. In the midst of all these incidents, Azeez creates some situations that demand fights and intense dialogues. In the meantime, Vinayan (Jayasurya), an associate of Azeez, joins Purushu. The latter portion of the story presents the predictable and unavoidable change of the cruel hero into a soft-hearted person with a sentimental climax!

Apparently the negative traits in Parunthu are largely inspired from Mohanlal's Devasuram. Like Mohanlal's character in Devasuram (Mangalaserry Neerakandan), Mammootty's character is also very negative. But the difference is that Parunthu is a character-driven film, lacking a good story.

Performance-wise, Mammootty as Parunthu Purushottaman is good, but his character lacks soul. There is nothing much to talk about Jayan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Lakshmi Rai, Kalyani, Jayasurya, Cochin Haneefa, Mamookoya and Suraaj Venjaramoodu, who all deliver nothing new.

The mediocre script is the weak part of the movie, which was not expected from T.A. Razzaq who created screenplays for blockbusters like Ente Sreekuttikku, Raapakal, Vesham, etc. With this insipid script, how can we expect more from director M. Padmakumar, who has directed hits like Ammakilikoodu and Vaasthavam?

Of the three songs composed by Alex Paul, 'Nee cheytha karmangal' sung by Jayachandran is good while the other two songs appear to be deliberately pushed into the film. The background score by Ousepachchan is good. Sanjeev Shankar behind the camera and Ranjan Abraham in editing just go through their routine jobs. There is nothing great about the technical aspects of the film. Though Parunthu offers a few good moments, it provides little to rise above other films with similar plots!

Banner : Dreams Frame Productions
Producer : Howly Pottur
Cast : Mammootty, Jayan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Lakshmi Rai, Kalyani, Jayasurya, Cochin Haneefa, Mamookoya and Sooraj Venjaranmoodu
Director : M. Padmakumar
Scriptwriter : T.A. Razzaq
Music : Alex Paul
Camera : Sanjeev Shankar
Editing : Ranjan Abraham

Friday, July 18, 2008

Parunthu......





‘Parunthu’ for newer records

‘Parunthu’ for newer records


Malayalam movie fans have started following their Tamil brothers in organizing maximum hype upon movie releases. Be it in the number of prints or in the time of the very first shows. The trend started with Rajini's ‘Sivaji’ released in 85 centers, which opened as early as 6 am in many centers in Kerala. Now after this immensely successful movie, each of the new superstar Malayalam films have started creating newer records in release times.
Mammootty's first film of the year ‘Roudram' opened as early as 4 am in a few centers of the north Kerala, whose record was made better by ‘Annan Thampi' which opened at 3.30, at the morning. Now Mohanlal's ‘Maadambi’, holds the record for the earliest first show making the record better by 5 minutes, that is the very first show of the movie started at 3.25 am.
Now fans of Mammootty of Malappuram district is planning to hold the first show of his latest ‘Parunthu' as early as 12.01 am, to seal the record permanently. As per the present plans, the movie will start its first show at Thaanoor P V S theatres on the very first minute of this Friday.
The movie will open at 3 am at Kozhikkode Apsara and will be shown as early as 6 am in many other centers of the North.
In the capital city, a traditional Lal stronghold, where the movie will be released in two big capacity theatres, Anjali and Athulya, plans are on to start the first show by 7 am.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Madambi attacks Parinthu!


Madambi attacks Parinthu!

By Moviebuzz | Tuesday, 15 July , 2008, 13:17



Panathinu meethe Parinthu parukkumo illayo ennu enikku ariyathilla. Athellam Parinthinte sowkariyam pole. Pakshe ente ee thalaikku meethe oru Parinthum parakkila. Paranaal.. chiraku arinju kalayum njaan.- Says Puthenveetil Gopalakrishna Pillai
This dialogue has created a sensation in Kerala, as it was a direct punch by Mohanlal who plays Gopalakrishna Pillai in Madambi at Mammootty's about to be released Parinthu.
When this dialogue is said in the film, Mohanlal fans in the theatres are going berserk by clapping and cheering him.
The latest we hear is that Mammootty fans want the actor to hit back with a fitting answer in Parinthu.
Mammootty fans are working overtime to make Parinthu censored with a 'U' certificate an even bigger hit than Madambi.
The Mammootty film is releasing in 72 screens, the highest ever for a Malayalam film on Friday July 18. Already posters have appeared in Malabar area of the state saying- Parinthu Madambiye kotthi thinnum….!

Mammootty is a 'cool daddy'

Mammootty is a 'cool daddy'
IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, July 15, 2008]

Mammootty will appear as a cool daddy in the new film directed by
debutante Aashiq Abu titled as 'Daddy Cool'. The movie tells the
story of father and his only son, who loves the game of cricket more
than anything.

Mammootty's character in the movie has the name Antony Simon, who is
by profession an officer in the crime branch. Also in the cast of
this movie are Indrajith and Kalabhavan Mani.

The makers of the movie have started their search for a fresh face to
appear as the child artist in the film.

'Daddy Cool' produced by Alwin Antony has also in its crew, Big B
fame Samir Taahir as the cinematographer. Anil Panachooran, Biji Bal
team will handle the music section of the movie, which will start
canning by the end of this December.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Living on the edge:

 
Living on the edge:



M. Padmakumar and T.A.Razack, director and scenarist of
`Parunthu,' explain why the film about a moneylender is
relevant.

Three musketeers: T.A.Razack, left, Mammootty and M. Padmakumar on the
sets of `Parunthu.'

"Of course, he is a ruthless money lender and brutal in his
dealings. But instead of highlighting the negative elements in his
character, I would say he is a realistic and practical man. He has his
own justification for his actions. Later, he realises that there is more
to life than money," says director M. Padmakumar about the lead
character in his forthcoming film `Parunthu,' played by
Mammootty.

T.A.Razack, scenarist of `Parunthu', was writing a script with a
character called `Theeppetti Chandran' in the lead when it had
to be postponed.

"It was a story about an autorickshaw driver. However, we decided to
consider the theme later as `Kangaroo' was announced with an
auto-driver as the hero. The story of the moneylender, whose business is
popularly referred to as `blade,' came next.

"Although not many are aware of the alarming extent to which the
business has grown, it is a fact that this kind of money lending has
even led to the framing of new economic principles. Families have been
ruined and relationships irreparably damaged by this business," says
Razack.

The scenarist's main character in `Parunthu' is a ruthless
moneylender called Purushu who will stop at nothing to get his money
back from loan defaulters. Purushu's nickname is `Parunthu.'
Malabar-based scripts

Razack says he is in love with the culture of Malabar and it is evident
in his stories. "I feel comfortable writing about the people who
live in Malabar. I had to shoulder many responsibilities at a young age
and had to deal with moneylenders myself. Usually, we approach a
moneylender as a last resort. Purushu often cautions those who approach
him about the consequences. The moneylender is always blamed, even when
those who owe him money fails to repay their debts in time.
`Parunthu' is relevant in these days when consumerism reigns
supreme; people spend beyond their earnings and finally, land in deep
trouble."

Padmakumar continues: "The story takes place in and around
Kozhikode, where there are several local money lenders who charge high
rates of interest. For instance, like certain private banks, these
moneylenders too whisk away vehicles, when the owners fail to pay back
the loans on time." Padmakumar's earlier films include
`Ammakkilikkoodu' , `Vargam' and `Vasthavam.'

He thinks that Mammootty has given a new look to the role; one that is
very different from his usual screen characters.

Dismissing rumours that there is a resemblance between the
Mohanlal-starrer `Madambi' and `Parunthu,' Padmakumar
says: "We have clarified this with the makers of `Madambi.'
The two characters bear no resemblance whatsoever."

Lakshmi Rai plays the female lead in the film. Her character, Rakhi, is
the daughter of a Gujarati businessman (Jagathy Sreekumar). The cast
includes Jayasurya, Cochin Haneefa and Jayan. `Parunthu' is
being produced by Howly Pottore under the banner of Dream Team
Productions.



HP Supplies

Mammootty back from Bali!

 
Mammootty back from Bali!

By Moviebuzz | Friday, 11 July , 2008, 10:05


Mammootty had taken a 10-day break from monotony of continuous
shooting. After completing Kutty Sranku's song and Chavittu Nadagam
scenes, the star and his family went to Bali in Indonesia.

Mammookka just chilled out and enjoyed the holiday. Now he is back to
work and has rushed to Pollachi where the shoot of his new film Maya
Bazaar directed by debutant Thomas Sebastin is to start on Friday
(July 11).

The film is about a daredevil motorcycle rider who also deals in
buying and selling old cars. The film written by T.A Razak, is said
to be an action entertainer and has Sai Kumar, Rajan.P Dev and Manian
Pillai Raju in supporting cast.

The buzz is that Tissca Chopra, who played the mother of wonder kid
Darsheel Safari in Taare Zameen Par is going to play Mammootty's
heroine in the film.



HP Supplies

Friday, July 11, 2008

Join Mammoottytimes SMS service

To Join Mammoottytimes sms group:

Send SMS:

JOIN MAMMOOTTYtimes

To

567673434 or 09945599455

[This Sms service is absolutely free!!!]

[Only a processing charge of Rs.3/- is required !!!]

[This sms group will provide latest information on mammootty movies]

Mammootty places high hopes on 'Maya Bazaar'

Mammootty places high hopes on 'Maya Bazaar'



Thiruvananthapuram, July 10 (IANS) Malayalam superstar Mammootty, who is on a roll after a string of successes, now places high hopes on his next venture "Maya Bazaar". He says the film's refreshing story line will appeal to the audience.

Speaking to IANS, the veteran actor, who gave hits like "Maayavi" and "Kadha parayumbol", informed that "Maya Bazaar" will be directed by debutant Thomas Sebastian and shooting will commence next week at Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

"The story is really refreshing, entertaining and also one that will leave the audience thinking," said Mammootty who has just returned after a week-long break in Bali islands.

"I enjoyed the much needed break. I am now fresh and am really excited about 'Maya Bazaar', he added.

Without giving out much details about the film, he said: "The film tells the tale of people engaged in dealing with buying old vehicles and breaking them down."

"Maya Bazaar" has two heroines - one is a new face and another is from Bollywood.

Mammootty's other most talked about project is "Pazhassi Raja", a historical film about Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, popularly known as the Lion of Kerala, who was a king in the 18th century from the Kottayam royal family. The film is being directed by Hariharan and Mammootty plays the title role.

The actor is also working in "Kutti Shranku".

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Vandae Mahtharam images:










Latest Mammootty Times-July 1st to 15th edition is out

Latest Times-July 1st to 15th edition is out

*KuttiSrank report- Srank's relationship with 3 ladies narrated as
flashback sequences.

*Interview with Shaji N karun

*Nithyavismayam- feature

*Malayaalam Cinema 6 Months Report- AT biggest hit.
ICV, Shakespeare MA,Raudram ,Cycle,Malabar wedding made profits

*Good Bye gopika-article featuring her last scene in Veruthe oru Bharya.
Gopika abt her experiences with Mammootty. Annan thambiyile imitating
scene aannu Gopika ettavum enjoy cheytha scene. Also said she became a
darling to families just bcaz of her roles in Mammukka films.

*Kuttisraank- Centrespread

*Mammootty through his college memories in Ormakaliloode. .

*Paurushathinte Parunthu- TA Razzaq ithu oru gambeera character ennu
parayunnu

*Pazhassi Raaja- starts again from aug 15th

*Maayabaazaar July 10 th start cheyyunnu in Pollachi..

Parunthu on July 18

Mammootty as Gillette Purushothaman, the ruthless moneylender in
Parinthu is now slated for release on July 18.

Earlier the movie was scheduled to release on July 11, but has been
postponed due to production delay.

One more comedy song featuring Sooraj Venjaranmoodu is now being
picturised to give it a bit of a relief. After seeing the film
director Padma Kumar and producer thought a song would provide some
relaxation, in otherwise a serious movie.

Parinthu is releasing big on July 18, and is expected to be a big
ticket entertainer. The Mammootty film is carrying very good reports.

collection

Annan Thampi 80 days - Rs 60,44,985 [Source:Vellinakshatram]
icv - 85 days - Rs 60,27,160 [Source:Vellinakshatram]

Annan thampi total gross:75 days:21 crores[Source:Mammootty Times]