Ganga, Balan Chettan and Krishnan turn one as Kammattipaadam celebrates it’s first anniversary

It’s been exactly an year since Rajeev Ravi’s Kammattipaadam was released. One of the most discussed Malayalam movies in recent years, Kammattipaadam was a story of survival, friendship and discrimination. The movie has won numerous accolades but the fact that it is still a topic of discussion in social medias is clearly a bigger achievement.

When it was announced that Rajeev Ravi is joining hands with young star Dulquer Salmaan, expectations were obviously on the higher side. The promos indicated a gangster drama but what ultimately turned out was something more intricate and complex.

Kammattipaadam was no regular run of the mill gangster story. It was about friendship, discrimination faced by the Dalit community and showcased the reality of how Kochi city was urbanised on the grounds of Kammattipaadam. The layered narrative, top-notch detailing and stunning performances from the lead actors elevated the movie to a whole new level.

Balan chettan, Ganga and Krishnan struck a chord with the audience. Vinayakan and debutant Manikandan Achari clearly overshadowed Dulquer Salmaan but due respect to him for giving space to other actors even after being such a big star. They deservedly won the Kerala State Film Award for best actor and best second actor respectively.

Rajeev Ravi’s story was developed into a no-nonsense screenplay by P Balachandran. Veteran Madhu Neelakandan showed the unseen side of Kochi city in a different dimension. It was a daring attempt from Rajeev Ravi to stay away from the usual potboilers and yet make commercially viable films. Kammattipaadam is regarded one of the finest regional movies to have released in Indian cinema in 2016.