Malayalam Cinema to the next level
Malayalam cinema is witnessing a golden period. It is a period of transition where we can see many producers and filmmakers showing courage and willingness to make movies on a larger scale with bigger budgets.
Ever since the magnum opus Baahubali released filmmakers have started to believe that movies with large production values and VFX works can be made in Indian cinema. The massive success of Baahubali have also shown that they can reap huge commercial benefits out of such movies.
Many big budget movies are now being planned in Malayalam. Some of them are already under production, and some are in the initial stages. One of the most expected movies of the year, Pulimurugan was also a big budget movie made by Mulakupadam films.
Pulimurugan
The huge success of Pulimurugan has also inspired many producers in Mollywood to come forward and invest in big budget movies. Pulimurugan showed that with the right technicians and a popular star, big budget movies can yield tremendous success in the box office.
Pulimurugan was made on a budget of 25 crores. This is not a very big figure when compared with other industries, but for a comparatively smaller industry like Mollywood it is a huge amount.
But the results are there to be seen. Pulimurugan has already collected over 50 crores within two weeks of the release. Trade experts confirm that Pulimurugan will surely reach the 100 crore mark and become the first Malayalam movie to do so.
Karnan
A movie based on the historical character of Karnan has been a dream for many Indian filmmakers. Many directors have previously went on record about their wish to work on a project based on the epic character from Mahabaratha.
For Mollywood audience the wait came to an end when RS Vimal who debuted with the romantic blockbuster Ennu Ninte Moideen announced that he will be doing a movie based on Karnan with Prithviraj as the lead. Apart from Prithviraj, there will be top stars from other industries playing substantial roles in the movie.
The director in a media interaction had announced that the movie will be made on a grand scale with a budget of 300 crores. If the announcement is true, then Karnan will be among the most expensive movies ever made in Indian cinema.
The technical team of Karnan have already started their pre-production works and the digital story board works at the Ramoji Rao Film city in Hyderabad.
Kunchirakottu Kaali
Kunchirakottu Kali is another period drama starring Prithviraj as the lead. The actor had announced this project last year through his Facebook page. This magnum opus based on the lives of Kunchirakottu Kaali, one of the heroes of Venad.
The movie is based on the lives of men who through their heroic act had sacrificed their lives for the country. This movie is planned as a tribute to all those brave hearts who were forgotten after all the valor, heroism and sacrifice they had did for the country’s freedom.
In the history of Venad, there are many such forgotten heroes who had become immortal through their courage and steadfastness. There are many ballads about them in Venad and it s said that they live through those ballads. Chief Lieutenant Iravi kutti Pillai and his trusted companion Kunchirakkottu Kaali were some of them who fought for the freedom of the country.
The announcement itself invoked a lot of curiosity among the audience. Director and other details regarding the movie have not yet been revealed.
Chengazhi Nambiyar
Chengazhi Nambiar is another budget Malayalam movie that will be written and directed by debutant Sidhil Subramanian. The movie will be based on the lives of Chengazhi Nambiar, Chandroth Panicker and many other historical figures who fought against Samoothiri in Maamaankam in 1505 AD.
Chengazhi Nambiyar is seen as a movie that can show the importance of Malayalam language and our culture to a global level. Actor Tovino Thomas is playing the role of Puthumana Panicker in this movie. The team has not released the names of the other lead casts.
Chengazhi Nambiar is being planned as a multilingual in several languages. Popular actors from other industries are rumoured to play other important roles in the movie. Chengazhi Nambiar is planned on a grand scale and will be made on a massive budget of 100 crores.
Currently the pre-production works the movie are underway. Sources inform that the movie requires a lot of research works, so the pre production will take around one year and the movie will only go on floors by 2018.
Veeram
Veeram is currently the most expensive movie in Malayalam made with a budget of 35 crore rupees. The movie is the fifth installment in director Jayaraj’s Navarasa series. It is an epic historical drama, adapted from legendary poet Shakespear’s classic Macbeth.
Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor is playing the role role in the movie. Some of the finest technicians from around the world are working on this movie. Production value for the Vfx and graphics for the movie alone accounted to around 20 crores.
Action choreographer Allan Poppleton, who has worked in Hollywood films like Lord of the Rings and Avatar is choreographing the action sequences in this movie.
Apart from these there are also projects like Mohanlal starrer Lucifer, Prithviraj-Hariharan-MT Vasudevan Nair team’s Syamanthakam that are in its initial stages.
With so many big budget movies lined up, Malayalam film industry is taking giant strides by breaking the popular belief that Malayalam movies are not commercially viable.
