Shoot for Srinath Rajendran’s ‘Kurup’ is currently progressing at a brisk pace. The film already has Dulquer Salmaan, Indrajith Sukumaran, Shine Tom Chacko and Sobhit Dhulipala as part of the cast. Latest to join the team is Sunny Wayne. The actor started shooting for his portions only recently. Sunny was also part of Srinath Rajendran’s earlier two films – ‘Second Show’ and ‘Koothara’.
‘Kurup’ is an ambitious film based on the life of Kerala’s most wanted crimimal, Sukumara Kurup. Dulquer Salmaan plays the titular role in the film and Indrajith essays the role of a cop. The film has its story penned by Jithin K Jose and screenplay written by KS Aravind and Daniel Sayooj Nair. Nimish Ravi of ‘Luca’ fame is cranking the camera and Sushin Shyam handles the music department. National award winners Vivek Harshan (editor) and Vinesh Banglan (art director) are also part of the technical crew.
‘Kurup’ is being produced by Dulquer Salmaan’s own production house, Wayfarer Films and M Stars.
Mamangam director Padmakumar’s next to star Asif Ali and Suraj Venjaramoodu
M Padmakumar’s next after the ongoing biggie ‘Mamangam’ will have Asif Ali and Suraj Venjaramoodu in the lead roles. Though the two actors have acted together several times in the past, this is the first time they will be sharing screen space as leads. More details regarding the new film are expected to be revealed in the coming days.
Both Asif Ali and Suraj Venjaramoodu currently have some promising films coming up. Asif has two films already gearing up for release – ‘Underworld’ and ‘Kettiyolaan Ente Malakha’. Suraj, on the other hand, is shooting for ‘Driving License’, in which he plays a prominent role alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran. His performance in the recently released ‘Vikruthi’ has got appreciation from all corners.
Meanwhile, director Padmakumar is busy with the post-production works of ‘Mamangam’. Starring Mammootty in the lead, this big budget film is shaping up as an action packed historical flick. The film is scheduled to hit screens on November 21. Besides Malayalam, the film will be releasing in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi as well.
Antony Varghese to start shooting for Thalapathy 64 from December
As we already know, Malayalam actor Antony Varghese is making his Tamil debut with Vijay’s next (Thalapathy 64) to be directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. Though the nature of Antony’s role is not yet known, it is expected to be a very prominent one. Shoot for the film has already begun and the ‘Angamaly Diaries’ actor will start shooting for his portions from December 10.
Antony is currently in Malappuram working on his upcoming Malayalam film ‘Aanaparambile World Cup’, a football based flick directed by debutant Nikhil Premraj. Apart from that, he also has couple of other projects coming up in Malayalam. His latest release ‘Jallikattu’, directed by his mentor Lijo Jose Pelissery, has opened to rave reviews from all corners
In ‘Thalapathy 64’, along with Vijay, Antony will also be sharing screen space with stars like Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan and Shanthanu Bhagyaraj. Thanks to the huge cast, the film is getting ready amidst high expectations. It is to be a completely different attempt from the usual mass entertainers that Vijay does. Xavier Britto is producing the film, which is scheduled for a summer release next year.
The trailer of Karthi starrer ‘Kaithi’ got released online last evening. The film written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj is touted to be an action-packed thriller. SR Prakashbabu and Prabhu of Dream Warrior Pictures is producing it. From the trailer, the film looks highly promising. We can make out that Karthi lays a prisoner sentenced for life imprisonment. He escapes jail and gets himself involved in a crime deal.
‘Kaithi’ hints at a raw action packed flick. The cast also includes Narain, George Maryan, Ramana, Dheena, Vatsan Chakravarthy, Yogi Babu, Mahanadi Shankar, Ponvannan and Thalaivasal Vijay. Almost the entire film has been shot in night and ‘Theeran’ fame Sathyan Sooryan has handled the cinematography really well. In the trailer, Sam CS’ background score is another stand out element.
‘Kaithi’ is director Lokesh’s second film. He made his debut with the superhit action-thriller ‘Maanagaram’. He is currently working on Thalapathy Vijay’s new film that also stars Vijay Sethupathi, Antony Varughese, Malavika Mohanan and Shantanu. Naturally, everyone is eagerly waiting to see how Lokesh has made ‘Kaithi’. The film is scheduled for release during Diwali.
The much awaited announcement regarding the trailer launch of ‘Bigil’ has finally been made. As speculated earlier, the trailer will be out on October 12. Producer Archana Kalpathi of AGS Entertainment made the announcement through her original Twitter handle. Earlier, fans were highly disappointed with the lack of updates despite the release date closing in.
‘Bigil’ directed by Atlee will have Thalapathy Vijay appearing in a dual role. Apparently, the star plays the roles of a gangster father and a football enthusiast son, who later becomes a coach. Nayanthara is paired with Vijay in the film. Jackie Shroff, Kathir, Yogi Babu, Vivek, Indhuja, Varsha Bollamma, Reba Monica John, Daniel Balaji and Anand Raj are also part of the cast.
‘Mersal’ fame GK Vishnu has cranked the camera, music is by maestro AR Rahman and edits are handled by Ruben. The film is scheduled for a grand Diwali release later this month.
Asuran Review: A fierce tale on caste violence packed with gory action!
Dhanush and Vetrimaaran form one of the most trustable actor-director combos in Tamil cinema. With their latest release ‘Asuran’ they further prove this. Based on the novel ‘Vekkai’ by Poomani, Vetrimaaran has come up with an intense tale on revenge, caste and class violence.
Asuran’s story is set in the dry, rustic Kovilpatti region between the ‘60s to ‘80s. Sivasami (Dhanush) is a middle aged farmer living with his family comprising of his wife Pachaiyamma (Manju Warrier), two sons Murugan (TeeJay Arunasalam) and Chidamabaram (Ken Karunas), daughter, and his supportive brother-in-law (Pasupathi). The humble family own three acres of land which is adjacent to that of Narasimha aka Vadakkooran (Aadukalam Narein). He tries to grab the land for starting a cement factory but his efforts go in vain as Sivasami’s family are determined to not let lose the only piece of land they own.
Asuran Review
Soon Vadakooran’ son and his men get into a fist fight with Murugan. The rich and influential Vadakooran gets Murugan arrested and forces Sivasami to apologize and humiliates him in front of the entire village. Things take a turn for the ugly when Murugan avenges for his father’s humiliation by slapping Vadakkooran. Enraged by this, Vadakkooran and co. murder Murugan brutally and severes his head.
Murugan’s mother Pachaiyamma refuses to accept that her son has been killed and falls into depression. Deeply affected by his mother’s condition and to seek revenge for his brother’s death, Chidambaram murders Vadakkooran. Sivasami’s family is forced to flee out of the village and from then on it’s all about their survival.
Superficially seen, ‘Asuran’ is a revenge drama that is triggered by greed for land. But if you pay close attention, it is actually a dark tale on caste injustice, particularly dalit oppression. Though caste names have not been used, what the makers have intended to show is quite evident. The same becomes more clear with the flashback portions where we are shown school going girls getting attacked publicly for wearing slippers. Had the flashback was a bit shorter, the film would have worked much better.
Asuran Review
Right from the very shot of a calm moonlit stream getting disturbed by Sivasami and his son running for their life, Vetrimaaran’s craft is on display. Some lengthy shots are staged and shot brilliantly with the help of his frequent collaborator, DOP Velraj. The bird’s eye view of the agricultural fields and the long walks through barren lands all absorbs the audience to feel the heat, both in the atmosphere and in the storyline.
GV Prakash’s music is a major asset to this film as he gets the rural flavour spot on. The song ‘Ellu Vaaya Pookalaye’ will shatter even the strongest of hearts. His thumping background score aided by slo-mo edits and Dhanush’s fierce persona all syncs perfectly to elevate the mass moments. Peter Hein’s action choreography deserves a special mention as it has been a long time since such we’ve seen such ferocious stunts. Thankfully, the actors were up for the challenge.
On the down side, it seems like the makers were completely ignorant of the lip sync issue. There was an inconsistency throughout and felt very odd at the beginning. Guess better dialogues were added in the dubbing stage but it still could have been avoided.
Asuran Review
Coming to the performances, Dhanush is at his stunning best, both as the forty plus Sivasami and his younger version. It is the former that gives him more scope to showcase the range he possesses as an actor. He is ably supported by the two newcomers Ken Karunas and Teejay Arunasalam, both of whom showed much promise. Manju Warrier’s is a case of brilliance in casting as the Malayali actress stood up with the effortlessness of Dhanush. She even nailed the tough Nellai slang and looked so convincing as the underprivileged Tamil woman. Pasupathi was the calm amidst all the storm and just seeing him on screen gave some sort of assurance. It’s a crime that filmmakers these enough don’t give enough fodder for this highly talented actor.
Vetrimaaran and his co-writer Manimaaran have worked superbly on the layers as the caste commentary is never on face. And the film never lets out a wrong message – it clearly says that revenge is never a solution. Moreover, the politics in the film reminds one of the Pa Ranjith brand of cinema. Even the last dialogue, a very powerful one, where Sivasami stresses on the importance of education resonates with BR Ambedkar’s famous words – educate, organise, agitate.
In a nutshell, ‘Asuran’ is another gem from the Vetrimaaran-Dhanush duo. It’s as raw as it gets and is elevated to the next level by its actors, especially Dhanush who delivers a truly asura level performance!
Fahadh Faasil, Joju George, Dileesh Pothan and Syam Pushkaran team up for Thankam!
We were among the first to report about Syam Pushkaran scripting a film titled ‘Thankam’. Its official announcement has just been made online. Saheed Arafath of ‘Theeram’ fame is directing the film and Fahadh Faasil, Dileesh Pothan and Joju George will be playing the lead roles in it. Syam and Dileesh Pothan and Fahadh are also involved with the production. They are jointly producing the film under their banners of Working Class Hero and Fahadh Faasil and Friends. The trio last produced the widely acclaimed ‘Kumbalangi Nights’.
‘Thankam’, as per the makers, is a crime drama. Syam Pushkaran is attempting this genre for the first time and hence there will be high expectations. Apart from the star studded cast, the film also has a promising technical crew. Gautham Sankar of ‘Theevandi’ and ‘Kalki’ fame will be cranking the camera. Kiran Das will be handling the edits and music will be composed by Bijibal. Production designer Jyothish Sankar, costume designer Mashar Hamsar and make up artist Ronex Xavier are also part of the team.
Jude Anthany Joseph assembles a huge star cast for 2403 ft.
Last year, director Jude Anthany Joseph had announced that he will be making a film based on the devastating Kerala floods. The film titled as ‘2403’ ft is inspired from several real life events that occurred during the floods of 2018. Jude is scripting it jointly with John Manthrickal, the co-writer of ‘Ann Maria Kalipilanu’ and ‘Alamara’. Anto Joseph Film Company is backing the project.
The latest we hear is that Jude has put together a ensemble cast for this film. Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban, Jayasurya, Asif Ali, Indrajith, Manju Warrier and Indrans will be playing the major roles in it. Interestingly, apart from Jayasurya, all the other aforementioned actors were part of ‘Virus’, which was based on another real life incident – the Nipah outbreak.
Director Jude had earlier in an interview mentioned that popular stars from Tamil cinema will also be part of the film. So we are still waiting for an official announcement regarding the cast. The makers have been working on the pre-production for over a year now. A promising technical crew is part of the film which includes cinematographer Jomon T John, editor Mahesh Narayanan, composer Shaan Rahman and sound designers Vishnu Govind and Sree Sankar.
Since the movie demands good amount of CG and special effects, the makers are in also talks with a Hollywood based VFX company.
The second teaser of Tovino Thomas’ upcoming film ‘Edakkad Battalion 06’ has just been released online. The film is directed by debutant Swapnesh K Nair, who is a former associate of Omar Lulu. Actor-writer P Balachandran has penned its screenplay. Shrikant Bhasi, Thomas Joseph Pattathanam and Jayant Mammen are jointly producing the film under the banner of Ruby Films.
‘Edakkad Battalion 06’ has Tovino Thomas playing the role of an army officer. As per the makers, it is an entertainer that also has a strong social relevance. It touches upon topics like family relationships and religious brotherhood. Samyuktha Menon, who has earlier starred alongside Tovino in ‘Theevandi’, ‘Uyare’ and ‘Kalki’, plays the female lead in this one as well.
The supporting cast of ‘Edakkad Battalion 06’ includes Divya Pillai of ‘Oozham’ fame, P Balachandran, Rekha, Santhosh Keezhattoor, Nirmal Palazhi, Sankar Induchoodan, Shalu Rahim, Joy Mathew, Sarasa Balussery and many others. Official word regarding the release date is expected to be made very shortly.
Jallikattu Review: Lijo Jose Pellissery does the impossible!
‘Jallikattu’ is a traditional spectacle practiced historically in Tamil Nadu where a bull is released into a large crowd and participants grab the large hump on the bull’s back in an attempt to stop it. Lijo Jose Pellissery’s latest film of the same name is not exactly about this sport but has some similarities. So a buffalo brought for slaughtering in a hilly village escapes and runs amok causing widespread devastation. The enraged men in the village and from neighbouring areas join in a massive hunt for the buffalo, through the course of which we get to see the two legged animals in their real form.
Based on S Hareesh’s short story ‘Maoist’, Lijo Jose Pellissery has attempted to make a film that explores the beastly side of man. The film has a run time of only around 90 minutes but within such short duration, the makers have successfully pulled off sequences that are unseen before in Indian cinema, leave alone Malayalam.
The makers have intended to show how humans are ultimately animals whose inner beastly instincts are caged within due to the restrictions of living in a civilized society. Once they are pushed beyond a point, the civilized attire is ripped apart and the animal within wakes up. This is what is exactly shown in ‘Jallikattu’
However, if you belong to that section of the audience who are constantly on the look for a logical reasoning, the film doesn’t offer one. After a point I couldn’t stop myself from thinking why the men in this remote village in Idukki are so aggressive and violent. What triggered them to such highly levels of insanity that even turns into sort of what we call cannibalism?
Alongside the buffalo hunt, the film also touches upon multiple themes. Pride is the focal point around which the film revolves. The villagers are irked by the arrival of outsiders as they feel it is an insult to their capability (masculinity). Antony is always trying to prove a point or two before the villagers. Sophie (Santhy Balachandran), the only named female character in the film, likes to be with the most masculine guy around. She despises Antony; she resists him while he tries to overpower her physically. But when he claims to have tamed the wild animal all by himself, Sophie falls for him. This is another peculiarity of the film. There is no black and white, everyone is grey, regardless of the gender. And aggression defines them. Here only the buffalo is sane because its only intention is to survive.
As a filmmaker, Lijo Jose Pellissery is well known for extracting the best out of his actors. In a film like ‘Angamaly Diaries’ with around 85+ newcomers, he brought out nothing but the best in them. But when it comes to ‘Jallikattu’, the performances are extremely shoddy. Save for a stellar Sabumon and some seasoned actors like Chemban Vinod and Jaffer Idukki, none of the others make a mark.
Actors are usually the primary tools in storytelling. It’s their performances that help us get closer to the film and root for the characters. Antony Varghese, who is supposedly the lead in the film, has worked with all his might physically and deserves appreciation for putting in such hardwork. However, when it comes to conveying the emotions, he looked totally out of place. Likewise, the numerous extras who appear throughout the film were all amateurish.
There lies an unwritten rule in cinema. However extraordinary the technical quality of a film is, it should always be seamless. It should never stand above the totality of a film. In the case of ‘Jallikattu’, it’s the contrary as the focus is more on the brilliant technical aspects and as an audience we are spellbound only by that. There’s no emotional connectivity at any point. We constantly think about, how the hell did they manage to pull it off? But the question of ‘why’ still remains.
Unbelievably athletic cinematography by Lijo’s go-to-man Girish Gangadharan helps translate the director’s vision on screen perfectly. Deepu Joseph’s swift cuts, Prashanth Pillai’s eerie score and surreal sound design by Renganaath Ravee altogether means ‘Jallikattu’ is a film that will leave you awestruck in theatres.
