The Celluloid & Behind- PART II

The Silverscreen woes...

We've discussed about the dogfights in the backyard of Malayalam film industry in Part I. Now back to what really matters here: the movie itself...

A fortnight back I read a review about a Tamil movie "Subramaniyapuram", claiming to be finest among the new age Tamil films. The review claimed that Malayalam film makers would have to wait at least 50 more years to make a film of such class.

Well, the fact that Tamil film industry is yet to churn out something of the class of "Moonam Pakkam", "Thoovanathumbikal", "Mathilukal", "Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha" or "Sargam", altercate that statement. True, movie makers like Bharatiraja and Mani Ratnam have carved a niche for themselves in the Tamil scenario, but the 1980-1990 Malayalam movies were a class apart, IMHO.

Mohanlal and Sumalatha in Thoovanathumbikal

Biased, you may feel, but I'm confident about arguing the point.

Now I'm not an art-film quirk to go blah blah about the Adoor Gopalakrishnan or Satyajith Ray movies; on the contrary I prefer the mainstream movies, or the so-called commercial ones. I'd still watch Chithram, Sholay or An Officer and a Gentleman, even if it is the 100th time, but I may fall asleep over Piravi...No offense meant. But the trouble seems to be that I feel like a rat-in-a-trap watching the contemporary Malayalam movies...

So what has gone terribly wrong with our movie makers in such a short span of time? Movies, as a major medium of communication and entertainment are so closely knit to the culture of a nation, and a deterioration of this sorts are a matter of worry. Malayalam movie industry is still revolving around the two stars of the century; the Big Ms...When the amount of fresh talents thrown up in the Tamil or Hindi movie scenario, both in front and behind the camera is just mind boggling, Keralites are still reluctant to part with Mammootty and Mohanlal. To make things worse, they both fail to mature on the screen with age. Both of them are trying hard to do things they cant...Mammootty in dancing and Mohanlal in those super-hero roles..Oh, and I'm all mixed up with the Suresh Gopi films because he is on a never-ending chase after murderers, with a gun in his hand.

The gifted scriptwriters and imaginative directors are gone for good, and we sorely miss the magical frames of Padmarajan, bold and colourful life portrayed by Bharathan, the straight-from-the-life scripts of Lohitadas, M.T. Vasudevan Nair or even the themed 'translations' of Priyadarshan. Now-a-days, except for the occasional lone brilliance from the likes of Lal Jose or Syamaprasad the future looks bleak and blank...and bore.

Padmarajan

Those out there are creating a generation cursed to watch, applaud and enjoy mediocrity. Some of the blockbuster flicks, especially from the dawning superstar Dileep, wouldn't have created even a ripple in the Golden 80s. Some of the stars we managed to 'find', found their oasis across the border. Vikram is an example, and going by the history, Prithviraj may soon become out of reach for our movie industry.

The dearth of talents is only one part of our miseries; lack of fresh ideas and innovations, escalating costs, frigidity in improvising and piracy are strangulating the industry. The turbulent relationships between the various associations drain the sand under their own feet. The industry hit a new low early this decade when the thunder thighs of Shakkeela ruled the celluloid with her soft porn...To crown it all, now the theater owners have jumped in to further escalate the crisis.

Our new-gen movie makers desperately need to recognize the standards of the viewing public. The reason why Keralites prefer the physics-challenging antics of Rajanikanth and the laid-down formula movies in Tamil to the Malayalam movies is because the same local movies question the appreciating and understanding qualities of the public. Ever seen Ocean's Eleven, a pucca commercial venture from the Hollywood? The simplicity and ease in which a very complex plot was filmed must be an eye opener to our movie makers. Director Stephen Soderberg didn't have to spell out each letter and syllable of the script to the audience to understand what it was all about.

There is no point in elaborating about films by Kim ki-duk, Sergio Leone or Hayayo Miyazaki who are just master craftsmen at work. I'm too inadequate myself to brief you on their movies. Adoor and Shaji.N. Karun lifted up our spirits for a while, but far in between. As of now, the party seems over, and there are no signs of a rejuvenation.

Once upon a time in the West, a Sergio Leone classic

This may just mean another couple of decades with Mammooty and Lal! Oh, in 2025 they'd still be romancing Dileep's daughter on the screen...Wonder if there'd be anyone in the Talkies to see'em..:)

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The Celluloid & behind- PART I

There is one commodity in this state which is going from bad to worse and to worst, both qualitatively and quantitatively- the Malayalam film industry.

I remember my college days when I was nothing short of a movie freak. I spent more time on Theater push-backs and in front of Video players than on classroom benches. The celluloid thrilled my senses than any form of entertainment I could think of. The intellectual Trivandrum film fraternity, ubiquitous film shows, ample opportunities to understand World Cinema and a peer group consisting some agile movie critics moulded the way I saw and understood films.

And I always loved Malayalam movies, especially the ones created by Padmarajan, Bharatan, Fazil, Sibi Malayil(in his Golden times), Kamal(before he lost his plot) and even Priyadarshan, Satyan Anthicad and co. The movies made in the 80s until mid 90s had something unique and magnetic in them...the script, music, the way the story was told, the astounding feats of acting... The over whelming no of awards and accolades which cascaded into the Malayalam movie industry during the 90s is a testimony.

Ah, the Golden years bygone... for good, for good...

It hurts visualizing the pathetic, turbulent and violent screenplays unfolding in Malayalam movie industry at present. The sad part being that the scenes behind the screen are far sub-standard to the ones we see on it. There seems to be an eternal fight scene going on in the background, between producers and actors, superstars and not-so-super stars, actors and technicians, directors between themselves and finally between producers and theater owners...

At times this catfight really turns sour, with some of the individuals completely forgetting that they have the spotlight on them and what they utter is telecast to millions of family audiences. Such is the foul language and dung-flinging that the strong language used on V/U certified movies appear as benign as nursery rhymes. Eg: the recently ended Vinayan- MACTA war.

Just as the Director's drama reached anti-climax another ferocious and potentially grave conflict broke out among the Producers and the theater owners. Theater owner's strange and unreasonable demand that new releases be curtailed to just 48 centers was ridiculed and discarded by the producer's association. A movie is owned by the Producer and infiltrating into the marketing rights of a Producer made no sense. Even big injustice was the denial of viewing rights for the most undervalued, underestimated, neglected and abused section of the movie industry: the viewers.

The paying public was forced into B and C class centers of Kerala as the A-Class Talkies owners refused to screen the new releases, including the two superstar flicks. Allowing a small section of the big silverscreen community to hijack the whole industry and shake the foundations of this enterprise sums up the present condition of Malayalam Film scenario... Rockbottom...

Like the similar and anti-public associations like the Trader's Union(Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi) and Petrol Bunk Owner's Association, these film unions seem to be on a race to come out front in consumer harrassment...

New Theater, Trivandrum

It was reported that a newer Superstar movie grossed 25% more in half the no of days the previous no: 1 blockbuster managed. This created a new trend in Kerala: releasing maximum no: of prints to maximum no: of theaters and collect the returns in minimum time. Today movies are screened on more than 100 centers statewide as against 25-30 a few years back, maximizing the chance of a healthy return for the Producer. I don't see a flaw in this distribution tactic as all around the world this is how it is done. The Talkies Owners cried foul in this deal as they feared their individual income would be cut short.

The golden rule in any Industry is that you have to adapt to the changes and only the fittest will survive. Moreover this is a move which is beneficial even to theaters in rural areas and not just to a few big-guns in big cities. Movie distribution all around the world is transforming to digital distribution where any theater owner can download a new flick and exhibit in his center. 100 day celebrations are going to be a thing of the past.

Also the theater dadas may well be prepared for the Multiplex mania that we are going to see in our cities very soon. At least 8 new multiplexes are planned in Trivandrum alone, 5 of them being greenfield ones. Over 30 screens are going to get added to the city in 3-4 years time, almost doubling the existing capacity. I'd bet on the public discarding the existing theaters right in the middle of the city gridlocks for the sophisticated pleasures of the Multiplex-malls in the Bypass and peripheries.

PVR Multiplex in Bangalore

That was all about the backyard news in Malayalam film industry. Now back to what really matters here: the movie itself...Continue reading here in Part II

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