Review‘Varaal’, in its attempt to take digs at Kerala politics and carve out a new leader, becomes a wannabe political thriller, unable to shake off the filmmaking tactics of a decade long gone by.CrisVaraal, director Kannan Thamarakkulam’s new film, starts off jerkily, much like the fish it is named after – the snakehead. It begins with a chase and some beating up in a college hostel, followed by a young man walking dejectedly into his room, and another jumping off a fence. Just as you shake your head and allow things to fall in place, you are given one important character after another – you know they are important, because the heavy background music with its dramatic highs and lows never stops playing. There is a plethora of politicians dropping on screen, with little attempt to hide the similarities to their real life versions. Varaal, in its attempt to...
- 10/14/2022
- by Cris
- The News Minute
ReviewThe film is clearly written for the masses but with so many of these churned out in multiple Indian languages, there has to be more than the basic ingredients for the narrative to be exciting.CrisIn the 1990s, after he made a few films in varied genres, director Shaji Kailas had plunged straight into the heart of action cinema, where his heroes were unbreakable and no one else much mattered. Many years later when he got the script of Kaduva, Shaji took it back to a time he had thrived in, the 90s, and set it there. Prithviraj fell comfortably into the black shoes and white clothes of Kaduva Kuriachan, the newest of Shaji’s unbreakable heroes, living the life of a rich Pala businessman and estate owner, frequently getting into trouble. Back in the 90s, movies were not yet called ‘mass’ but Kaduva fits right in, written line by line,...
- 7/7/2022
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodMalayalam cinema has seen a revival of sorts when it comes to cop dramas. Tnm brings you a list of recently released films in the genre.Tnm StaffFacebookIntense police procedurals, genre-bending thrillers, gripping murder mysteries – Mollywood has delivered a variety of cop dramas. Following the massive success of last year’s neo-noir thriller Nayattu, a number of films featuring headliners as cops have released in 2021 and 2022. Although older Malayalam cop dramas like Mammootty’s Inspector Balram, Mohanlal’s Mukham and Suresh Gopi’s Commissioner, among others, have remained popular for decades, Malayalam cinema has seen a revival of sorts when it comes to the genre, with films like Cold Case, Salute, Kuttavum Sikshayum and more. We bring to you a list of recently released films in the genre. Salute: This slow-burn police procedural features Dulquer Salmaan as Aravind, a Sub Inspector who is investigating an infamous double murder. Faced with...
- 6/3/2022
- by AjayR
- The News Minute
MollywoodMohanlal and director Jeethu Joseph had teamed up earlier for the successful ‘Drishyam’ franchise. Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe trailer of actor Mohanlal’s upcoming film 12th Man was unveiled on May 3. Following the massive success of the Drishyam franchise, director Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal have teamed up for 12th Man. The trailer begins with eleven friends who met each other during their days in college, catching up with each other in a reunion of sorts. They decide to go on a trip. It is during their stay that they are introduced to Mohanlal’s character, who does not seem to be related to the group but mentions that he would like to join as the 12th Man. In the subsequent scene, we see how someone falling down at the viewpoint, invokes suspicion. Towards the end of the trailer, the audience hears the dialogue, “Everyone has two secrets. One, you like to hide and two,...
- 5/3/2022
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
MollywoodApart from Mohanlal, the cast of ‘12th Man’ also includes actors Unni Mukundan, Saiju Kurup, and Anusree, among others.Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe teaser of Mollywood star Mohanlal’s upcoming film 12th Man, which is helmed by Drishyam director Jeethu Joseph, was unveiled on April 27. The teaser hints at a dark thriller. Apart from Mohanlal, the cast also includes actors Unni Mukundan, Saiju Kurup, Anusree, Anu Sithara, Priyanka Nair, Anu Mohan, Rahul Madhav, Leona Lishoy, Chandunath, and Aditi Ravi, among others. “Everyone has three lives. A public life, a private life, and a secret life,” the lines in the teaser read. The film is produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas. It has screenplay by Kr Krishnakumar, while Satheesh Kurup is on board as the cinematographer for the project. Anil Johnson has been roped in as the music composer. 12th Man has editing by Vinayak. The film is...
- 4/27/2022
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
ReviewThere are some marvellous performances from the actors, Saiju Kurup, Priyanka Nair and Kottayam Ramesh in particular.CrisThis much was clear from the trailer: Antakshari will be a thriller, will be scary, and will have some fun elements because there is a policeman in it who likes to play Antakshari all the time. Antakshari is a game of music where a player sings a song and the next player has to sing one that begins with the last letter of the first song. The fun is however short-lived, and horror takes over, as the game itself becomes a scary experience, and many parallel stories seem to be told. But what began really well appears to lose focus, leaving too many loose ends, despite some marvellous performances from the actors: Saiju Kurup, Priyanka Nair and Kottayam Ramesh in particular. Director Vipin Das sets the tone of the film in the very beginning.
- 4/22/2022
- by Haritha
- The News Minute
InterviewMalayalam director Vipin Das, whose film ‘Antakshari’ is releasing on April 22, tells Tnm about his unusual ideas of filmmaking and his refusal to tread the tried and tested path.CrisAntakshari, mostly known to be a harmless little game of songs (listeners may disagree), now appears to have a whole new dangerous side. It took Vipin Das, a filmmaker from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, to find that the game could bring horror, make songs that were once dear to you appear scary. Delighted with this discovery, he wrote a movie about it and called it Antakshari. Casting Saiju Kurup, an actor known for handling all sorts of characters with ease, in the lead, Vipin is releasing the film on Ott platform SonyLIV, on April 22. “It is not that I have written an unusual story. It is the story’s treatment that is unusual and that’s what I always go for,” Vipin...
- 4/18/2022
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodWhile award-winning veteran actor Indrans plays the father in the film, Sreenath Bhasi and Naslen play his sons.Tnm StaffThe less than three-minute-long trailer of Home, an upcoming Malayalam film, is engaging, entertaining and suggests a fun experience. Indrans, the award-winning veteran actor of Malayalam cinema, appears with a balding head, aged and active, ready to learn from his young son the ways of the smartphone generation. Sreenath Bhasi, is his older son who is an aspiring filmmaker, and Naslen, the younger smartphone-addicted one. Witty exchanges and relatable incidents take place in the short trailer. Manju Pillai, who is known for handling comedy with ease, plays the mother, cracking sarcastic lines with the sons. The director of the film is Rojin Thomas, who made his debut co-directing Philips and the Monkey Pen, a much-appreciated children's film that was released in 2013. Vijay Babu, producing the film under his banner Friday Film House,...
- 8/16/2021
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodDirected by Rojin Thomas, the family drama stars actors Indrans, Sreenath Bhasi and Vijay Babu in the lead. Tnm StaffTwitter/ Amazon Prime VideoStarring Indrans, Sreenath Bhasi and Vijay Babu in the lead, Malayalam movie #Home will premiere on Over-the-top (Ott) platform Amazon Prime Video on August 19, to coincide with the festival of Onam. The film which is said to be a family drama is directed by Rojin Thomas. Sharing the news with fans, Amazon Prime Video wrote on Twitter on Tuesday, August 10: “you don’t wanna miss the chance to be a part of the journey of this home #HomeOnPrime, this Aug 19.” Apart from the lead actors, the movie has an interesting lineup of supporting cast that includes Manju Pillai, Nalsen, Kainakary Thankaraj, Kpac Lalitha, Srikanth Murali, Johny Antony, Pauly Wilson, Maniyan Pillai Raju, Anoop Menon, Aju Varghese, Kiran Aravindakshan, Chithra and Priyanka Nair. Explaining how the makers have...
- 8/11/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
InterviewAward-winning actor Priyanka Nair plays the lead in Abhilash Purushothaman’s debut feature film, which is on a problem faced by women across the world.CrisPriyanka Nair plays the single character in the filmWhen Abhilash Purushothaman went to Goa in 2019 to attend the international film festival there, he began to reimagine a script he'd had in mind. He had just watched the Tamil film Oththa Seruppu Size 7, in which Parthipan played the only character on screen. Abhilash’s story was mostly about a woman character. Why not remove the two or three other side characters from the screen, he thought. Abhilash came back to his home in Thiruvananthapuram and began writing the script with only the woman’s character appearing on the screen, and the others turning into voices on the telephone. In one-and-a-half years, he wrote the script, shot most of it, and now at last, it is in post-production stage.
- 7/28/2021
- by Cris
- The News Minute
CoronavirusVasanthabalan announced the news on Facebook.Tnm StaffDirector Vasanthabalan, known for directing films such as Veyil, Angadi Theru and Kaaviya Thalaivan, has been admitted to a hospital in Chennai after he tested positive for the coronavirus. The director himself shared the news on social media via his official page on Facebook. “Dear friends, I have been affected by Covid-19 and admitted to a hospital. I have not been able to attend many of your calls because of that. I am surrounded by friends, doctors, relatives who love me and this gives me the strength of one thousand elephants. I will once again raise like the horse with 12 feet (sic),” he wrote in a message shared on Facebook. Updates regarding his health are awaited. அன்புள்ள நண்பர்களுக்கு! நான் கொரோனோ பெருந்தொற்றால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட...
- 5/5/2021
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
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