Swagatham 1989

Imagine a Malayalam movie without Mohanlal or Mammootty.

Imagine a coastline with friends hanging out all the time.

Imagine a story about friendships and general fun without fights and villians.

That is Swagatham movie. A 1989 film with an extensive star cast. With Jagathi's histrionics not-withstanding, there is romance and hey! you can choose which one you want - the sweet and shy kind which Parvathy and Asokan share or the serious one which Urvashi feels later on.

A story about friends, young guns ,youth and their immature nature but true feelings, Swagatham takes you back to your college days and the time when chatting meant meeting for an icecream rather than feeling a 'ping' vibration in your pocket from your android phone.

Saajan 1991 - Why you should never have pseudonym

There are more reasons to watch Saajan than there are not.

You should watch it if :

- You are an 80s kid. Duh!

- You want to know why Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri are making 2014 seem like 1991,when in both eras they were in the news.

- You should know the classic hits Nadeem Shravan gave.

- The true meaning of love triangle

- Some heartrending shayari

- Ooty

- Salman Khan in clothes.

- Sanjay Dutt acting from his eyes.

- Kader Khan

You should not watch Saajan if :

- You do not have time

-Because classics like these need to be enjoyed and listened. Yes the movie has songs which are hummable till now.

Director - Lawrence D'Souza

Guddi - Movie infatuation in hemlines

Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Basu Chatterjee.

I fell in love with the above two fabulous directors and their creations since I saw Golmaal. Its my comfort movie, sunshine factor and BFF for all seasons and reasons. The duo's movies are not exactly new wave cinema, art movies or commercial.  They are just light ,breezy movies which are made for fun, in fun and watched for fun. But they stay with you forever unlike stupid, funny bone movies. The reason being the script.

Guddi is one among them. I watched Bombay Talkies recently. Supposedly an ode to 100 years of Indian cinema which I still did not understand how. I felt Guddi should have been a better tribute. The below dialogue from the movie says why :

' Guddi to phir bhi bacchi hai. Aaj kal miya biwi ek doosre mein Dilip Kumar aur Saira Banu ko dhoondte hain' ( Guddi is still a young girl. Today husband wife look for Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu in each other)

It isn't exactly a documentary about cinema. Its a story about a girl who breathes cinema and a moviestar worshipper. It's a story of a middle class family,of love and then some bittersweet stories of the movie industry. But true to Hrishida's nature,nothing is grim,gray or gore. Rather its poignant,mellow and rather funny in many parts.

Watch it for :

- all Hrishidas regulars. Utpal Dutt is there yes.

- Asrani in Shammi Kapoor style

- Jaya Bachhan in mini frock

- who calls Sharmila 'baby'

-wonderful poster art

- a glimpse of all leading heroes of that time

- Because very few movies let you live your childhood and adolescence

Yavanika 1982

Those who know Jagathi can say, Malayalam cinema is a very grim place without his histrionics. Now imagine a movie where, even with his smart-ass jibes and jokes,leaves you grim. That's Yavanika  for you.

At a time in 1982 when Prem Nazir's romance, husband wife tales were bringing people to the  theaters, here was a movie by K.G George with an unknown actor ,Mammootty and some small time actors like Nedumudi Venu, Thilakan etc. with an investigating theme to it. Bharath Gopi had just won an award and was popularly known for portraying the good man roles. This was his first negative role and he has done a commendable job. A very risky mix And the risk paid off. Yavanika was one of 1982's biggest hits. Probably from here on,it set the trend of murder mysteries.

Apparently the movie's murder theme is based on the Rashomon affect where witnesses give different version. The investigator has to solve among st the different versions. Mammootty inspite of his 7th movie has pt up a almost perfect performance.

You have to watch the movie for the way the suspense unfolds. True to its name, Yavanika , which means curtain of secrecy , the movie blends the Kerala's traditional theatre culture and a murder mystery to make you glued to your seat.

Kunjattakkilikal 1986

' You are checking children's composition but I have written an imposition 1000 times and you have not seen it yet '
- ' What have you written? '
- ' I love you '

Simple maybe a childish way of romancing. Capable of only 1986 malayalam movies.

Kunjattakkilikal is also one of them. The above lines are said by Mohanlal to Shobhana, a tuition and home teacher who arrives to change children and changes the lives of not just Lal but also Soman.
A simple movie which you can watch on lazy afternoons, midweek holidays or just about anytime.

Watch it also for a wonderful twist to the story.

Director - Sasikumar. Known as 'Hitmaker', he was a very successful commercial film director.

Kireedam 1989

A predominantly serious movie with temperings of mellow moments.

Kireedam is about father son relationship and about an innocent middle class boy becoming a criminal totally against his wishes and to the viewers' shock. Once again MohanLal proves why he is a superstar with such performances. I could never finish seeign the ending coz I knew the story and I was never for sad endings. But today I saw the entire movie and in a quite moment even I can hear Sethu's cry and helplessness when his father tells him to 'drop the knife' !

The father son angle is mainly through Thilankan and Lal, but I couldnt help noticing 2 others i.e of Oduvil Unnikrishnan and his son played by Jagadeesh  and Mamukkoya and his son as Maniyan Pillai Raju (which maybe a subtle way  ) of showing unemployment which was the main problems then in Kerala. Its also a movie which shows yet again how difficult it is to get a decent well paying job in Kerala Youth are either driven abroad or have to settle for Govt jobs. Thankfully no gelf  bling is shown here.

At the end of the movie you are left wondering who is a bigger star , Lal with his innocent portrayal or Thilakan with one of his amazing control of emotions and never ever an atom of overacting.

Watch it for :

- Pure passionate fight scene without any filtered stunts just the way you would punch someone in raw anger.

- Lal without the brawn or brain but just eyes. You will cry with him, smile at his uncontrollable hunger when he is supposed to be fit for the police test and wish he had never picked up that knife from the garden.

Director - Sibi Malayil

Cast : Mohanlal, Thilakan, Parvathi, Sankaradi, Kaviyoor ponamma, Mamukkoya

Chaalbaaz 1989

Put some Sridevi and a bit of Rajnikanth and you get masala. Imagine double of Sridevi then...Especially where you forget she is doing double role. Acidity!

Chaalbaaz is a movie about twins but Sridevi's acting will make you forget that it's the same person portrayed as a shy touch-me-not and another ,a whip wielding slick girl.

One doesn't dissect a cult movie like this and if you haven't watched it then .....whip!!

Yet another movie with women as focus. Dont tell me the movie ran because of Rajnikanth!

Poles Apart





















Director - Pankaj Parashar
Cast - Anupam Kher, Sridevi , Sunny Deol, Rajnikanth, Rohini Hattangadi, Annu Kapoor