Movie Review #5
reenivasan has an uncanny knack of keeping himself in the limelight. His latest film ‘Katha Parayumbol’, in which he dons the three-in-one role of writer-actor-producer, is the clear winner of the season. Directed by debutant M. Mohanan, the film has Mammootty in an extended cameo; but it is Sreenivasan who stays in the viewers’ mind.
Sreenivasan plays a character that is outstanding only in its ordinariness. But he elevates it to a class of its own. His is the role of Balan, a barber in a village fighting modernisation in his own antiquated ways.
He can’t afford a revolving chair, now an essential for his trade. His tools are out-dated and he cannot afford to replace them. And no authorised agency will lend him money because he refuses to grease the palms of the powers-that-be.
Balan is a middle-aged man with three kids in school. He had eloped and married his sweetheart and settled in this hilly village, far from the urban world. He is an object of ridicule for all and sundry. His kids are nearly thrown out of the school for non-payment of fees. His wife has no idea where their next meal will come from.
Balan’s only defence mechanism against the harsh existential realities is his wit and his barbed tongue.
But, all this changes when superstar Ashok Raj (Mammootty) makes an appearance in the village for a film shoot. Ashok is supposedly Balan’s childhood friend. So the whole village converges around Balan seeking his favour for a meeting with the superstar. Balan is reluctant to approach the star thinking that Ashok may have forgotten his lowly friend in these intervening years.
The ultimate clincher for this film is its script. Authored by Sreenivasan, it is so layered that every frame has a comment to make about the world and every line of the dialogue on the mores of the society. The craze for celebrities and the problems of leading a principled life are discussed without being preachy or in-your-face.
Mammootty has the dignified presence of a real star and his aura and the mythical persona that surrounds him give a lifelike feel to the character of Ashok Raj.
There are other characters that fill up the space to present a microcosmic universe. The moneylender played by Innocent and the pseudo-intellectual poet played by Salim Kumar are hilarious. Meena plays the well-etched character of Balan’s beautiful wife.
‘Katha Parayumbol’ has Sreenivasan’s stamp all over it, and can claim to be one of his best.
Movie Review #4
Mammootty the versatile Malluwood actor has now decided to sign up another film Kathaparayumbol, which tells about some satirical social struggle.
The film is being produced by veteran film stars Sreenivasan and Mukesh. Directed by the new comer Mohan, the story, script and dialogues of the movie are also written by Sreenivasan.
The film, set in the hilly districts, is about the reunion of two friends, played by Mammootty and Sreenivasan.
“The film is unique and its one major attraction is the return of two-time National Award winning actress Shobhana to Malayalam films,” said Sreenivasan.
Veteran actors like Jagathy Sreekumar and Innocent will also play a crucial role in the film. The Shooting of the film is expected to begin in April and it is slated for release in the last months of 2007.
Movie Review #3
Sreenivasan once again proves that he is the best script writer in current malayalam cinema. Katha parayumbol is the latest example to prove his craftmanship. The movie tells the story of a barber named Balan in the village Melukavu. Sreenivasan himself portrays Balan on the screen. The story revolves around the relation of Balan with super star Ashokraj(Mammooty). Kathaparayumbol is dirtected by Sreenivasan’s brother in law, P.Mohanan.
Balan is running a barbershop in Melukavu. But he is having tough competition from hightech barber shop operating from the other side of the road. Balan’s family includes wife and three children. Meena plays the role of Balan’s wife. The family’s financial position is getting worser day by day. Balan desperately tries to improve his business through many means. This time a cinema shooting team arrives at Melukavu and Ashokraj is the hero of that film. Balan’s children forces him to make them meet his childhood friend Ashokraj. The secret of this childhood friendship spreads in the village. How this news affects Balan’s life forms the rest of the story.
Mammooty appears only in 4 or 5 scenes but his character has due importance throughout the film. Sreenivasan has portrayed Balan very well. The film has many characters in it played by the supporting actors. Mukesh plays the role of a tuition master, Innocent comes as a money lender, Maamukkoya portrays a teashop owner etc. Kathaparayumbol has the soul of a kerala village in all the manner. Sreenivasan succeeds in depicting the minute details of Keralites’ passion for cinema and the film stars.
Debutant director Mohanan shows good maturity in packaging the film well. Kathaparayumbol has a good climax which can touch the hearts of many. The song “Vyathyasthanaayoru” is taken well. The second song’s picturisation could have been made much better, as it entirely falls into a fantasy world. But it is sung well by Vineeth Sreenivasan.
Overall, Kathaparayumbol is worth a watch with the family. Verdict 7/10.
Another review of the movie
Kathaparaymbol is another movie from the Sreenivasan studio with all the characteristics of his typical down to earth script. The movie is plotted in the malayalam film industry and portrays the relationship between the superstar of film industry Asok Raj and his childhood friend Barber Balan. Sreenivasan after the huge success of Udayananu Tharam, has once again relies on the same subject for this movie also. Sreenivasan earlier has also presented the inside stories of the film industry in his earlier scripts like Azhakiya Ravanan (Mammooty, Bhanupriya) directed by Kamal and in some parts of his directorial venture Chinthavishtayaya Syamala (Sreenivasan-Sangeetha), Udayananu Tharam, directed by Roshan Andrews etc.
The film is a usual village story with characters which we are already seen in most of the Sathyan Anthikkad, Lohithadas movies. Most part of the movie is very dull and slow paced and does not evoke any instances to laugh too. But the climax overturns the fate of the film. The stunning climax scene in which superstar Asok Raj discloses his friendship with Balan and the speech he delivers at the Annual day of the School bring tears in every viewer’s eyes.
The script very cleverly plotted the lead character Balan, so that Sreenivasan excels in every frame of the movie. Even though Mammooty is promoted as the Films Hero, he has very little to do in the film. The real Hero is the script which doesn’t disclose how this down to earth Barber Balan is connected to the Superstar Asok Raj till the climax.
The film fails to evoke laughter in many instances like the character of Mukesh canvases a student to pay the fee, the rivalry between the two Barbers etc. There is also no direct impact of the director in the course of the movie.
Music of the film is handled by M. Jayachandran and has two songs, ‘Mambuilli kavil’ sung by Vineeth Sreenivasan & Swetha and ‘Vyethesthanamoru’ sung by Pradeep Palluruthy and Anil Panachooran. The later one has topped up in the hit charts. After the hit number of the “Chora Kondu’ lyricist Anil Panachooran once again has proved he can make trendsetters in Malayalam movie songs.
Advice: If you feel bored watching the initial two hours of the movie don’t feel bad. A mind-blowing climax is waiting at the end.
My Rating: 6/10
Kathaparayumbol Review
About the movie i would like to say that it is not a perfect entertainer but it is a great movie to watch especially after a hectic schedule in the office. Movie is being shown in both dhanya and remya theatre located in Ayurveda college trivandrum. It was a wild goose chase for me to get the movie ticket except the third time. This reveals that the movie is enjoyed by people and i would like to say that presently it is one of the movie in trivandrum which is being enjoyed mostly by the family.
The story of the movie is a simple one. But it is well told by the director. Movie tells the story of a village barber(a person who trims others hair, in kerala these persons are named as barbers) ,whose childhood friend is now a famous cine actor. By co-incidence this film actor comes to the village for a film shooting and the story turns around that. At the end of the movie everyone will be in a dilemma whether the superstar mammotty or the family entertainer srinivasan is the hero of this movie. Movie is plugged with two average situational songs. According to me the movie is a great one to watch with your family.