 |
| film 1983 |
The first works
by not all film directors are worth mentioning, not even by those ones that
would go on to prove their greatness in the long run. But there are certainly quite
a few of them that showed sheer brilliance in their maiden attempt, some of them
who continued to repeat the magic and some other who fizzled out after that
initial foray. Following is a list of some of the most promising directorial
debuts in the Malayalam language.
20. Vidyarambham directed by Jayaraj
Long before he began his tryst
with serious and complex films alternating formulaic ones, Jayaraj made this modest
attempt that stands out in his oeuvre for its simplicity and honesty.
19. Akam directed by Shalini Usha
Nair
Based on Malayattoor
Ramakrishnan’s landmark novel Yakshi,
Akam was more successful at bringing
the dichotomy of mind and body when compared to the initial black and white
adaptation that was a tad bit more direct.
18. Thalappavu directed by Madhupal
It was only when a film as
poignant and powerful as Thalappavu about
guilt and redemption came from an actor we never took seriously, that we knew
he was unquestionably wasting his time on the wrong turf up until then.
17. Chaappa Kurishu directed by Samir Thahir
A thrilling account of two youths
placed diametrically opposite on the social strata when their paths cross through a lost and found mobile with sensitive content is done here with careful deliberation.
16. Manjadikkuru directed by Anjali Menon
Anjali Menon’s much-overlooked
debut focuses on a bunch of kids and the hard part of growing up when swamped
with the bitter taste from the lives of the grownups around them seethes in,
shaping their worldview forever.
15. North 24 Katham directed by Anil Radhakrishna
Menon
A road movie, not a very
common genre in Malayalam Cinema, that throws together three very unrelated
people who, different in every sense of the word, go on to embark on the
journey of a lifetime.
14. Utharayanam directed by G. Aravindan
This one shows how man’s
survival instinct makes him shed all his values and ethos, through the eyes of
an unemployed youth who examines the world around him that is turned upside by
the undercurrents of India’s independence.
13. Prayanam directed by Bharathan
A straightforward peek into
the eccentricities of the Brahmin community through the dysfunctional marriage
between an ageing priest and his wife, young enough to be his daughter.
12. 1983
directed by Abrid Shine
This earnest film not only portrays
the extent one goes to fulfill one’s dreams, but also subtly examines the
internal conflicts of the dream chaser, surrounded by countless moments of
small joys that we all love to cherish.
11. Shutter directed by Joy Mathew
An edge-of-the-seat
satirical thriller that tears out the conservative blinkers causing judgmental error
in one’s moral conduct as opposed to that of others was a fitting debut for the
man who for the first time gave us the face in John Abraham’s landmark Amma Ariyan.
10. Kaazhcha directed by Blessy
It’s the brilliance in
direction of a story that so heartwarmingly dissects the unfathomable quirks of
human ties that makes it so memorable, and we all knew Blessy was a force to
reckon with.
9. Vadakkunokkiyantram directed by Sreenivasan
A hilarious look at marital
discord that arises from the husband’s quirky suspicions resulting from his heightened
inferiority complex pitted against his attractive wife’s looks.
8. Adaminte Makan Abu directed by Salim Ahamed
The series of hurdles that
an ageing couple faces in fulfilling their dream of going to the Hajj
pilgrimage forms the basic plotline of this endearing film about hope and
fortitude, with one of the finest performances by Salim Kumar.
7. Swapnadanam directed by K.G. George
A landmark in subject matter
and narrative technique in the Malayalam language, K.G. George’s debut is a
psychological drama still as fresh and enjoyable as it was at the time of its
initial release.
6. Perumthachan directed by Ajayan
The first and the only film
directed by Ajayan, this one is a poignant retelling of the legend of the master
carpenter Perumthachan that is sensitively executed to vindicate the
altercation between his artistic ego and paternal pride.
5. Annayum Rasoolum directed by Rajeev Ravi
The simplicity and hard-hitting
realism of this touching story of love that tugs on your conscience long after
the tragedy is over, gets most of its layered refinement from the director’s command
on improvisation technique.
4. Swayamvaram directed by Adoor
Gopalakrishnan
The front-runner of the
Malayalam New Wave in the 1970s, Adoor’s much-admired debut tells the story of a
couple newly married at will, increasingly confronted by the harsh realities of
life.
3. Nirmalyam directed by M.T. Vasudevan
Nair
A powerful elegy on the utter
deterioration of one’s faith against the burgeoning threat of the so-called progress
and radical thinking, that test human endurance on fire eventually leads to blood-chilling
consequences.
2. Piravi directed by Shaji N. Karun
This heartbreaking quest of
a father in search of his son is one of the most touching pieces of cinema in
the Malayalam language ever, and it is acclaimed the world over for all the
right reasons.
1. Peruvazhiyambalam directed by Padmarajan
A psychological exploration
of violence and its weird, albeit overbearing connection with masculinity is
dealt with in this brilliant film that also marked the acting debut of Ashokan.
No comments:
Post a Comment