10 MALAYALAM FILMS FEATURING BOTH MAMMOOTTY AND MOHANLAL worth your time

Malayalam cinema will forever be indebted to these two marvelous acting prodigies for promoting in their prime the movement that made meaningful cinema mainstream with their friendly faces that have now long become household emotions for every Malayali family. There were times when directors waited for years on end to bag their dates and their films have never disappointed their producers, even when it came to those movies that were merely constructed around their enormous stardom in the . They may both be currently grappling with that stardom’s midlife crises and random film choices thereof, but considering their remarkable oeuvre over careers lasting decades and the genius that shines through their occasional films even today, we should cut them some slack in hopes of a smooth transitioning into a direction that will continue to give us similar memorable moments in their respective journeys ahead. There are over a staggering fifty films they shared screen-space in, and following is a list of some of them still worth your time. By no means does this listing claim to merit equal screen time for both actors similar to what Fazil attempted with the blatant Harikrishnans.

 

10. Nanayam 1983

In order to relish I.V. Sasi’s Nanayam in this day and age you may have to reserve your judgment for the formulaic story arc, chauvinistic writing and a whole lot of shenanigans that hasn’t aged too well. But this film made it to the list only based on the sheer merit of having exhibited the incredible bonding between the two men early on in their career playing two half-brothers pitted against each other in difficult times.

 

9. Gandhi Nagar 2^nd Street 1986

 

Predominantly a Mohanlal film, the climactic cameo by Mammootty, who by the way also produced this comedy, imparted the required bearing to a character that was touted throughout the narrative, and was also pivotal in steering the course of the story towards that satisfying ending. Mohanlal plays the phony Gurkha employed to watch a residential colony and Mammootty enters as the ‘Gulf Malayali’ who comes to his rescue as the husband to a kindergarten teacher who is one of the few friends he makes there. 

 

8. Vartha, 1986

One of the screenplays by T. Damodaran addressing the omnipresent corruption in the system, and one of many he wrote for I.V. Sasi, Vartha featured both Mammootty and Mohanlal along with Seema and Rahman weaving a complex tale about contemporary politics, media and the lives that get trampled in the tug between the two.

 

7. No. 20 Madras Mail 1990

 

This is one of the best murder mysteries in Malayalam cinema starring Mohanlal with Mammooty playing a significant extended cameo as a fictionalized version of himself, and the fateful train journey in the titular express train that ends in murder is singularly notable for the comical rendezvous between the two stars.

 

6. Poomukhapadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu 1986

 

Bhadran’s family drama vividly captures the tremors within a dysfunctional family headed by an extremely unhappy couple played by Mammootty and a brilliant Srividya whose appalling wife is hard to forget. Mohanlal with a stutter figures as her incorrigible brother called in for assistance but ends up making matters worse.

 

5. Kariyila Kaattu Pole 1986

 

Another murder mystery featuring the two actors, where Mohanlal investigates the killing of Mammootty who plays an eminent film director surrounded by enough people who loathed him, and many of them capable to kill.

 

4. Adiyozhukkukal 1984

A bunch of unfortunate characters thrown into the scrap heap by unfortunate incidents and their struggle against the hostile circumstances forms the plot of the film.  Mammooty won Kerala State Film Award for best actor playing one of them, an unruly fisherman released from prison alongside Mohanlal as an unemployed man who turns up as a friend in need.

 

3. Aalkoottathil Thaniye 1984

 

Mohanlal’s sociable hostel roommate to Mammootty’s protagonist may be a cameo, who appears only in a few scenes, but his entry into pivotal scenes raising important questions was integral to the narrative and their camaraderie and warmth was important to reflect the closeness of their relationship inside of a few scenes.  

 

2. Idanilangal 1985

Although a runaway woman called Chinnammu played by Seema is central to the plot, the characters of both Mammootty and Mohanlal are integral to the film, and plays two men who start off on the wrong foot and continue to remain at loggerheads throughout the run with various instances of physical altercations where both men are literally at each other’s throats.

 

1. Anubandham 1985

 

As two men linked by a common tragedy, Mohanlal and Mammootty excel in this M.T. drama directed by I.V. Sasi. Mammootty’s graceful refrain and Mohanlal’s elusive interpretation rendered this poignant tale about survival with the fitting realism that the master storyteller warranted.

10 OF THE MOST TROUBLING MOVIE DEATHS IN MALAYALAM CINEMA THUS FAR

Following is a list of some of the most worryingly enduring images of deaths in Malayalam cinema thus far…

50 OF THE FUNNIEST SALIM KUMAR QUOTES

Long before Salim Kumar was nationally recognized for his acting prowess, he had already carved a remarkable niche of his own into the stellar comic scene of Malayalam cinema already spangled with the antics of stalwarts like Jagathy, Innocent, Kuthiravattam Pappu and Mamukkoya, and became the unbridled king of comic one-liners in Malayalam cinema.

The Malayalam language that he uses, rings on its own vernacular with bespoke words enriching the lexis and the English language is almost always pushed off the edge of the cliff. Delivered frequently in the sing-song lilt adapted in characteristic Katha-Prasangam style popularized by the likes of the legendary Samba Sivan, his quotes are a pop phenomena forming an integral part of the day-to-day Malayali banter. Following is a list of 50 of the funniest and the most noteworthy of them all.

30 INTERESTING TRIVIA AND LESSER-KNOWN FACTS FROM MALAYALAM CINEMA

 

Here is a list of interesting lesser-known facts and behind-the-scenes trivia from Malayalam Cinema for all those movie enthusiasts out there.

20 OF THE MOST MEMORABLE ROLES PORTRAYED BY THILAKAN IN MALAYALAM FILMS

 

Padma Shri Surendranath Thilakan, mononymously known as Thilakan, is an actor beyond compare and is undoubtedly one of the greatest in India. He is one of the key figures that shaped the modern Malayalam Cinema to its present form bringing realistic acting to the table during the nascent stages of its evolution. Extremely dexterous and versatile, there is not a genre that he has not mastered in looking at his illustrious career that won him numerous accolades on the way. While he was unnerving as the depraved stepfather in Namukku Parkkan Munthitithoppukal, he was also hilarious as the paranoid villain in Nadodikkattu and heartbreaking as the father of the doomed hero in Kireedam at the same.

 

It would be a hopeless effort to compare his roles based on performances, as they were all par excellence. So following is a list of 20 of the most memorable roles played by this acting behemoth that stayed with us all these years after his departure.

 

50 OF THE MOST POPULAR MOVIE QUOTES FROM MALAYALAM FILMS OF THE DECADE

 

Art imitates life and life imitates art! The give and take between art and life has been an ongoing psychological stretch. Movies being one of the most popular art forms, its influence on the life that it inmates and surrounds is unequivocal. Influential dialogues and one-liners from films seething into pop culture is its most evident example. In Malayalam cinema there has been a spectacular reserve of ICONIC DIALOGUES in the past that we use on a daily basis. Adding to this is the latest collection from the new decade, from 2010 to 2019, which fortunately has also  been from some of the BEST FILMS OF THE DECADE. Following is a list of these notable one-liners, statements, quips, insults, puns, misquotes and punchlines in Malayalam Cinema of the decade that are especially distinguished for its durable impact, comedic brilliance and unlimited quotability, and lives on in popular culture through its constant use and reuse over the course of time.

10 OF THE BEST ACTING PERFORMANCES OF THE DECADE in Malayalam Cinema

 

The decade from 2010 to 2019 was very rewarding for Malayalam Cinema. Grappling in the dark through uncertain territories in the previous decade when the Industry finally got to the end of the tunnel, we were lucky that it wafted with a breath of fresh air in every aspects of filmmaking. Although Malayalam Cinema has consistently given good acting performances over the years, the new breed of films that was made in this decade, unlike the previous one, gave larger and better scope of performance for the actors inside all their newfound concepts. Following is a list of 10 of the best performances among them.

 

10 MALAYALAM MOVIES FROM THE 2010s YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

The past decade was a transition of sorts for Malayalam films with a big bunch of experimental films that hit all the right spots at the same time giving rise to a neo- new wave movement that was nicknamed the “New-Gen” films, all for good cause. We will be ever grateful to this decade for killing out almost all of the tasteless trends disseminated by the last one. Check out the top ten picks of the decade!

5 MALAYALAM FILMS OF 2017 YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

It is great news that some of the best films of the year were also the ones that made more money, but 2017 had great many efforts that may not have been all that bad, but fell short all in all. One of the major letdowns being Bijoy Nambiar’s middling SOLO that defied all expectations. Well-intentioned and well equipped, this Dulquer omnibus could not do full justice to the central idea that tied the stories together and despite a great production remained a half-baked effort. But moving on to happier attempts, listed below are what was worth the time.

10 MALAYALAM MOVIES YOU WILL NEVER GET TO WATCH!

Following is a list of Malayalam films with very promising plot premise and even greater team that were unrealized for unforeseen reasons. While in some cases the makers were persistent on an unavailable cast while some others were possibly overambitious for the purse, and some haunted by deaths. 

Shaji N. Karun's prospective film GAADHA featuring Mohanlal

7 MALAYALAM FILMS OF 2016 YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

A decent year with some great attempts, 2016 was a mixed bag for Malayalam Film Industry. There was the film that broke all cash records on one end, while on the other, major disappointments from two of the titans- Adoor Gopalakrishnan whose Pinneyum was a damp squib at the end of that 8-year long wait following his last and T.V. Chandran whose stagey Mohavalayalm seemed to have lost all track of reality despite an interesting premise. But what makes 2016 special is the sheer number of newcomers that surprised us with some good cinema, so much so that more than half of the films in the following list are from debutant directors. There were also a handful of films with kids as central characters that leaves a ray of hope for years to come. Now, check out the list and see which ones worked for you…

30 ICONIC THEME MUSIC IN MALAYALAM FILMS

Theme music or signature tune is an integral part of most films, and being part of the background score, helps to establish its mood similar to that of a leitmotif. They provide each film its own identity, and in certain cases they go on to became synonymous to the respective film owing to its popularity. Following is a list of some of the most iconic theme music used in Malayalam Films, most of which will certainly give you some serious nostalgia.

10 MALAYALAM MOVIES IN WHICH RAIN PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE

film Paithrukam

No matter what, there is no separating rain from a Malayali. It is such an integral part of the soul and body of Kerala that everyone here tend to relate it to memories from all possible aspects of life, be it love, passion, nostalgia, melancholy, happiness, ecstasy, and the list just goes on. Rain is one of the most widely used elements in Malayalam films, and our rich cinematic history has a lot of such films to boast about. Songs like “Pranayamani thooval viriyum…” from Azhagiya Ravanan and “Neelakuyile chollu…” from Adwaitham brings back all that raging glands to action. It has made dramatic entries in scenes of great magnitude like the ones in Devasuram, Kireedam and Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu. There are also some films where it plays a much more important and extensive role in setting the mood and as a narrative tool. Following is a list of such films that effectively uses rain in all its glory.

12 MALAYALAM MOVIES THAT WILL CERTAINLY MAKE YOU UNEASY

Now having already covered the most unsettling viewing experiences in Malayalam cinema in LIST OF THE MOST DISTURBING MALAYALAM FILMS, this list might not seem like an ordeal after all, but there are numerous movies in our canon that irks our distress tolerance, however varying in degrees though, owing to its subject matter that may entirely not sit inside our comfort zones, and that can make for a handsomely eggy list all by themselves- more like a part-2 to the 'Disturbing List'. Although less potent in its viciousness when compared to those movies in the “Disturbing List”, most of them discuss unkind fate and unappetizing situations you don’t want to deal with or discuss in real life. Following is a list of such films in Malayalam that will invariably make you uneasy, be it emotionally, intellectually or physically- some right in the end, while some throughout the run. 

15 OF THE BEST DEPICTIONS OF FRIENDSHIP IN MALAYALAM FILMS

“Friendship marks a life even more deeply than love. Love risks degenerating into obsession, friendship is never anything but sharing.”

- Elie Wiesel

And who doesn’t know! Friendship is one of the purest forms of human bonding forged outside the liabilities of blood! Cinema worldwide has explored on the dynamics of this brilliant bond in various permutations possible. Following is a list of some of the truest friendships portrayed in Malayalam films thus far.

11 OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL MALAYALAM FILMS OF ALL TIME

film Papilio Buddha

Living in a time such as ours, you shouldn’t be surprised if tilting your head a certain way ended up offending someone or some group somewhere longing for attention and waiting to pounce. Despite all the ongoing debate on freedom of expression, art, books, films and other such creative media has increasingly been attacked time and again in the name of the liberty taken to “overstep that line”. Many a controversies have arisen owing to the disputed interpretation of the said freedom, and one of the most targeted areas in this case has forever been the movie world. In Kerala where every Mahesh, Suresh and Ramesh veneer their opinions as criticisms, there have been many occasions where films were beaten and cut to size for freely expressing a view different from the conventional; like when the movie name Ponmuttayidunna “Thattaan” had to be changed to Ponmuttayidunna “Tharavu” following severe protests from the goldsmith community who took offence from the original title; like when the multiple endings of Harikrishnans kick started a storm verging on communal; like with the filming of a live childbirth in Kalimannu and the partial nudity in Thanmatra cocked a lot of eyebrows. Many derided Fazil’s Ente sooryaputhrikku as bad influence, Jeetu Joseph’s Drishyam for sending the wrong message and Alfonse Puthran’s Premam as provocative and misleading. Similarly film Parudeesa directed by R. Sarath was accused of instigating anti-religious propaganda and Padmavyooham directed by Bijoy P.I. for posing security concerns to Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The ambitious Adoor film Kathapurushan garnered much criticism for the resemblance of its stammering protagonist to veteran Communist leader EMS Namboothiripad. Most Shaji Kailas films scripted by Renj Panicker from Ekalavyan to Commissioner courted controversy for daring the system. So was the case with numerous I.V. Sasi films written by T. Damodaran. Following is a list of movies in the Malayalam language that became controversial for its subject matter as well as its portrayal more than any other.

22 WOMEN-CENTRIC FILMS IN MALAYALAM worth your time

films Akashadoothu & Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu

There have been several memorable and powerful female characters in Malayalam cinema since its conception, those that stand on par with their male counterparts and those that stand alone. They variously showed us different facets of women- their extraordinarily courage, their selfless love, their all-consuming anger, their amazing endurance, their unparalleled beauty and so on and so forth. Gifted with a talented league of writers, our films have often discussed issues pertaining to the fairer sex- both serious and in lighter vain- and such female oriented subjects with memorable women protagonists have always been very well accepted as well. Following is a list of some of the best films in Malayalam dealing with women-centric subject.

13 GREAT MOVIE METAPHORS IN MALAYALAM CINEMA

Symbolism is a very sticky business, both to use and to comprehend, yet if cleverly done could be greatly rewarding. Intelligent films in Malayalam have always had a rich tradition of symbolism to address ideas of social, psychological, ideological or religious bearing using brilliant metaphors. These parallels have in the past not only added layers to our thought processes, but have also been enriching our taste over the years. Following is a list of some of the greatest metaphors used in Malayalam Cinema, some of which bask in plain sight, while others, you got to dig a great deal to even locate.

18 UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS PLAYED BY INNOCENT in Malayalam films

Innocent Vareed Thekkethala, mononymously known as Innocent is one of the most popular comedians working in Malayalam Cinema today. He is among those actors who, despite having the ‘actor’ overshadowing the ‘character’ with his trademark mannerisms and unyielding accent, pull it through effectively every time. Like Mamukkoya and Kuthiravattom Pappu, he has been stuck in an accent muzzle with his obstinate Thrissur lilt that once hung above the head of the Achayan accent in Kottayam Kunjachan and Kayyur Accent in Meenamasathile Sooryan (which could be overlooked as nobody including the scriptwriter got it right there). Nevertheless he is one of our all time favorites, and we do have his different characters etched into our memories each distinct from the other,however slightly like the cards in a deck. Following is a list of some of his most unforgettable characters thus far, many of which have made us laugh till it hurt.

10 COMMENDABLE ON-SCREEN ACCENTS by actors in Malayalam Movies

film Amaram

Accents and slangs are a part and parcel of language, and every region has their very own. In Kerala there are more number of accents than there are districts. Malayalam spoken in some regions in Kasargod can perplex the hell out of someone from Fort Kochi, and someone from Trivandrum might even get offended, and the bridge runs both ways. Yet in Malayalam Cinema, accents are a largely overlooked area. Apparently training in a regional accent has never been a mandate in preparing for films set there. Even when the scripts get the slang right, the actors mess up the accents. Obviously being able to effectively fake a foreign accent is a great gift and that not many have. But then there are always exceptions how much ever little, and some actors have long established it as their strong suit. Following is a list of some of the best efforts at faking different regional accents in Malayalam Cinema thus far.