It was 18 years before M.T penned the character of 'Chandu' in 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragaatha'. And now the stalwarts Hariharan, Mammootty and M.T who were behind the successful film comes together to recreate the magic on the screen with the making of another heroic epic - Pazhassi Raja. Focusing on the life story of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja of the Padinjare Kovilakom of the Kottayam family the trio brings forth the valiant fights of the native ruler against the British power in India. The advanced technical aspects are sure to boost the film. Being shot with a Pan Vision camera, the film exploits the latest technical advancements offering tremendous visual possibilities in the backdrops of the forests and the wars. Hariharan, a director notable for his works revolving around the cultural and relational aspects of a typical Kerala society has always been successful in bringing movies with solid scripts. Film like;Sargam, Nakhashathangal, Panchagni, Amritamgamaya, Aranyakam, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Ennu Swantham Janakikutty are few among his outstanding works. Especially one couldn't forget the master craftsmanship Hariharan epitomized in the making of Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha. The title itself says what one can expect from a director of his stature. Hariharan's movies always bring rich music treat to the audience. Hariharan when joined with M.T has always brought magic on screen. Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Ennu Swantham Janakikutty are among them. Who else can potray the real background of Pazhassi onto a movie script than the legend who has won the National Film Award for Best Screenplay four times for movies like Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Kadavu, Sadayam, and Parinayam. M.T, one of the most prolific and versatile writers of modern Malayalam literature would definitely come up with a true portrayal of the epical story. Let's wait to enjoy how mesmerizing would be this subject to the audience. With Super megastar Mammotty in the lead role, one could look forward for a stunning story from the hands of a skillful writer like M.T. Hariharan has to take extra care to fulfill audience expectation and so the making of Pazhassi Raja will be more challenging than before. Hope the team would churn out another milestone in the history of Malayalam cinema. Mammootty plays the title role of Pazhassi Raja who fought against British in the jungles of Wayanad in the 1790's. Mammootty's persona is definitely going to pull the crowd to the theatre as none would be able to forget his outstanding performance in the role of Chandu. This man is sure to enhance the real life hero's character and personality and the stars presence would familiarize Pazhassi Raja with the young generation who seldom remembers the freedom strugglers of the past. The magnetic presence the actor brings onto the screen while depicting epical characters transcend the audience to a different world altogether. Pazhassiraja the ruler fought against the illegal tax collection of the East India Company from the Malabar civilians. But Pazhassi Raja was forced to move to the jungle as oppositions overpowered on him. With the help of Adivasis(tribes) he struggled against the British. At last he was captured and shot dead in a place called Mavila Thodu by a British Officer called Harvey Babar. Padmapriya takes on the role of a tribal girl in this film. Sarath Kumar with his debut in Malayalam film will play the role of Edachena Kunkan, the best friend of Pazhassi Raja. He achieved the title Veera (brave) when he died fighting a guerrilla war against British occupation. Manoj K. Jayan, Thilakan, Kanika Subramaniam, Peter Handley Evans, Harry Key, and Jagathi Sreekumar are the other pivotal roles in this film. "Pazhassi Raja" has rich soundtrack by an acclaimed composer Illayaraja and the Oscar award winner Resul Pookutty.
The much awaited Mamootty's movie 'Pazhassi Raja', which had been delaying for quite some time, has been released on October16,Friday. The movie features Megastar Mammootty who was a relieved man as the movie has finally hit the screens. Also with the release of the movie, he is very excited. He said that Pazhassi Raja was the costliest Malayalam film till date and it will be an event in the history of films. The initial response when you come out of the theatre after watching the hugely mounted Malayalam film Pazhassi Raja is pleasant surprise. Until now we have only heard complaints of financial constrain from the filmmakers for low production values and haphazardly put up story lines. But this movie made on a budget of average ten Malayalam movies, has a quality that has never been seen before.
Pazhassiraja,A must watch movie, which may bag many awards. This film is technically several notches above the standard fare offered in Malayalam cinema. It would not be an exaggeration if we say that it is comparable to the best in Indian cinema. The camera work by Venu and Ramanath Shetty give the film a sleek look. The action sequences remind us of the internationally acclaimed Chinese martial art movies of recent times like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero.
Hariharan's film is truly a masterpiece in that it has the manner, matter and mood of a monumental epic, in the finest sense of the word. This is no ordinary film that tells the story of a hero; rather, it's a stellar celluloid piece that vividly recaptures every moment in history, never for a moment losing out on the human drama, never compromising on its immense scope or scale, never ever letting go of its elaborate craft and detail. The film is full of invigorating battle sequences that literally involve a mammoth cast of hundreds and hundreds of people. Magnificently staged, they feel real, and mounted on a giant-scale entertainment canvas, this is perhaps the first time ever that a Malayalam film awes you on account of its visual brilliance. There are any number of spectacular sequences here that would surprise you on account of their visceral energy. Mammootty is grace personified and the perhaps the best thing about him as the mighty Pazhassi Raja is that it is virtually impossible to imagine anyone else in his place. Shorn of any artifice or nervous energy he is real. 20 years after Oru Vadakkan Veeragadha, he still looks majestic and handsome. Without doubt, this is one of the best roles in his illustrious career. The surprise packet is Sarath Kumar, who looks perfectly fit, heroic and absolutely invincible as Edachena Kunkan. Kaniha looks beautiful even without any make-up or jewellery and has the royal look that is required for her role as Kaitheri Makkom. As the fierce tribal girl who fights like a cheetah, Padmapriya excels in her role as Neeli. Manoj K Jayan, Suresh Krishna and Suman have all done their job quite convincingly. The rest of the cast, which include the English actors like Linda Arsenio, also delivers an inspiring performance.
It is not an ordinary movie. It reminds you of one of the great warriors which Indian soil gave birth to. It sings you an unsung story of a legend who horrified the British empire with his courage, determination and bravery. !!!
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