Thiruvananthapuram:
Moving away from theirrural setting, Malayalam movies are increasingly becomingurban in their theme.
Until recently, most Malayalam films had rural themesportraying the essential goodness and unspoilt beauty ofvillages.
However, this is changing as most of the around 90 moviesreleased last year were set in urban backgrounds.
Some movies that were received well in 2011 includedTraffic, Indian Rupee, Salt and Pepper, Seniors,Beautiful and Chappa Kurish. They revolved aroundsituations that happen in cities like the state'sfast-developing commercial hub Kochi.
Though they did not turn out to be big box office hits,films like Arjunan Sakshi, Christian Brothers, ChinaTown, City of God, The Train, Teja Bhai and Family,Doctor Love and Arabiyum Ottakavum Pinne Madhavan Nayarumalso had an urban-orientation.
Industry sources say all successful movies released sofar this year are city-centric with films like 22 FemaleKottayam (22 FK), Diamond Necklace, Ee Adutha Kalath,Mayamohini still running to packed houses.
Popular director Sathyan Anthikkad, known forvillage-oriented family stories laced with subtle humour likeSandesham, Sanmanasullavarkku Samdhanam andMazhavilkkavadi, says a new generation trend is reigning inMollywood these days and such stories are the immediate resultof that innovative change.
"Till some time back, the only focus in Mollywood was theactor or hero. Films known by the actors, directors andscriptwriters were largely ignored. But with the arrival of ahandful of young film makers, movies have begun to return tothe director's hands in Malayalam," Anthikkad said.
"Young talents experiment with many things in narrationand theme selection. City-centric movies and elite classstories can be seen as part of their experimentations," hesaid.
Village-oriented films which reaped average success in2011-12 were Sathyan Anthikkad-directed Snehaveedu, MMohanan's Manikya Kallu, Bobon Samuel's Janapriyan and T KRajeev Kumar's Rathinirvedam.
Perhaps the only exception among them is Sugeeth directedOrdinary, depicting the life of a scenic upland hamlet Gavi.The movie is still running to packed houses and has raked inmore than Rs 10 crore so far, according to industry sources.
Citing the resounding success of Ordinary, Anthikkadsaid rural themes would always have takers in Malayalam ifthey are narrated with freshness and novelty.
"As the new film makers are quite young,they prefer totell stories with which they are more familiar. It may be thereason they select urban settings and themes", he said.
"Not just that, in Kerala's context the distance betweenvillages and cities is fast disappearing these days,"Anthikkad said.
Whether set in rural or urban backgrounds, films shouldbe the product of directors, he said, adding that the reasonfor deterioration of values in cinema are movies whichconcentrate only on the interest of heroes and audience.
Meanwhile, hitmaker Laljose feels changes in thelifestyle and attitude have brought in changes inthemes and setting of movies.
"It is true that a parallel movie culture is gainingpopularity in Mollywood. But it does not mean Malayalam cinemais becoming urban centric. Though my latest movie DiamondNecklace is mainly set in the backdrop of Dubai, its mainstory happens in a rural Kerala village," he said.
Laljose, who has blockbusters like Meeshamadhavan,Classmates and Oru Maravathur Kanavu to his credit, saidthe scenic villages were still ideal for narration of goodstories concerning common people.
Diamond Necklace which tells the story of a spendthriftdoctor in Dubai who leads a hi-fi life and the problems he hadto face due to the abuse of 'plastic money' (credit cards)largely woos youngsters while 22 FK, dealing with the plightof a Malayali nurse working in metro like Bangalore, has woncritical acclaim.
Meanwhile, Mayamohini, a hardcore commercial movie inwhich Dileep plays a full-length woman character, has turnedout to be one of the biggest grossers this year.
The movie has collected more than Rs eight crore so far,unconfirmed reports from the industry said.
Until recently, most Malayalam films had rural themesportraying the essential goodness and unspoilt beauty ofvillages.
However, this is changing as most of the around 90 moviesreleased last year were set in urban backgrounds.
Some movies that were received well in 2011 includedTraffic, Indian Rupee, Salt and Pepper, Seniors,Beautiful and Chappa Kurish. They revolved aroundsituations that happen in cities like the state'sfast-developing commercial hub Kochi.
Though they did not turn out to be big box office hits,films like Arjunan Sakshi, Christian Brothers, ChinaTown, City of God, The Train, Teja Bhai and Family,Doctor Love and Arabiyum Ottakavum Pinne Madhavan Nayarumalso had an urban-orientation.
Industry sources say all successful movies released sofar this year are city-centric with films like 22 FemaleKottayam (22 FK), Diamond Necklace, Ee Adutha Kalath,Mayamohini still running to packed houses.
Popular director Sathyan Anthikkad, known forvillage-oriented family stories laced with subtle humour likeSandesham, Sanmanasullavarkku Samdhanam andMazhavilkkavadi, says a new generation trend is reigning inMollywood these days and such stories are the immediate resultof that innovative change.
"Till some time back, the only focus in Mollywood was theactor or hero. Films known by the actors, directors andscriptwriters were largely ignored. But with the arrival of ahandful of young film makers, movies have begun to return tothe director's hands in Malayalam," Anthikkad said.
"Young talents experiment with many things in narrationand theme selection. City-centric movies and elite classstories can be seen as part of their experimentations," hesaid.
Village-oriented films which reaped average success in2011-12 were Sathyan Anthikkad-directed Snehaveedu, MMohanan's Manikya Kallu, Bobon Samuel's Janapriyan and T KRajeev Kumar's Rathinirvedam.
Perhaps the only exception among them is Sugeeth directedOrdinary, depicting the life of a scenic upland hamlet Gavi.The movie is still running to packed houses and has raked inmore than Rs 10 crore so far, according to industry sources.
Citing the resounding success of Ordinary, Anthikkadsaid rural themes would always have takers in Malayalam ifthey are narrated with freshness and novelty.
"As the new film makers are quite young,they prefer totell stories with which they are more familiar. It may be thereason they select urban settings and themes", he said.
"Not just that, in Kerala's context the distance betweenvillages and cities is fast disappearing these days,"Anthikkad said.
Whether set in rural or urban backgrounds, films shouldbe the product of directors, he said, adding that the reasonfor deterioration of values in cinema are movies whichconcentrate only on the interest of heroes and audience.
Meanwhile, hitmaker Laljose feels changes in thelifestyle and attitude have brought in changes inthemes and setting of movies.
"It is true that a parallel movie culture is gainingpopularity in Mollywood. But it does not mean Malayalam cinemais becoming urban centric. Though my latest movie DiamondNecklace is mainly set in the backdrop of Dubai, its mainstory happens in a rural Kerala village," he said.
Laljose, who has blockbusters like Meeshamadhavan,Classmates and Oru Maravathur Kanavu to his credit, saidthe scenic villages were still ideal for narration of goodstories concerning common people.
Diamond Necklace which tells the story of a spendthriftdoctor in Dubai who leads a hi-fi life and the problems he hadto face due to the abuse of 'plastic money' (credit cards)largely woos youngsters while 22 FK, dealing with the plightof a Malayali nurse working in metro like Bangalore, has woncritical acclaim.
Meanwhile, Mayamohini, a hardcore commercial movie inwhich Dileep plays a full-length woman character, has turnedout to be one of the biggest grossers this year.
The movie has collected more than Rs eight crore so far,unconfirmed reports from the industry said.
