Monday, March 23, 2009
Back with the crowd: Director Kamal
'Goal' will see Malayalam filmmaker Kamal following the trend of campus love stories to regain his 'hit director' status, reports KK Moidu
Director Kamal, known for making successful movies that go against existent trends, seems to have lost his Midas touch at the box office, judging from his recent spate of flops. However, undaunted by the debacle of Pachakuthira and Karutha Pakshikal the never-say-die filmmaker will try his luck with a masterly campus love story, Goal. Fans are hopeful this will mark the beginning of a new winning spree.
Born Kamaluddin on Nov.28, 1957 in Mathilakam, Kodungallur to Abdul Majeed and Sulaikhabi. He is the oldest of their three sons. Kamal married his cousin (uncle's daughter) Saburabi and they have two children Hanna Kamal and Januse Mohammed.
Kamal joined in Kalabharathi Film Institute in Trichur and began assisting senior students. His first film, however, never saw light of day. But his uncle Yousuf Padiyath encouraged him in his filmmaking pursuits. Late actor Bahadur, also a relative, was another supporter and guide. Finally he entered the tinsel world as a writer with Thrasam, directed by Ashraf Padiyath.
His first exposure to filmmaking career was during assistantships with veterans PN Menon, KS Sethumadhavan, Bharathan etc. Those stints moulded the aspiring filmmaker in him to face any challenge and infused him with confidence to wield the directorial baton. Kamal made his directorial debut with Mizhineer Pookkal, with Mohanlal, Urvasi and Lizy as its major stars. The film was released on June 19, 1986 and turned out to be an average hit.
During his over two-decade-long career he has directed around 40 films, these include films in other languages. In Tamil, he directed Piriyatha Varam Vendum (starring Prashanth and Shalini) and in Hindi Zameer (starring Ajay Devgan, Amisha Patel and Mahima Chaudhary).
Although Kamal has made a mark as an innovative director he has other feathers in his cap as well. He has written the story, screenplay and dialogues for several movies. He wrote the screenplay for Swapnakoodu, Gramaphone, Meghamalhar and Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu; the story for Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam and Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal and the dialogues of Sunil Vayassu Irupathu and Aa Neram Alppa Dhooram.
In Kamal's second film, Unnikale Oru Kadha Parayam, Mohanlal again played the title role and the next year his Orkkappurathu also had Mohanlal. He started experiments by making Kakkothikkavile Appooppanthadikal, a heroine-oriented film. Revathy played the central character in the film, a chance that filmmakers rarely take because a woman in the lead is not a good recipe for box office success. Kakkothikkavile Appoppanthadikal went against the trend, according to which the heroine's role was to lend support to the hero by dancing, loving, laughing and crying etc. The film fetched Revathy critical acclaim.
In Unnikrishnante Adhyathe Christmas, Kamal chose Jayaram to play the central role. The together did around 10 movies. Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal, Pradesika Varthakal, Thoovalsparsham, Subhayathra, Pookkalam Varavayi, Aayushkalam, Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu, Kaikudanna Nilavu etc., Not surprisingly Jayaram has acted in more Kamal movies than any other hero. Mukesh, Siddique and Sai Kumar were part of the support cast in most of these movies. Even today's superstar Suresh Gopi did a memorable role in the Kamal-directed Thoovalsparsham, where Jayaram played the hero. In the super-hit Paavam Paavam Rajakumaran, Sreenivasan was his choice for the film's central character, and Mukesh played the main role in Ennodishtam Koodamo.
Kamal has made films with both superstars and newcomers. His name itself is enough to attract crowds, especially teenagers, women and children. He has also made films, which stand out for the absence of major stars. Champakkulam Thachan, Bhoomigeetham and Ghazal come under this category. Kamal's superhit love stories Niram, Nammal and Swapnakkoodu also have no top actors. In Nammal all the title roles were performed by newcomers - Sidharth, Jishnu, Renuka and Bhavana. Meghamalhaar and Madhuranombarakkattu had Biju Menon as hero. Both the movies are outstanding examples of meaningful cinema and his directorial skills and what's more they even did well at the box office.
The last filmmaker's last three movies with Mohanlal were Vishnulokam and Ulladakkam (1991) and Ayaal Katha Ezhuthukayanu (1998).
Today's superstar and former assistant of Kamal, Dileep, featured in earlier Kamal movies - Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, Gramaphone and Perumazhakkalam. The films were distinct and performed well at the box office. But their 2006 film together, Pachakuthira, with Gopika as heroine bombed at the box office. Dilip did a double role, one as normal person and the other as his mentally-challenged brother. Judging by Dilip's earlier double role in Kunjikoonan, that itself should have been the film's major selling point, but the film sank without trace.
Kamal's first movie with superstar Mammootty Mazhayethum Munpe (1995) did well at the box office, but their subsequent film together, Azhakiya Ravanan, did not rise upto public expectations. After a break of 10 years, Kamal and Mammootty together created yet another superhit, Rappakal. But they could not repeat their success in their fourth film together, Karutha Pakshikal.
Karutha Pakshikal deals with the subject of Tamil migrant workers in Kerala. While most Keralites go to Gulf countries for a better life, to many workers from Tamil Nadu, Kerala is something like the Gulf, because they are able to earn three times the wages they would have earned in their home state. Their chief strength is their willingness to work hard. The construction industry, roadwork contractors and timber merchants etc are their biggest employers. However, this migrant labour is often not treated well. The film deals with these maladies. Kamal has a feel of the society's pulse. Karutha Pakshikal in addition to delving into the lives of Tamil labourers in Kerala, also studies the social and economic entanglements.
Mammootty plays the title character, Murugan, a migrant from Tamil Nadu, who earns his livelihood by ironing the clothes of local residents. A widower, his life revolves around his three children and to add his worry one daughter is blind. Padmapriya appears as another migrant Poonkodi, Salimkumar, TG Ravi and Jagathy Sreekumar are the other artistes in the film. However, mysteriously the film didn't find popular acceptance despite Kamal's magical touch and Mammootty's splendid portrayal of the down-to-earth character. Even their last hope of the film fetching Mammootty the best actor award was dashed to the ground, when Prithviraj walked away with the prize.
Goal, Kamal's next bet, is a love story that combines romance with the thrill of football against the backdrop of Ootty's Good Shepherd International School. In Goal Ranjit Menon is the hero and Akshaya, a Mumbai-based model is the heroine. Muktha of Achanurangatha Veedu fame appears as the second heroine, playing the hero's best friend. Within a short period Muktha has also appeared in several Telugu and Tamil films and has also signed a Kannada film.
Rahman, Saikumar, Mukesh and some newcomers appear in important roles in Goal. It being a youth film, music will play an important role and one of the main attractions of the film will be Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma's pairing with Vidyasagar. P Sukumaran's camerawork captures the sylvan surroundings. Neelagiri Movies has produced the film, which will be released by Central Pictures in May.
This time Kamal will be experimenting to regain the status he lost as a result of his recent box office failures. It won't be surprising if he pulls off this one for he drew crowds to watch Manjupoloru Penkutty, which had newcomer Amritha Prakash as heroine.
Kamal, who has always gone against the trend, will, for once, follow the trend. Hit maker Lal Jose, earlier his assistant, has already scored with a campus love story, Classmates, last year. Now his metor, Kamal, too needs just that elusive hit.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Kamal won the State award for best director for the film Ulladakkam. The movie also won a Filmfare award and featured in Indian Panorama.
Mazhayethum Munpe won the State award for best popular film, Critic's award and Ramu Kariat award for best director.
Madhuranombarakkattu and Meghamalhaar were adjudged the second best film at the state level. Meghamalhar also won the state award for best screenplay, Film Critics award for best film and Ramu Kariat award for best director.
Perumazhakkalam won the Government of India-sponsored National award for best film on National Integrity.
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