Onam Songs from Old Malayalam Films | My Favorites – Part 3

Onam 2012 is here

Pix Credit : Barish Chandran B

A couple more from the Malayalam cinema archives that I could find, and put together with the earlier ones that you can read here , here and here, which I feel is dense and rich enough to get any Malayalai who loves his/her Kappa Puzhukku and Fish Curry go weak in the knees and end up as a weeping wreck. Continue reading

King Mahabali aka Maveli on Film

Baaman Avatar (1955)
My Grandpa used to get very offended, when, I used to tell him that King Mahabali (from now on refereed to as Maveli) had to be the only ‘Socialist’ ruler in mythology, for being able to manage a kingdom where the material needs were none, and everyone had enough to keep them happy! Now, I can’t find a better and finer example than the concept, more beautifully lived out in our mythology, than the legend of Maveli. And ancient texts, scriptures, mythology have always been a favorite hunting ground for our film makers, going back all the way to Raja Harishchandra in 1913, our first movie from India ! Continue reading

Onam Songs from Old Malayalam Films | My Favorites.

Onappaattukal that transcend time.

Onam Songs from Old Malyalam FilmsSongs that celebrate the festive spirit of Onam, the harvest festival of our homeland ( wait a minute, harvest festival? I can’t even recall the last time someone celebrated a decent harvest), have got themselves their own special place in the realm of Malayalam Cinema. Come to think of it, it has been quite some time, since someone decently picturized a traditional Thiruvathira recital or an Onappaattu worth its salt in recent years. Should we blame the increasing disconnect with our traditions, and as an implication, less recognition by the movie-watching public, which again means less marketability? I don’t know. Continue reading