Remember the excitement of opening a new book by your favorite author with that breathless sense of anticipation, the spirit ever-ready to explore the magic realms created by words ? It wasn’t anything different as I typed in the magic letters of the website url that was hoped to be the center of everything magical and shared the excitement of the new version of Rathinirvedam, the 2011 version.
All I got was a kick in the face.
How can someone mangle content like this? Does Manglish mean mangled English? Beats me. When you set about remaking a Classic, specially 30 + years down the line, and take the creative liberties of integrating suitable but subtle modifications to make it palatable for the new audience, you also have a responsibility of staying true to the historic facts of the film! Just as the same way you employ the best of creative craftsmen to craft the new version, you also need to deploy an equally efficient team who knows what they are dealing with in the first place, and then set about to give it due justice as you spread the word across all media using suitable tools. But this, my friend, is unforgivable. This is travesty!
The welcome text goes this way : (Text copyright | www.rathinirvedam.com )
“Rathinirvedam (1978) is known to a landmark movie in the Malayalam industry landmark movie with two legends behind the scene, P.Padmarajan and Bharathan. With the expressive writing style of Padmarajan and the Bharathan touch changed the whole outlook of Malayalam movie industry.
Padmarajan worked as an announcer at All india Radio (AlR) and he had to take voluntary retirement as he was becoming busy in film field. Many criticized his sensual portrayal of sensualism, but even the critics respected the expressive way of storytelling by the master.
He started his career writing a screen play for Bharathan for the movie Prayaanam (1975). Later turning into direction he made some major contributions to the industry with his brilliance as a writer. Rathinirvedam was adapted from the novel of Bharathan in the same title.
The remake of the movie starring swetha menon is using the same screenplay by the writer himself. The script is more or less the same as that of the Yesteryear Rathinirvedam . This itself shows the class of the writer who took an early vacation from life and left us with some classic movies of all time.
There!
I am willing to forget the flowery prose that moves with the lissome grace of a drunk elephant, the sneery disregard for grammar, and even mangling phrases and expressions that make me cringe at every second sentence.
But what I just cannot forgive is this!
Bharathan wrote Rathinirvedam ?
How can you ever put something so fundamentally wrong as the creative team behind a historic remake event, out for consumption in the public domain ? Didn’t the director of the project, TK Rajeev Kumar ever go through it? Or for that matter, its script writer? The producer Suresh Kumar, surely, he should know better. No one? Dear God.
To the creative team of amvizone who seems to be the ones behind the creation of the website,
- If you are not sure about something, ask !
- If its physically taxing, get online and check. Padmarajan’s Wiki Page gives you the details. All you have to do is Google search, ” Padmarajan ” – is that so difficult?
- Surely, the production budget had taken into consideration the content creation of the website too? Are you telling me that you couldn’t find even one person with reasonable proficiency in English in your professional circle?
Yours truly also tried to get in touch with the team, putting across a request through the Official Facebook Page of Rathinirvedam as they have not found it utilitarian enough to have a Contact Us page for www. rathinirvedam.com. Its almost 5 hours now. The message seems to have disappeared (deleted?) and the mail box stands empty. So much for social media awareness online!
What enrages this weary heart is the callousness with which one addresses and approaches a project that is one of the classic productions in Malayalam Cinema. This is criminal. Period.
A TV News Module on the new version of Rathinirvedam.
Here is the site. www.rathinirvedam.com
Related : After 32 years, Padmarajan’s Rathinirvedam (1978) gets remade (Sigh)
Related : Rathinirvedam 2011 | The Microwaved Version | A quick run-through
OLD MALAYALAM CINEMA 
PADMARAJAN”S NOVEL RATHINIRVEDAM SERIALISED IN KUMKUMAM WEEKLY AND THE TITLE RATHINIRVEDAM HAS BEEN GIVEN BY EDITOR” S. RAMAKRISHNAN” AND THE ORIGINAL TITLE WAS SOMETHING ELSE
well there is a saying OLD IS GOLD so pls try not to have remake and hope remake of chatakari will be good as the old movie
Dear Bhuvan,
I am sure what was the outcome of the remakes. Though the public fell for Rathinirvedam (to a certain extent), they were wise enough to stay away from Chattakkari. I don’t have the faintest idea why they do this in the first place, with dated themes and concepts. Hell, my nephews don’t even know what Chattakkari means !Thanks..cinematters
HI THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY PLS NOTE I AM NOT HERE TO OFFEND U AND I FEEL AND ITS MY OPINION THAT WHEN U MAKE A REMAKE FILMS IT DOESNT TURN OUT WELL I APPRECIATE EFFORTS TAKEN BUT ITS A FALIURE PLS NOT NOT GET ANGRY WITH AND ITS JUST MY REVIEW ONLY AND WELL M THANKING U FOR YOUR REMAKE GREAT EFFORT M VERY HUMBLE AND PLS DO NOT TAKE IT TOO HARD ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND CHEERS
Bhuvan,
I think you are getting everything mixed up. That article on the Remake of Rathinirvedam is my personal perspective, and I am NOT the one who remade it. i HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MOVIE. Also I am in NO WAY connected to the remake of Chattakkari. What I am bothered, as it is with anyone who watches Malayalam movies since I can remember is the viability of it as a new movie. You are welcome to air your views here as long as it respects civilty 🙂 I have no idea what provoked that outburst of apology . And would dearly appreciate if you would type your messages in lowercase, this in web speak ( all caps) amounts to Shouting. Again, this blog has NOTHING To do with MOVIE MAKING. It is a personal blog. Thanks..cinematters
OKIE THANKS
TK Rajeev Kumar was my eldest brother’s colleague at SBT. 🙂 In fact, he began directing his first film, Chanakyan, when he was working there. My brother took me to see the film saying that it was his colleague who had made it.
I have given up any hope that we will get any decent English out of the Mallus – and it is not as if there aren’t good writers out there. Sometimes I think they don’t care. (Aa oru gamayundallo…)
The new Rathinirvedam was a big flop, I heard – I saw the trailer when I was in Trichur in the summer – and hated it! So I didn’t bother to see the film itself. Tell me, was it good?
Hi Anu,
Chanakyan is still one of my favorite movies. There is an endearing rawness and honesty to the story. As to what they did to the website content, it was something so insulting and enraging that I felt I had to let them know. Thankfully, there was someone who let rationale rise above Aa oru gama [ LOL] and promptly got someone to rework it, once the rabid legion from the web gleefully picked up the post and ran.. 🙂 The New Rathinirvedam, you said? I’ve felt more excitement opening my umbrella. Enough said. 🙂 Thanks..cinematters
As to what they did to the website content, it was something so insulting and enraging that I felt I had to let them know.
I’m glad you did! Too often, we let our indignation bubble over without doing anything about it. I’ve been guilty of that myself. And I’m glad they took notice of what you said.
So, on behalf of all suffering cineastes everywhere, thank you! :))
Hi Anu,
LOL ! When you got to do it, you got to do it :-P..regards..cinematters.
Hai
Hi there Mohammed :)..cinematters
Rathinirvedam, an all time evergreen film once again in our theatres. Really nice job done.
MMR,
A review of the New Rathinirvedam is due..regards..cinematters