Dear Constant Reader,
This is specifically for all those who have read through the two expansive posts on the classic Kottaram Vilkanundu (1972) by the Gopalkrishnan-Nilambur Hyderali team, and everyone who is reading this by virtue of being here on this blog.
It so happens that all the images that were part of the two articles which were deemed to be screen grabs from the VHS copy of Kottaram Vilkaanundu is in fact taken from the Hemant Kumar Classic, Bees Saal Baad (1962).
If not for an innocuous mention by Anu about the “Claw”, I wouldn’t have pulled out my DVD copy of Bees Saal Baad (1962), and gone through it. I did it 10 times. And she is spot on.
Go through the first five minutes and you know what I’m talking about.
I am hereby pulling down both the posts, as it being out there in published form, would be a sustained case of deception, which I feel is criminally wrong. When I began actively encouraging anyone who had the willingness to share information on old Malayalam films here, it was essentially building relationships built on implicit trust. And once you take that goodwill and rub its nose in the ground, it becomes all the more painful.
Once again, my personal apologies, and thank you for being here,
Cinematters.
OLD MALAYALAM CINEMA 
for the first time i see an element of rift creeping in- between members of OMC. My only prayer is that OMC doesnt suffer from the same- we look forward to the posts of both CM and Gopalakrishnan. pray and hope that this issue would be sorted out- sooner rather than later.
There is no rift here, Narayan, only a breach of trust. At the end of the day, integrity powers everything. So we do all we can to safeguard it at all costs.Thanks.cinematters
really appreciate your commitment and integrity. in this age of casual pilfering others’ content and intellectual property, this is indeed a breath of fresh air. thanks!
Thanks Su, But I am of the belief that it was something that had to be done swiftly to honor good practices on the Web. Regards, cinematters
well… i have only prepared the TRIVIA of that KOTTARAM VILKKANUNDU. and the main author wanted to add some real snaps and clips of the film. but the copyright owner of the film didnt give mr hyderali the permission to do so. i know only these details. later what happened is out of my knowledge. he only asked me whether i could sent a snap of a palace similar to one in kottaram vilkkanundu, i didnt know for what purpose it was. anyway once the article was published i saw that snaps, but i have to remain silent on this issue as the party involved in it is so dear to me. THE SNAP of PREM NAZIR he used here was from that film KOTTARAM VILKKANUNDU. but he didnt post the video or other clips because of some personal reasons that he can only explain.
anyway i am sorry for what happened here and on behalf of hyderali i apologies to cm and other readers. GOPALAKRISHNAN NAVJEEVAN have not done anything to harm the interest of the readers of this site or to cinematters. but i am really ashamed of what happened here regarding a few stills because i was also a part of this article.
and in future i will prevent any such activities in any of the article (IF) from his side.
and i a very happy for anu jee who brought this matter to the lime light. please do one favor also… i have also posted quite a few articles before here in OMC. last one being about SATHYAN. sadly she was not there to comment positive or negative. and that was 100 % original article.
GOPALAKRISHNAN navjeevan
Dear Gopalji,
Thank you for responding.Here are my thoughts on your brief note.
well… i have only prepared the TRIVIA of that KOTTARAM VILKKANUNDU.
Here are the first two pages of the Original manuscript you sent me ( the file even carries your digital signature), so I am inferring it came from your PC/laptop.In the opening paragraph, your co-author Hyderali clearly says “I am thanking Mr. GOPALAKRISHNAN for all the help he provided for this article and the support he has given me in writing“. Again, the Header of the title clearly says “KOTTARAM VILKKANUNDU.. (Story synopsis prepared by NILAMBUR HYDERALI and gopalakrishnan navjeevan). So,you were a willing participant in the creation of the content.
he only asked me whether i could sent a snap of a palace similar to one in kottaram vilkkanundu, i didnt know for what purpose it was. anyway once the article was published i saw that snaps, but i have to remain silent on this issue as the party involved in it is so dear to me.
There are 17 articles of yours published in this blog. And I have, if you recall, interacted with you on many occasions re-checking on the rights of the media supplied, authenticity and relevance of the pics send across, and I have clearly made my stand on misrepresentation/fabrication/plagiarism of content in ANY form, through these columns, which even you have responded to in agreement. Am I to believe that when your MENTOR asks a question like that, you have absolutely NO idea what he is going to do with it? As in HOW on earth can you NOT figure out the intent when he asks “whether i could sent a snap of a palace similar to one in kottaram vilkkanundu,” to the blog owner, in the light of just having finished the movie synopsis with him ? In fact when you asked me whether I have received the content of Kottaram Vilkanundu, and I replied that I had only received the photographs and not the content, didn’t you for a moment think as to WHERE THOSE photos came from, when you knew that the copyright owner had explicitly forbid you from sharing any images or video? Strange. And you had to had to remain SILENT ON THE ISSUE? Even when its my personal integrity that is on the line?
anyway i am sorry for what happened here and on behalf of hyderali i apologies to cm and other readers. GOPALAKRISHNAN NAVJEEVAN have not done anything to harm the interest of the readers of this site or to cinematters.
I don’t even know whether you can comprehend the enormity of what just happened.And why is it that Mr.Hyderali remains out of this?He has not responded to two mails that I have sent, surely, you would know his whereabouts, him being your mentor.About the harm being done, I don’t think I need to explain to you more.
And THIS is what leaves a bitter taste.
and i a very happy for anu jee who brought this matter to the lime light. please do one favor also… i have also posted quite a few articles before here in OMC. last one being about SATHYAN. sadly she was not there to comment positive or negative. and that was 100 % original article.
That sounds like a veiled taunt to me, Gopalji, of you almost asking ( challenging ?) Anuradha Warrier to validate all the content that you have published here, ruing the fact that she has not come around to comment on any of your other articles than this here at this blog. It is upto each user, to decide whether to respond to what he/she consumes on the web. It is her prerogative, as the willingness to share information here is yours.Even if she comes around reading every single article published here without even lifting a finger to respond to anything that she has consumed, there isn’t ANYTHING you or me can do about it. Whether the articles are 100pc original or not is a fact that is directly binding on this blog and the ones that create it, including you and me, ITS NOT CERTAINLY HER. There is absolutely no need nor relevance of her web behavior being a part of this instance.
I still remain unconvinced. I maybe naive’ but I’m not THAT naive. As I mentioned earlier, when one takes a relationship built on implicit trust and rub its nose in the ground, it takes a while to recover. Till such time, I think it will be prudent enough to take this onward on my own. Thanks.cinematters
i dont want to elaboarate on that issue more.. what ever happened is past… if this bring to an end of my role in OMC family… then i am not complaining as mistakes have happened in every one’s part. i diodnt tried to hurt anu … bcoz i dont even know her personally.. so why i should hurt her. this is a closed chapter for me… and you can expect some more articles from me IF YOU REALLY WANT IT… or i can better remain as a silent follower of OMC family…
I’m so sorry, CM. I know how that can hurt. It is sad that even the writing had to be pulled but that was the only thing you could have done to maintain the integrity of your blog.
Please don’t be Anu. Thanks to you, I got to reasonably salvage almost all of it. Regards, cm.
PS. Got my mail?
It’s ok CM.You have done the right thing!
But are you sure you were deceived or could it be a case of unintended mix up of clippings from the author’s side?
Chechi, when you are in the business of sourcing, generating and serving content for the past 12 years, one gets around to it, sooner or later. I am quite sure.Thanks.cm