malikappuram movie review in tamil

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webExclusive Report --> ഭക്തിനിർഭരം, അതിമനോഹരം; മാളികപ്പുറം റിവ്യൂ

പി. അയ്യപ്പദാസ്

Published: December 30 , 2022 04:12 PM IST

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കാനനത്തിന്റെ സുഖവും മണ്ഡലകാലത്തിന്റെ പരിശുദ്ധിയും ആവോളം. കറുപ്പണിഞ്ഞ് മാലയിട്ട് മല ചവിട്ടുമ്പോള്‍ അനുഭവിച്ചറിഞ്ഞ തത്ത്വമസിപ്പൊരുള്‍ പിന്നെയും പിന്നെയും ഓര്‍മപ്പെടുത്തുന്ന സന്ദര്‍ഭങ്ങള്‍. ശബരിമല കാഴ്ചയും അനുഭവവുമായി മാറുകയാണ് വിഷ്ണു ശശിശങ്കര്‍ സംവിധാനം ചെയ്ത മാളികപ്പുറത്തിലൂടെ. ഉള്ളുരുകുന്ന കുഞ്ഞുഭക്തയുടെ നിഷ്‌കളങ്കമായ ഭക്തിയുടെ കഥ പറയുന്ന മാളികപ്പുറം തീര്‍ച്ചയായും പ്രേക്ഷകന്റെ കണ്ണു നിറയ്ക്കുന്നതിനൊപ്പം മനസ്സും നിറയ്ക്കും. ഈ വര്‍ഷത്തെ ഏറ്റവും ഒടുവിലെ സൂപ്പര്‍ഹിറ്റ് ചിത്രമെന്ന് തീര്‍ത്തും പറയാനുള്ള എല്ലാ ചേരുവകളും ഈ ചിത്രത്തിലുണ്ട്.

ഭക്തിയും അതിലെ നിഷ്‌കളങ്കതയുമാണ് മാളികപ്പുറത്തെ ആസ്വാദ്യമാക്കുന്നത്. കഥയിലെ പുതുവഴികളും സന്ദര്‍ഭങ്ങളുമൊക്കെ സിനിമയെ ഹൃദ്യമാക്കി മാറ്റുന്നുമുണ്ട്. ഒപ്പം സിനിമയുടെ അടിത്തറയായി ഭക്തി കൂടിയെത്തിയതോടെ പ്രേക്ഷകര്‍ മടുപ്പില്ലാതെ കണ്ടിരിക്കും. പൂര്‍ണമായും കുടുംബാന്തരീക്ഷത്തില്‍, കുടുംബ പ്രേക്ഷകര്‍ക്കായി ഒരുക്കിയ ചിത്രം കൂടിയാണിത്. മുന്‍പ് നന്ദനത്തിലും ആമേനിലുമൊക്കെ കണ്ട ഈശ്വരസങ്കല്‍പത്തിന്റെയും അതിന്റെ പുനര്‍വായനയുടെയും മറ്റൊരു അനുഭവം കൂടിയാണ് മാളികപ്പുറം.

കല്യാണി എന്ന എട്ടുവയസ്സുകാരി ശബരിമല അയ്യപ്പന്റെ വലിയ ഭക്തയാണ്. എന്നിട്ടും അവള്‍ക്കിതുവരെയും മല ചവിട്ടാനുള്ള ഭാഗ്യമുണ്ടാകുന്നില്ല. ഒടുവില്‍ അവള്‍ അച്ഛനൊപ്പം മല കയറാന്‍ തീരുമാനിക്കുന്നു. കറുപ്പണിഞ്ഞ് ഭസ്മമിട്ട് അവളും അങ്ങനെ മാളികപ്പുറമായി. തുടര്‍ന്ന് അവളുടെ ശബരിമലയാത്രയും ആ യാത്രയ്ക്കിടയില്‍ അവള്‍ കണ്ടുമുട്ടുന്ന സ്വാമിയായ ഉണ്ണി മുകുന്ദന്റെ കഥാപാത്രവും തമ്മിലുണ്ടാകുന്ന അപ്രതീക്ഷിത സംഭവങ്ങളാണ് ചിത്രത്തെ മുന്നോട്ടു കൊണ്ടുപോകുന്നത്. ആദ്യ പകുതി കല്യാണിയും അവളുടെ സൂപ്പര്‍ ഹീറോ അയ്യപ്പനുമായുള്ള ബന്ധവും കുടുംബവും സ്‌കൂളുമൊക്കെ വന്നു പോകുന്നതാണ്. വൈകാരിക രംഗങ്ങളും തമാശയുമൊക്കെ ഇവിടെ ആവോളമുണ്ട്. രണ്ടാം പകുതി അവളുടെ ശബരിമലയിലേക്കുള്ള യാത്രയാണ്. ഈ യാത്രയില്‍ അവള്‍ക്കൊപ്പം ആസ്വാദനത്തിന്റെ ഇരുമുടിയേന്തി പ്രേക്ഷകരും സഞ്ചരിക്കും.

ശബരിമലയും അയ്യപ്പനും സിനിമയിലെ പ്രധാന കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളാണ്. ഈ ഇടങ്ങളെ കൃത്യമായി അടയാളപ്പെടുത്താനും സിനിമയില്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ട്. ശബരിമല ഇതുവരെ അറിയാത്തവര്‍ക്കും അറിഞ്ഞവര്‍ക്കും സിനിമ സമ്മാനിക്കുന്നത് വലിയ അനുഭവങ്ങള്‍ തന്നെയാണ്. തിരക്കഥയിലെ ചേരുവകളെ കൃത്യമായി അടയാളപ്പെടുത്താനും അത് പ്രേക്ഷകരിലേക്ക് കൃത്യമായ അളവില്‍ എത്തിക്കുവാനും സംവിധായകനായ വിഷ്ണു ശശിശങ്കറിന് കഴിഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ട്. സിനിമയുടെ രസച്ചരട് കൊണ്ടുപോകുന്നത് സംവിധാനത്തിലെ ഈ സവിശേഷത കൊണ്ടു കൂടിയാണ്. കഥയിലെ പുതുമയും തിരക്കഥയിലെ തെളിമയുമാണ് മാളികപ്പുറത്തിന്റെ നട്ടെല്ല്. അഭിലാഷ്പിള്ള എന്ന തിരക്കഥാകൃത്ത് പ്രേക്ഷകർക്കു വലിയ പ്രതീക്ഷ നല്‍കുകയാണ് ഈ ചിത്രത്തിലൂടെ. സിനിമയെ തുടക്കം മുതല്‍ പിടിച്ചു നിര്‍ത്തുന്നതും ആസ്വാദ്യമാക്കുന്നതും അഭിലാഷിന്റെ തിരക്കഥയാണ്.

മല ചവിട്ടാനെത്തുന്ന വെറുമൊരു സ്വാമി മാത്രമല്ല ഉണ്ണി മുകുന്ദന്റെ കഥാപാത്രം. ചിത്രത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും സവിശേഷമായ സാന്നിധ്യം ഉണ്ണി മുകുന്ദന്റെതാണ്. പ്രേക്ഷകനെ രസിപ്പിച്ചും ചിരിപ്പിച്ചുമൊക്കെ ഉണ്ണി സിനിമയില്‍ നിറഞ്ഞാടുകയാണ്. സവിശേഷതകള്‍ ഏറെയുള്ള ഈ കഥാപാത്രത്തിന്റെ ഗൗരവം ചോര്‍ന്നു പോകാതെ അഭിനയിക്കാന്‍ താരത്തിനായി എന്നത് എടുത്തു പറയണം. കല്യാണിയെന്ന കുഞ്ഞുമാളികപ്പുറമായി നിറഞ്ഞാടിയ ദേവനന്ദന തിയറ്റര്‍ വിട്ടറിങ്ങുന്ന പ്രേക്ഷകരുടെ മനസ്സുകൂടിയാണ് കവര്‍ന്നെടുക്കുന്നത്. നിഷ്‌കളങ്കമായ ബാല്യവും അവളുടെ ഭക്തിയുമൊക്കെ ഹൃദ്യമായി അഭിനയിച്ചു പ്രതിഫലിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ ഈ കൊച്ചുമിടുക്കിക്കായി. കല്യാണിയുടെ കൂട്ടുകാരൻ പീയുഷായി എത്തിയ ശ്രീപദ് യാനാണ് ചിത്രത്തില്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ കയ്യടി നേടുന്ന മറ്റൊരു താരം. പ്രേക്ഷകനെ ഈ കൊച്ചുമിടുക്കന്‍ കുറച്ചൊന്നുമല്ല ചിരിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്. സൈജു കുറുപ്പിന്റെ അച്ഛന്‍ കഥാപാത്രവും ചിത്രത്തിന്റെ ജീവനാണ്.

വിഷ്ണു നാരായണന്റെ ഛായാഗ്രഹണം സിനിമയെ കാഴ്ചാനുഭവം ആക്കി മാറ്റുന്നുണ്ട്. ഓരോ ഫ്രെയ്മും സിനിമയ്‌ക്കൊപ്പം തന്നെ സഞ്ചരിച്ചു. രഞ്ജിന്‍ രാജിന്റെ സംഗീതവും പശ്ചാത്തലസംഗീതവും മാളികപ്പുറത്തെ ജീവസുറ്റതാക്കി മാറ്റി. സിനിമയുടെ വ്യത്യസ്തമായ രംഗങ്ങളില്‍ പശ്ചാത്തലസംഗീതത്തിനും പ്രേക്ഷകര്‍ കൈയടി നല്‍കുന്നുണ്ട്. സിനിമയെ കൃത്യമായി ചേര്‍ത്തുവച്ച എഡിറ്റര്‍ ഷമീര്‍ മുഹമ്മദിന്റെ കൂടിയാണ് ഈ ചിത്രം.

• Malikappuram Malikappuramtest -->
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• ENGLISH HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA BENGALI  

Malikappuram Malayalam Movie

Malikappuram is a small, enchanting film about a girl named Kalyani (Deva Nandha) with an intense desire to see Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala Temple. For years, Kalyani's father Ajayan (Saiju Kurup) has been promising her that he would take her to the Ayyappa temple, but something holds him back. Despite mounting debt and a bank loan due, Ajayan finally decides to live up to his promise to his daughter, but fate has other plans for them. By the time the girl reaches puberty, it will be too late, as the state laws prohibit entry to the temple for women aged between 10 and 50 years.

There has been some controversy regarding the Supreme Court verdict that allowed females of all ages to enter the temple. This verdict faced a lot of opposition from multiple factions of society, who believed that it would affect Ayyappa's celibacy. Soon, the Travancore Devaswom Board and the state government changed their position on Sabarimala entry. The movie mentions these issues in passing only.

Director Vishnu Sasi Sankar and writer Abhilash Pillai do not explore the politics behind Sabarimala Temple. They are only interested in exploring the human aspects of the story. They establish a small yet strong relationship between the father and daughter so early in the film, and it acts as the emotional core of the film.

There is a side plot involving child kidnappers that does not go well with the overall content. At a couple of points in the film, we feel that things are going south when the makers focus on the side track. However, whenever things threaten to go off the rails, the film focuses back on the relationship between the girl and her father, which is where it works best.

It is usually not easy to make a film with a girl at the heart of the story, and it is also uncommon. But the makers of Malikappuram succeed in mining heartfelt emotions out of this simple material. At no point does it feel like our emotional buttons are being pushed. Malikappuram is an appropriate title for the film because goddess Maalikapurathamma is enshrined at the Ayyappa temple. Lord Ayyappa devotees will adore this film, whereas non-bhakts can still enjoy its father-daughter content.

The cast is endearing. Deva Nandha is wonderful as little Kalyani, and she performs the emotional scenes with surprising depth. Sreepath stays confident throughout and offers some comic relief. Saiju Kurup is wonderful, especially in some of the scenes with the girl. Unni Mukundan may not have a lot to do, but he is charming and has a good rapport with the kids. Even Ramesh Pisharody is good in the emotional scenes.

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Malikappuram is a Malayalam movie released on 30 Dec, 2022. The movie is directed by Vishnu Sasi Shankar and featured Unni Mukundan, Saiju Kurup, Manoj K. Jayan and Ramesh Pisharody as lead characters. Other popular actor who was roped in for Malikappuram is Renji Panicker.

Malikappuram Movie Review: Kids' movie on faith

• Times of India

Malikapuram - Official Trailer

Malikappuram - Official Tamil Trailer

Malikappuram - Official Telugu Trailer

Malikappuram | Song - Ganapathi Thunayaruluka

Malikappuram | Song - Nangelipoove

Malikappuram | Song - Harivarasanam

Malikappuram | Song - Onnam Padi

Malikappuram | Song - Ambadi Thumbi

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Singhaniya Pratap 16 280 days ago

Movie Bahut Badhiya Hain Sachin Kahani Pr Adharit Hain Yeh Film Dil ko chhu Gaya next level ka movie hai bahut achcha Laga Hai veri happy Aisa Hi movie Banna chahie hamare Desh Mein

Prashant Kadam 914 326 days ago

mind blowing film

Sanjay Kumar 413 days ago

U p r 46935 419 days ago.

fantastic in all respects : story, script, acting, photography, and above all, perfect Direction

Rehan Panhalker 419 days ago

I seeing this movie good story and there characters are very important things to complete this movie nice movie

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• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor. Share
• This film marks the first collaboration of uncle-nephew duo Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Arjun is the son of Anil’s brother Boney Kapoor.
• This is the second time Arjun Kapoor is playing a double role, the first being Aurangzeb (2013).
• The song ‘Yamma yamma’ from ‘Shaan’ is sampled in the song ‘Partywali Night' for the film.

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Malikappuram (2022)

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Home » Reviews » Malayalam Movie Reviews

Malikappuram Movie Review: Unni Mukundan With His Adorable Screen Presence Makes This Story About Faith & Hope A Decent Watch

The exploration of faith and the test of it is a very tough subject in cinema & malikappuram does that pretty well.

Star Cast: Unni Mukundan, Devinandha, Sreepath, Saiju Kurup, and ensemble.

Director: Vishnu Sasi Shankar.

What’s Good: An adorable Unni Mukundan uses his cuteness to create a character lovable and partly mysterious.

What’s Bad: The film takes too long to reach the main point and that feels dragged. Also it doesn’t create the mystery entirely around Unni’s Character like it should.

Loo Break: Not when Unni Mukundan is on screen. Also, there is nothing so bad that you will want to take it. But if nature calls, answer it in the first half.

Watch or Not?: If a story about keeping the faith alive and living with the hope that motivates you is your thing, you will enjoy this story.

Language: Malayalam (with subtitles on selected screens)

Available on: In Theatres Near You!

Runtime: 120 Minutes.

An eight-year-old girl, Kalyani (Devinandha), wishes to visit the Sabarimala temple to meet her dear lord Ayyappan. But her father keeps pushing the plan until one day he agrees. But fate takes a bad turn and the dream shatters. Kalyani with her friend Unni decides to take that trip to Sabarimala and there she finds her redemption.

Malikappuram Movie Review: Script Analysis

The exploration of faith and the test of it is a very tough subject in cinema. There are two ends, one where you question it (not recommended in the times we are in politically, pun intended) and another where you dive into the emotions of it. Malikappuram is a story that finds itself on the latter. It talks about a girl who is fuelled by her pure faith regardless of whether she will meet her deity or not.

Malikappuram means the girl who is taking the holy trip to Sabarimala for the first time. In the case of Kalyani or Kallu as she is fondly addressed, this trip has been delayed forever. Writer Abhilash Pillai credited for story, screenplay and dialogue writes the movie with an intent to cater to children. To make them feel that faith in anything is never irrelevant even with modernization and the culture where the environment questions everything. For Kallu the faith is in Ayyappan, but it is never about demanding something but just to go see him one day. There is purity in her wish and the writing sticks to that with complete conviction.

Set in a small village with its own set of politics including that of the existence of Brahmins and the others who are non-vegetarians (the movie doesn’t delve deeper into the divide than food, thus the term), Malikappuram takes a very long time to set the base. We are told that Kallu with her friend Sreepath from a different community wishes to go to Sabarimala. But between her wanting to visit to the point she sets on the journey a very long chunk is used quite unnecessarily in parts to set the trigger that leads her to take the drastic step of leaving alone. This kind of dilutes the entire plot.

But credits to Pillai, Shankar and the team that they pace up in second half and create a movie that starts entertaining. I love how they imagine a god-sent man in Unni Mukundan and never make him the god literally barring one scene where he summersaults, cartwheels and shoots arrows. The best thing about it is that while it is God-like, the script and visuals never turn him into the stereotypical god-looking character. Rather they twist his arc such that you are made to reconsider your entire understanding of the film.

While made for children, the movie is also being consumed by adults, the makers slightly forget that point and don’t dive deeper into the subjects about their main plot other than charging the entire vehicle emotionally.

Malikappuram Movie Review: Star Performance

Unni Mukundan has an adorable screen presence in Malikappuram. The actor plays a mysterious part that has to be human and divine at the same time. He becomes an ideal choice because he pulls off everything given to him with ease. He is good at action, chemistry with the kids and just being happy.

Devinandha is amazing as Kalyani. For her age she emotes the emotions so effortlessly and it never looks like she is being directed by a filmmaker. Everything about the part comes out naturally from her. So does for Sreepath, who brings humour and cuteness both the screen.

Malikappuram Movie Review: Direction, Music

Director Vishnu Sasi Shankar manages to translate the material on the screen well. While his approach is close to staple in the first half, he finds his hook in the second. The filmmaker uses his DOP Vishnu Narayanan’s clever camera work creates frames that are beautiful and very catchy. When they move to the forest, the entire vibe elevate. The way Shankar shows the 18 step climb at the temple, it has to be the most touching part of the narrative.

Ranjin Raj’s music is appropriate for the movie because it navigates you through the film and tells you how to feel about it without going over the top.

Malikappuram Movie Review: The Last Word

Malikappuram is harmless and a feel good movie. Watch it for the acting performance.

Malikappuram Trailer

Malikappuram releases on 30 December, 2022.

Share with us your experience of watching Malikappuram.

For more, read our Yashoda Movie Review here.

Must Read: Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey Movie Review: Darshana Rajendran Blazingly Kicks Misogyny & Patriarchy In The Gut; A Clever Comedy With A Cause

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Unni Mukundan's Malikappuram Tamil trailer out 

Malikappuram starring Unni Mukundan in the lead role was released in Malayalam on December 30 last year. The film marked the directorial debut of Vishnu Sasi Shankar, the son of the late filmmaker Sasi Sankar (Kunjikoonan, Mr Butler). While the film has done well in Malayalam, it is all set to be released in Tamil now. Ahead of the film's release, the makers have released the Tamil trailer of the film.

Malikappuram , as the title implies, has a female Sabarimala devotee as the protagonist. From the trailer, we learn that the film revolves around an 8-year-old girl Kalyani who regards Ayyappan as a superhero. Devanandha plays the titular protagonist, who pursues a longtime dream of visiting Sabarimala. Unni Mukunadan's character is a saviour of sorts who she meets during her journey to the holy shrine.

According to the makers, Malikappuram is a family drama with some fantasy elements. The film was scripted by Abhilash Pillai, who penned Pathaam Valavu , Night Drive , and the Tamil film Cadaver .

Saiju Kurup, TG Ravi, Manoj K Jayan, Ramesh Pisharody, Sampath Ram, Sripath, and Alfie Panjikaran are also part of the cast. Vishnu Narayanan is behind the camera. Ranjin Raj is handling the music and edits are done by director Vishnu Sasi Shankar himself.

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Review: You Don't Know You Needed To Watch 'Malikappuram'. . . Until You See It

Aravindan Neelakandan

Jan 05, 2023, 06:15 PM | Updated 06:15 PM IST

Save & read from anywhere!

Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app .

• At a time when Hindu culture is becoming increasingly invisible in Malayalam cinema, this film is a reminder and celebration of a child's bond with Ayyappa Swami.

How are our Gods and Goddesses different from the super heroes we meet in comic books and in superhero films?

The answer is that our relationship with our Gods is at once protective emotionally as well as deeply transcendental.

'Superman' can be great entertainment and can even impart values derived from American collective consciousness. But he does not have the capacity to grow with a child, inside the being of the child and then guide him through values that are not society-derived but are primordial and eternal.

Only a Hanuman can do that. Because Hanuman inhabits a spiritual and civilisational universe, while Superman is an inhabitant of a fictional and a commercial world.

For a Hindu child, the Deity is super hero and beyond. That is a dimension that has not been explored so far – the bond that develops between a child and a Hindu Deity.

Malikkapuram , written by Abhilash Pillai and directed by Vishnu Sasi Sankar, explores exactly that dimension. In this case, the bonding is between an eight-years-old girl, Kalyani (Deva Nandha) and Ayyappa Swami.

Ayyappan, by all accounts, seems to be a historical yogic-warrior who resonated so deeply with Sastha that he became embodied in that transcendental and all-encompassing Advaitic truth of ‘Tat Tvam Asi’.

The movie starts with a short but effective acknowledgement of the historical roots of Ayyappan.

The girl has two strong bonds in her life– one this-worldly and the other, the transcendental. The two bonds of love intertwine beautifully in the story. But outside, the world is filled with loan sharks and child traffickers.

A traumatic incident occurs and her bond with Ayyappan turns into Bhakti. The child is shown as gifted with regards to her drawing skills, which in turn bring out images from her deep self: that of a superhero who transforms into Ayyappa Swami.

Unni Mukundan plays his role marvellously. Combining masculine fierceness with parental grace that can charm a child is not easy.

The fight scenes are well choreographed and have a charm rarely seen.

Qualitatively different, both in style and context, from the Kantara climax, the climax of Manikappuram exhibits a deeper connectivity.

The movie also shows a granny – Muthaachi as they call her in Malayalam. The Grandma element is slowly disappearing from both our family and popular culture. Her importance can never be overemphasised.

This movie shows what we are slowly losing even without being aware of it - the lap of a grandmother where we rest our heads as she tells us stories from the Puranas. Unfortunately, television serials have transformed the grandmother who enjoys Vanaprastha in home itself into a grumpy mother-in-law.

This movie shows a glimpse of that grandmother who is the primal root of culture and spirituality in a household.

With extraordinary acting, if it can be called that, the girl brings out what Bhakti is to the audience and not a single pair of eyes among the audience was without the mist of tears swelling up. The girl became Bhakti-Bhava itself.

The mischievous boy who gets himself drawn into the sacred pilgrimage because of his assumed responsibility for the girl has also transformed into the very character.

The storyline contrasts two worlds in the movie. One is the world made of all good-hearted people with an ambience of a divine culture that animates it. Then, simultaneously, there exists a cruel world that is made of arrogance, greed and sadism.

These worlds cross each other, resulting in suffering. At the centre of this clash of worlds, the movie places the tender Bhakti of Kalyani for Swami Ayyappan.

The movie is a visual treat as well. The music is soothing, and flows with the story.

In the fight scenes, and even otherwise, the girl projects onto a mysterious character all the attributes that she associates with Ayyapa Swami. In that luminal dimension between the supernatural and the natural, the Bhakti of the girl leaves an indelible mark on reality for all concerned.

This is a 'family entertainment' movie, a feel-good film and a movie that fills a void in us. If you miss it then you are missing the beginning of a phenomenon.

Kerala for quite sometime has been de-Hinduising itself in its movies. It has been a very worrisome development for the observers of Kerala cinema. The actors themselves may be Hindus but the characters and story of many a Malayalam film would not contain a single Hindu character.

It is at such a time that a film like this explodes onto the Malayali popular culture, bringing out strong images of the collective unconscious of Kerala that has always been Hindu.

Often, the Western and Westernised observers of Hindu society have written critically about ‘masculine’ Hinduism. Hindu Gods have suddenly become aggressive, muscular etc. This movie shows the muscular Hindu Deities – Shiva, Vishnu and Ganesha, and then, shows the Bhakti of the child in comfortable juxtaposition.

To the eight-year-old girl, the armed and muscular Hindu Deities are protectors. This is the living Hindu experience.

The movie also highlights Petta thulal – a ritual dance Ayyappan pilgrims enact. It is 'tribal'. All pilgrims are spiritually Ayyappan – the same Brahman and all pilgrims become tribal.

All social differences and superficial cultural differences are obliterated. There is no ' sanskritisation' or de-sanskritisation here. All cultural components unite in the grand dance of unity in diversity.

The reviewer remembers one of the earliest Ayyappan movies that became a cult classic across the languages – ‘Swami Aiyyappan’ (1975). The movie’s special effects were a dud even for 1970s standards of even Tamil cinema. Yet it became a cult classic.

Its songs became quite famous and they reverberate even today during ‘Kattu’ or the start and continuation of the sacred fasting for the Sabarimala pilgrimage.

Tamil Version of Title Song: Swami Ayyappan

The title song is a classic and it incorporated in it that grand statement of the Advaitic seer from Kerala– Sri Narayana Guru: Oru Jaathi Oru Matham Oru Deivam – One our Jaathi, one is our religion and one is our divine supreme.

Malayalam original Title song: Swami Ayyappan (1975)

That one is not a personal God. This movie points out. That is what every pilgrim who crosses the eighteen steps sees – along with Ayyappa – ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ .

That Mahavakya now gets highlighted in this movie.

Aravindan is a contributing editor at Swarajya.

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Home » News » Malikappuram: Unni Mukundan’s Sabarimala drama to release in Tamil and Telugu on this date »

Malikappuram: Unni Mukundan’s Sabarimala drama to release in Tamil and Telugu on this date

Malikappuram, which has Unni Mukundan essaying a character named Ayyapadas, also has Saiju Kurup

• Sanjith Sidhardhan

Last Updated: 02.00 PM, Jan 02, 2023

Debutant director Vishnu Sasi Shankar’s Malikappuram, which has Unni Mukundan, Saiju Kurup and Ramesh Pisharody, is all set to release in both Tamil and Telugu soon. The Malayalam film had hit theatres on December 30.

Scripted by Night Drive and Pathaam Valavu fame Abhilash Pillai, the film revolves around an eight-year-old girl named Kalyani, who finally decides to fulfill her promise of visiting Sabarimala, after a personal tragedy. She is joined by her neighbour and classmate Piyush on her pilgrimage. But after another nefarious figure follows the two children, a stranger steps in to help.

Also read: Malikappuram movie review: Unni Mukundan's 'divine act' is the saving grace in this timepass entertainer  

In an earlier interview with us, the film’s scriptwriter Abhilash said that the film is a proper ‘mass’ entertainer and will have one of the lengthiest fight sequences in Malayalam cinema. “It will have Unni in a ‘mass’ action role after quite some time,” he said.

Unni, who said that he will cherish his role in Malikappuram, took to his social media page on Monday to announce that the film will be releasing in Tamil and Telugu on January 6. This was expected considering that Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana form a major chunk of pilgrims in Sabarimala. The movie also aims to take the audience through the pilgrimage, while touching upon the mythology.

Child artistes Devanandha and Sripad play the pivotal characters in the film, which also has Manoj K Jayan in a cameo role along with TG Ravi, Sreejith Ravi and Abhilash. The team had shot the movie at Sabarimala and adjoining locations, and had wrapped up the shoot earlier last year.

“We had to shoot for almost 50 days and the majority of those portions were in the forests. The locations were in places where there were elephants and tigers,” said Abhilash, who had co-written the script of Amala Paul’s investigative thriller Cadaver in 2022.

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Malikappuram Review: Unni Mukundan starrer is a strict one time watch

The long awaited Malayalam film is finally in the theatres. Malikappuram cast has Unni Mukundan , Saiju Kurup etc. It has been released in more than 600+ screens worldwide.

Positive Points

• The engaging storyline keeps the viewers interested
• Good screenplay keeps the balance between beliefs and life events of characters.
• Impressive acting by Unni Mukundan is the highlight of the film
• Ranjin Raj develops apt music to match the mood of the movie

Negative Points

• Few lagging scenes slowed down the pace of the film.

Final Rating

The film brings out the life of few individuals in the backdrop of visiting Sabarimala. indiantalents.in Malikappuram movie rating is 2.5 / 5 .

• Saiju Kurup
• Unni Mukundan
• Manoj K. Jayan
• Ramesh Pisharody

Director: Vishnu Sasi Shankar

Release Date: 30 December 2022

Language: Malayalam

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