Yathra

2021-07-17T18:06:17Z

2405:201:D016:F841:3C88:EB2:E6EB:E369:

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{more footnotes|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Yathra
| image = Yathra.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = [[Balu Mahendra]]
| producer = Joseph Abraham
| screenplay = Balu Mahendra
| narrator =
| story = [[John Paul Puthusery|John Paul]]
| based_on =
| starring = [[Mammootty]]<br/>[[Shobana]]
| music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]]
| cinematography = [[Balu Mahendra]]
| editing = D. Vasu
| studio = Prakkattu Films
| released = {{Film date|1985|09|20|df=y}}
| runtime =
| country = India
| language = Malayalam
}}

'''''Yathra''''' ({{trans|''The Journey''}}) is a 1985 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language film directed by [[Balu Mahendra]]. It was remade by Balu Mahendra himself in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] as ''[[Nireekshana]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shedde|first=Meenakshi|title=Risking life and liberty|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/meenakshi-shedde-looks-at-how-filmmakers-responded-to-the-emergency-with-hardhitting-cinema/article7429522.ece|access-date=14 July 2018|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=18 July 2015}}</ref> Yatra stars [[Mammootty]] and [[Shobana]] in the lead. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=1682|title=Yaathra|access-date=2014-10-21|publisher=www.malayalachalachithram.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://malayalasangeetham.info/a.php?8100|title=Yaathra|access-date=2014-10-21|publisher=malayalasangeetham.info}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://spicyonion.com/title/yaathra-malayalam-movie/|title=Yaathra|access-date=2014-10-21|publisher=spicyonion.com}}</ref>

''Yathra'' tells a fictional story but is built upon the human rights violations by the police and the prison authorities in India during [[The Emergency (India)|the nationwide emergency of 1975-1977]], when the fundamental rights of the citizens were suspended. It is an adaptation of the 1977 Japanese classic [[The Yellow Handkerchief (1977 film)|''The Yellow Handkerchief'']].

==Plot==
The story unfolds as Unnikrishnan ([[Mammootty]]), a convict, now free from jail, tells his tragic love story to his fellow passengers in a school bus. An orphan and a forest officer by profession, he falls in love with a local woman, Thulasi, during his stay at a forest area. They decided to get married, and he sets off to tell his best friend about his plans.

On his way back, the police arrest him as a suspected criminal, who looks similar to Unnikrishnan. There he accidentally kills a policeman and gets life imprisonment. During his early days at jail, he writes a letter to Thulasi asking her to forget him. When his prison term was about to complete, he writes a letter to see if she waits for him. After long years of torment in the jail he goes to meet Thulasi. Does she still wait for him? That's the question of his fellow passengers, too.
At the end, she does wait for him, and welcomes him with lamps, and a face, wet with tears of joy, and sadness, together.
Thus, the film ends off happily, with everyone shedding tears of joy.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
*[[Mammootty]] as Unnikrishnan
*[[Shobhana]] as Thulasi (Voice By [[Bhagyalakshmi]])
*[[Adoor Bhasi]] as Father
*[[Thilakan]] as Jailer
*Nahas
*Sunny
* [[Achankunju]]
*[[Kunchan (actor)|Kunchan]]
*[[Azeez (actor)|Azeez]] as SI
*[[Alummoodan]]
*[[K. P. A. C. Sunny]]
*[[T. R. Omana]]
*[[Anju (actress)|Anju]]
*Manohar
*P. R. Menon
*Baby Preethi
*K. R. Savithri
*[[Mounika (actress)|Mounika]]
*Master Vimala
{{colend}}

==Release==
The film was released on 20 September 1985.

===Box office===
The film was commercial success and highest grossing Malayalam film of the year 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/19860115-new-icons-of-kerala-movie-industry-zap-jaded-demigod-prem-nazir-800494-1986-01-15|title=New icons of Kerala's thriving movie industry zap jaded demigod Prem Nazir|work=[[India Today]]|date=15 January 1986}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/shobana-to-work-with-mohanlal-and-mammootty-again-heres-what-the-actress-says/amp_articleshow/75712576.cms|title=Shobana to work with Mohanlal and Mammootty again? Here’s what the actress says|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=13 May 2020}}</ref>

==Awards==
[[Mammootty]] won the [[Kerala State Film Award – Special Jury Award]] in 1985 and [[Balu Mahendra]] won Best Director at [[Filmfare Awards South]]. It also won the [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2016/6-movies-of-john-paul-which-prove-that-he-is-a-master-writer-228599.html|title=6 Movies Of John Paul Which Prove That He Is A Master Writer!|work=[[Oneindia]]|date=2 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/balu-mahendra-a-fascinating-journey-in-filmdom/article5685446.ece|title=Balu Mahendra: A fascinating journey in filmdom|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=15 February 2014}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
The music was composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]] and the lyrics were written by [[P. Bhaskaran]] and [[O. N. V. Kurup]]. The song "Thanannam Thannanam" is inspired by "[[My Favorite Things (song)|My Favorite Things]]" from the 1959 [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]] musical ''[[The Sound of Music]]''.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! No. !! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length (m:ss)
|-
| 1 || "Kunnathoru Kaavundu" (resung song from ''[[Asuravithu (1968 film)|Asuravithu'']]) || Cochin Alex || [[P. Bhaskaran]] ||
|-
| 2 || "Thannannam Thaanannam" || [[K. J. Yesudas]], [[Ambili]], Chorus, Antony, Anna Sangeetha || [[O. N. V. Kurup]] ||
|-
| 3 || "Yamune Ninnude" || [[S. Janaki]], Chorus || O. N. V. Kurup ||
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{imdb title|0235891|Yathra}}

{{Balu Mahendra}}

[[Category:1985 films]]
[[Category:1980s Malayalam-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Balu Mahendra]]
[[Category:Malayalam remakes of Telugu films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]]
[[Category:1985 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Indian romantic drama films]]

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