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{{Infobox film
| name = Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha
| image = Paleri Manikyam.jpg
| caption = theatrical release poster
| director = [[Ranjith (director)|Ranjith]]
| producer = [[A.V.Anoop]] [[Maha Subair]]
| screenplay = [[Ranjith (director)|Ranjith]]
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (novel)|Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha]]''|[[T. P. Rajeevan]]}}
| narrator =
| starring = [[Mammootty]] [[Mythili]] [[Shwetha Menon]] [[Sreenivasan]] [[Gowri Munjal]]
| music = [[Sharreth]] [[Bijibal]]
| cinematography = Manoj Pillai
| editing = Vijay Sankar
| studio = [[AVA Productions]]
| distributor = Varnachithra Big Screen
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2009|12|5}}
| runtime = 155 minutes
| country = India
| language = Malayalam
| budget = 
| gross = 
}}

'''''Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha''''' ({{translation|Manikyam of Paleri: A Midnight Murder Story}}) is a 2009 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language [[mystery film]] written and directed by [[Ranjith (director)|Ranjith]], starring [[Mammootty]], [[Shwetha Menon]] and [[Mythili]]. It is based on the [[Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (novel)|novel of the same name]] by [[T. P. Rajeevan]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.deepika.com/Archives/CAT2_sub.asp?ccode=CAT2&hcode=104143|title=വായനകുറയുന്നു: പുസ്തകക്കച്ചവടം കൂടുന്നു|work=Deepika|access-date=17 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928141531/http://www.deepika.com/Archives/CAT2_sub.asp?ccode=CAT2&hcode=104143|archive-date=28 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article59427.ece|title=Unveiling a mystery|date=3 December 2009|work=The Hindu |access-date=14 December 2009}}</ref> which said the true story of the first recorded murder case in Kerala.<ref name="interview">{{cite web|url=http://vibetalkies.com/blog/swetha-menon-interview-paleri-manikyam-special/|title=Swetha Menon Interview – Paleri Manikyam Special|publisher=Vibetalkies.com|access-date=6 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029031037/http://vibetalkies.com/blog/swetha-menon-interview-paleri-manikyam-special/|archive-date=29 October 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mammooty plays three characters in the film. The film was Mythili's debut in cinema. Ranjith also introduced about thirty Malayalam stage artists through this film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://movies.rediff.com/report/2009/oct/06/south-mammootty-in-paleri-manikyam.htm|title=First Look: Mammootty in Paleri Manikyam|date= 6 October 2009|publisher=[[Rediff]]}}</ref><ref name="stageartists">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/12/18/stories/2009121851060200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629035135/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/12/18/stories/2009121851060200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2011|title=The gems of 'Paleri Manikyam...'|author=P. K. Ajith Kumar|access-date=18 December 2009|location=Chennai, India|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=18 December 2009}}</ref> The film tells the story of a private detective, who returns to his birthplace, a village called Paleri, to solve a murder mystery that occurred on the same night he was born. Upon the release of the movie, it got an 'A' certificate due to its violent and adult content.

The film won four [[Kerala State Film Awards]] including the [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Film|Best Film Award]]. [[Mammootty]] won his fifth [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor]] for playing three roles Ahmed Haji, Haridas, and Khalid Ahmed in this movie. [[Shweta Menon]] also won her first [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress]] for this film.

==Plot==
The story revolves around the unnatural death of a young woman named Manikyam ([[Mythili]]) in Paleri, a small village in northern Kerala, in the late 1950s. Although it was claimed by her in-laws that she died after she had a seizure, examination of the body revealed it to be a case of murder and rape. The police charged three locals with the murder, only to be released by the court which described the prosecution's case as flawed. With no further investigation, the case had, since then, gone cold over the years, eventually acquiring the status of an unsolved mystery.

Around 52 years later, Haridas ([[Mammootty]]), a detective living in New Delhi, sets out on a journey to Paleri hoping to solve this mystery. Apparently, he was born in the same village on the same night when Manikyam was killed. He is joined by Sarayu ([[Gowri Munjal]]), a crime analyst.

Most of the clues and knowledge of Balan Nair ([[Siddique (actor)|Siddique]]) and Keshavan ([[Sreenivasan]]) lead him to zero in on Ahmed Haji (Again Mammootty), a cruel feudal landlord who lived in Paleri during that period. It was obvious why his name did not figure in police reports from that era; he was so powerful and influential in Paleri at that time. Slowly, as things become clear, Haridas deduces that the murderer is Khalid Ahmed (Again Mammootty), Haji's first wife's eldest son.

==Cast==
[[Mammootty]] plays three roles in the film, namely
# Haridas, a private detective in New Delhi
# Murikkinkunnath Ahmed Haaji, a wicked feudal landlord of ancient Paleri who had a dangerous sex drive
# Khalid Ahmed, an elderly scholar who is Haji's eldest son
* [[Mythili]] as Manikyam
* [[Shweta Menon]] as Cheeru
* [[Gowri Munjal]] as Sarayu
* [[Sreenivasan]] as Keshavan
*[[Musthafa]] as young Keshavan
* [[Siddique (actor)|Siddique]] as Balan, a present-day native
* Vijayan V. Nair as Velayudhan
* [[T. Damodaran]] as K. P. Hamsa
* [[Suresh Krishna (actor)|Suresh Krishna]] as DySP Y. Madhavan
* [[Sasi Kalinga]] as DySP Mohandas Manalath, the old day cop
* Sreejith as Pokkan
* [[T. A. Razzaq]] as a Ghazal Singer (Guest appearance)

==Production==
The novel, titled ''[[Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (novel)|Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha]]'' itself, was written by director Ranjith's friend [[T. P. Rajeevan]] and was published in the ''[[Mathrubhumi Weekly]]'' a year before onwards. The novel was based on the true story of Manikyam, who was raped and murdered in the early 1950s. According to Rajeevan as well as the film crew, this was the first recorded crime in Kerala.<ref name="interview" /> Ranjith was amazed by the story and bought the rights from Rajeevan. Before getting the rights, he had discussed the story with actor Mammootty, who was optimistic about the film. They began the project by mid 2009 and most of the filming occurred on the hill side villages of [[Kozhikode]].

The film was produced by A.V.Anoop in the banner of A. V. Productions and [[Maha Subair]] in the banner of Varnachithra Big Screen. It was distributed by Varnachithra Bigscreen Release.

===Casting===
The original cast included [[Mammootty]] to play all the three lead roles. Ranjith cast [[Shwetha Menon]] as Cheeru, an important character that required the potential of such an experienced actor. Ranjith introduced television anchor and model [[Mythili]], who played the central character Manikyam in the film. [[Dhanya Mary Varghese]] was also approached for this role but she instantly rejected.<ref>Athira M. (6 January 2012). [http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article2780625.ece "Adieu to arc lights"]. ''[[The Hindu]]''. Retrieved 10 January 2012.</ref> Noted South Indian actress [[Gowri Munjal]] played the role of an associate and love of Haridas Ahmed, one of the characters played by Mammootty. Noted screenwriter [[T. Damodaran]] also played an important role in the film.

Ranjith, who is an alumnus of School of Drama, [Thrissur], also incorporated thirty experienced stage actors of Malayalam drama in this film. They were selected from five hundred odd theatre actors who auditioned for the film in Kozhikode. Actor Murali Menon was the casting director. Among the thirty two selected, Sreejith, Vijayan V. Nair and Musthafa were three who played major roles in the film. Sreejith, an amateur actor at Kaiveli, Kozhikode, who became famous through a reality show, played Pokkan, the husband of Manikyam and a lunatic. Musthafa played younger Keshavan, a character enacted by veteran [[Sreenivasan]] in the later stages. He was one of the finalists of a reality show telecast on [[Amrita TV]], of which Ranjith was a judge. Vijayan V. Nair, played Velayudhan, henchman of Ahmed Haji, another character played by Mammootty. Though he has acted in telefilms and tele serials, this was his debut as an actor. "I had cast Vijayan as Velayudhan long ago. Murali Menon, who had groomed the theatre actors at the workshop, had told me about him some time ago. I was confident that he would be ideal for the powerful character of Velayudhan," says Ranjith, who is delighted that he has been able to give Malayalam cinema some exciting new talents.<ref name="stageartists" />

===Music===
The original score of the film was composed and co-orchestrated by [[Bijibal]] while the songs were composed by [[Sharreth]], Ranjith's previous collaborator in ''[[Thirakkatha]]''. The score as well as the songs received notably mixed responses.<ref name="rediff review" /> However, the main theme song enjoyed the status of a chartbuster, thanks for the well received plot of the movie. The main theme song, "Paaleri Naadaya" was sung by Bijibal and another track "Thum Jho mujh mein ho" was by Hariharan and Sharreth. The latter was a [[ghazal]] kind of composition and was picturised in the movie. The theme song was picturised as a background song / montage shot. The lyrics were penned by Rafeeq Ahmed.

==Release==
The film was released on 5 December 2009. It opened in forty centres in Kerala, which is half the number of usual superstar releases.<ref>http://varnachitram.com/2009/12/06/review-roundup-paleri-manikyam/</ref> It was also screened at the [[International Film Festival of India]] that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article837968.ece|title=Malayalam film makers plan alternative screening outside IFFI venues|author=Soyesh H. Rawther|work=The Hindu |access-date=19 October 2010}}</ref>

==Reception==
Nowrunning is all praise for the film and comments that "Ranjith's Manickyam is a rarity of a film that exceeds expectations and offers a psychedelic high for the viewer. There would be no surprise if it ignites some sort of a controversy for the boldness that it displays. For the discerning viewer though, this might perhaps be one of the best films to have come out this year."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nowrunning.com/movie/7074/malayalam/paleri-manikyam/2421/review.htm|title=Nowrunning Review|publisher=[[Nowrunning]]}}</ref> A review on ''[[Rediff.com]]'' commented that "Very rarely does a film satisfy our expectations. But director Ranjith's latest Malayalam film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha does. The film is near perfect with minor ignorable blemishes."<ref name="rediff review">{{cite web|url=http://movies.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/07/south-review-paleri-manikyam.htm|title=Paleri Manikyam is near perfect|publisher=[[Rediff]]|access-date=7 December 2009}}</ref> ''[[Sify]]'' called the movie "one of the finest films in Malayalam history" and commented that "Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Kadha is one film that will haunt you days after you've left the theatres. It's a gem that comes not too often and the least you can do to appreciate it is to watch it at the cinemas, at the earliest!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/movies/malayalam/review.php?id=14922507&ctid=5&cid=2428|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091210195930/http://sify.com/movies/malayalam/review.php?id=14922507&ctid=5&cid=2428|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-12-10|title=Sify Review|publisher=[[Sify]]}}</ref>

==Awards==
;Kerala State Film Awards
* [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Film|Best Film]] – A.V.Anoop and Maha Subair
* [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] – [[Mammootty]]
* [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] – [[Shweta Menon]]
* [[Kerala State Film Award for Best Makeup Artist|Best Makeup Artist]] – Ranjith Ambadi, George (Mammootty)

;Asianet Film Awards
* [[Asianet Film Awards|Best Director]] – [[Ranjith (director)|Ranjith]]
* [[Asianet Film Awards|Millennium Actor]] – [[Mammootty]]
* [[Asianet Film Awards|Best Supporting Actor- Female]] – [[Swetha Menon]]

;[[Vanitha]] Film Awards<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralatv.in/2010/02/vanitha-film-awards-2009-announced/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=6 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314185108/http://www.keralatv.in/2010/02/vanitha-film-awards-2009-announced/ |archive-date=14 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Best Director – [[Ranjith (director)|Ranjith]]
* Best Actor – [[Mammootty]]
* Best Supporting Actress – [[Shweta Menon]]

;[[Surya TV|Surya]] Film Awards<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/23/stories/2010092350590200.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928105823/http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/23/stories/2010092350590200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 September 2010 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Surya TV film awards announced | date=23 September 2010}}</ref>
* Best Actor – [[Mammootty]]
* Best Actress – [[Shweta Menon]]
* Best Background Score – [[Bijibal]]
* Best Make-up – George

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|1573478|Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha}}

{{KeralaStateFilmAwardBestFilm}}

[[Category:2000s Malayalam-language films]]
[[Category:Films based on Indian novels]]
[[Category:2000s crime films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian crime films]]
[[Category:Indian mystery films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Ranjith]]
[[Category:Films shot in Kozhikode]]
[[Category:2000s mystery films]]

Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (film) - Revision history

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