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| alt = | | alt = | ||
| caption = | | caption = | ||
| director = [[Ali Akbar (director)|Ali Akbar]] | | director = [[Ramasimhan (director)|Ramasimhan]] aka [[Ali Akbar (director)|Ali Akbar]] | ||
| producer = {{ubl|Mummy Century|Shameer Thukalil}} | | producer = {{ubl|Mummy Century|Shameer Thukalil}} | ||
| screenplay = [[Benny P. Nayarambalam]] | | screenplay = [[Benny P. Nayarambalam]] | ||
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| studio = M & S Productions | | studio = M & S Productions | ||
| distributor = {{ubl|[[Kokers Films]]|Anupama Release|Evershine Release}} | | distributor = {{ubl|[[Kokers Films]]|Anupama Release|Evershine Release}} | ||
| released = {{ | | released = {{Film date|1997|10|01|df=yes}} | ||
| runtime = | | runtime = | ||
| country = India | | country = India | ||
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| gross = | | gross = | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Junior Mandrake''''' is a 1997 | '''''Junior Mandrake''''' is a 1997 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language [[comedy film]] directed by Ramasimhan aka [[Ali Akbar (director)|Ali Akbar]] and written by [[Benny P. Nayarambalam]] from a story by Arun Kudamaloor. The plot revolves around the carriers of a mysterious [[Bust (sculpture)|bust]] named Junior [[Mandrake]], which is believed to bring misfortune to those who possess it. The film stars [[Jagadish]], [[Jagathy Sreekumar]], [[Rajan P. Dev]] and [[Janardhanan (actor)|Janardhanan]]. The music was provided by the [[Berny-Ignatius]] duo. The bust used in the movie eventually became a mainstay in [[Malayali]] Pop culture and the word "junior mandrake" has become synonymous with misfortune .<ref>{{Cite web|title=പിണറായി വിജയൻ യഥാർത്ഥ ജൂനിയർ മാൻഡ്രേക്ക് എന്ന് വീണ്ടും സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയ{{!}}CM Pinarayi Vijjayan{{!}}junior mandrake{{!}}kerala crictet team|url=https://www.eastcoastdaily.com/2021/01/15/pinarayi-vijayan-is-the-real-junior-mandrake-on-social-media-again.html|access-date=2021-07-03|website=East Coast Daily Malayalam|date=15 January 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=ലേഖകൻ|first=മാധ്യമം|title=There is no answer to the 'Junior Mandrake' joke; that's not the culture of Pala," said Jose K. Mani|url=https://www.madhyamam.com/kerala/junior-mandrake-is-no-answer-to-ridicule-jose-k-mani-says-that-is-not-the-culture-of-pala-769185|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Madhyamam|date=16 February 2021 |language=ml}}</ref> In 2010, a sequel titled ''[[Senior Mandrake]]'' was released. | ||
== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
{{more plot|date=April 2020}} | {{more plot|date=April 2020}} | ||
Nambiar is a [[building contractor]], | Nambiar is a [[building contractor]] and a staunch atheist, who even named his company ''Nireeswara Constructions''. However, he is plagued by many problems in his contracting business, particularly due to the conspiracies plotted by his competitor, Shankara Pillai. Compelled by his wife Sudharma, who is devoted to God, and his sons, Pradeep and Sandeep, Nambiar consents to consult an astrologer Thanku Panicker to find if there is any supernatural cause behind their problems. Panicker ascertains that there is an evil spirit residing in the [[Bust (sculpture)|bust]] of Junior Mandrake kept in their house. | ||
Actually, Nambiar had been entrusted to handover this bust to someone in the airport when he returned from | Actually, Nambiar had been entrusted to handover this bust to someone in the airport when he returned from Singapore, but no one showed up to receive it. Panicker prescribes the evil spirit can be got rid of only by presenting the bust to someone who may receive it "with pleasure", who in turn will be taken over by the evil spirit. Nambiar manages to present this bust to his adversary, Pillai, on his birthday party. Panicker is apparently proven right as the misfortune of Nambiar is now shifted to Pillai, starting with coconut falling on Pillai's new car, breaking its window, and also turning Nambiar into an ardent believer in God in the process. | ||
Pillai | Pillai soon learns about this and tries to get rid of the bust by several ways and finally manages to gift it to "Patti" Menon, the father-in-law of Nambiar. The bust makes various journeys back and forth, finally ending up with Omanakuttan, driver of Menon. Omanakuttan accidentally discovers that there is a bundle of [[precious stone]]s hidden inside the bust. He takes some stones with him, and keeps the rest over the roof of his rented house. | ||
By the time he came back as a wealthy man the house had been rented out by the owner as a police station. Omanakuttan tries to retrieve the remaining treasure from the roof by various means, several of these failed attempts prompts the police to believe that Omanakuttan is insane, he is forcefully confined in a mental hospital. During his time at the hospital, there is a series of jokers. At the same time, the actual owner of the bust, Junior Mandrake, a [[crime boss]] in whose shape the bust was made, who was so far in jail in Singapore, is now out searching for it. | By the time he came back as a wealthy man, the house had been rented out by the owner as a police station. Omanakuttan tries to retrieve the remaining treasure from the roof by various means, several of these failed attempts prompts the police to believe that Omanakuttan is insane, he is forcefully confined in a mental hospital. During his time at the hospital, there is a series of jokers. At the same time, the actual owner of the bust, Junior Mandrake, a [[crime boss]] in whose shape the bust was made, who was so far in jail in Singapore, is now out searching for it. | ||
Mandrake tracks down all those involved with the bust—Pillai, Nambiar, Pradeep, Sandeep, Menon, and Omanakuttan. He plants a bomb on a moving school van as a decoy to keep the police station with less cops, but Pradeep manages to detach the bomb and saves the children. Mandrake ends up in police custody in his attempt to recover the treasure from the police station, and the treasure goes to the government. The story ends with Pradeep joined with the daughter of Pillai with whom he was in love. | Mandrake tracks down all those involved with the bust—Pillai, Nambiar, Pradeep, Sandeep, Menon, and Omanakuttan. He plants a bomb on a moving school van as a decoy to keep the police station with less cops, but Pradeep manages to detach the bomb and saves the children. Mandrake ends up in police custody in his attempt to recover the treasure from the police station, and the treasure goes to the government. The story ends with Pradeep joined with the daughter of Pillai with whom he was in love. | ||
== Cast == | == Cast == | ||
{{colbegin}} | |||
* [[Jagadish]] as Pradeep Nambiar | * [[Jagadish]] as Pradeep Nambiar | ||
* [[Jagathy Sreekumar]] as | * [[Jagathy Sreekumar]] as driver Omanakuttan | ||
* [[Rajan P. Dev]] as Nambiar, Pradeep's father | * [[Rajan P. Dev]] as Nambiar, Pradeep's father | ||
* [[Janardhanan (actor)|Janardhanan]] as Shankaran Pillai | * [[Janardhanan (actor)|Janardhanan]] as Shankaran Pillai / Pillaichan | ||
* [[Kalabhavan Navas]] as Sandeep Nambiar, Pradeep's younger brother | * [[Kalabhavan Navas]] as Sandeep Nambiar, Pradeep's younger brother | ||
* [[Keerthi Gopinath]] as Priya, Pillai's | * Sidharaj as Junior Mandrake | ||
* [[Keerthi Gopinath]] as Priya, Pillai's Daughter and Pradeep's love interest | |||
* [[Reena (actress)|Reena]] | * [[Reena (actress)|Reena]] as Sudharma, Pradeep's mother | ||
* [[Paravoor Bharathan]] as | * [[Paravoor Bharathan]] as 'Patti' Menon, Sudharma's father | ||
* [[M. S. Thripunithura]] as Thanku Panicker | * [[M. S. Thripunithura]] as Thanku Panicker | ||
* [[Cochin Haneefa]] as Police Inspector | * [[Cochin Haneefa]] as Police Inspector | ||
* [[Mala Aravindan]] as Maniyan Vaidhyan | * [[Mala Aravindan]] as Maniyan Vaidhyan | ||
* [[Indrans]] as Driver Gopalan | * [[Indrans]] as Driver Gopalan | ||
*[[Mamukkoya]] as Constable Abu | * [[Mamukkoya]] as Constable Abu | ||
* [[Kalpana (Malayalam actress)|Kalpana]] as Vandana, Omanakuttan's wife | |||
* [[Kalabhavan Rahman]] as Vakkachan | * [[Kalabhavan Rahman]] as Vakkachan | ||
* [[Zeenath]] as Vishalakshi/Vishalam, | * [[Zeenath]] as Vishalakshi / Vishalam, Priya's mother | ||
* | *Sreeni Njarakkal as Sadasivan, Nambiar's manager | ||
* Sagar Shiyas as | * Sagar Shiyas as mental patient | ||
{{colend}} | |||
==Production== | ==Production== | ||
| Line 73: | Line 76: | ||
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]] | | genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]] | ||
| length = 13:43 | | length = 13:43 | ||
| language = [[ | | language = [[Malayalam]] | ||
| label = Wilson Audios | | label = Wilson Audios | ||
| producer = [[Berny Ignatius]] | | producer = [[Berny Ignatius]] | ||
| Line 85: | Line 88: | ||
{{tracklist | {{tracklist | ||
| headline | | headline = Track listing | ||
| extra_column | | extra_column = Singer(s) | ||
| total_length | | total_length = 13:43 | ||
| title1 = Ellarum Pokumcho | |||
| title1 | | lyrics1 = [[O. N. V. Kurup]] | ||
| lyrics1 | | extra1 = [[K. S. Chithra]], [[K. G. Markose]] | ||
| extra1 | | length1 = 4:32 | ||
| length1 | | title2 = Konnamalar | ||
| lyrics2 = [[O. N. V. Kurup]] | |||
| title2 | | extra2 = [[K. J. Yesudas]] | ||
| lyrics2 | | length2 = 4:26 | ||
| extra2 | | title3 = Sopanam Thammil | ||
| length2 | | lyrics3 = [[O. N. V. Kurup]] | ||
| extra3 = [[Biju Narayanan]] | |||
| title3 | | length = 4:45 | ||
| lyrics3 | |||
| extra3 | |||
| length | |||
}} | }} | ||
| Line 115: | Line 115: | ||
[[Category:1997 films]] | [[Category:1997 films]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:1997 Malayalam-language films]] | ||
[[Category:Malayalam films in series|Mandrake1]] | [[Category:Malayalam films in series|Mandrake1]] | ||
[[Category:Films scored by Berny–Ignatius]] | |||
Latest revision as of 02:46, 4 March 2026
| Junior Mandrake | |
|---|---|
| Error creating thumbnail: File missing | |
| Directed by | Ramasimhan aka Ali Akbar |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Benny P. Nayarambalam |
| Story by | Arun Kudamaloor |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Berny-Ignatius |
| Cinematography | O. Lalu |
| Edited by | G. Murali |
Production company | M & S Productions |
| Distributed by |
|
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Junior Mandrake is a 1997 Indian Malayalam-language comedy film directed by Ramasimhan aka Ali Akbar and written by Benny P. Nayarambalam from a story by Arun Kudamaloor. The plot revolves around the carriers of a mysterious bust named Junior Mandrake, which is believed to bring misfortune to those who possess it. The film stars Jagadish, Jagathy Sreekumar, Rajan P. Dev and Janardhanan. The music was provided by the Berny-Ignatius duo. The bust used in the movie eventually became a mainstay in Malayali Pop culture and the word "junior mandrake" has become synonymous with misfortune .[1][2] In 2010, a sequel titled Senior Mandrake was released.
Plot[edit | edit source]
 | This article needs an improved plot summary. (April 2020) |
Nambiar is a building contractor and a staunch atheist, who even named his company Nireeswara Constructions. However, he is plagued by many problems in his contracting business, particularly due to the conspiracies plotted by his competitor, Shankara Pillai. Compelled by his wife Sudharma, who is devoted to God, and his sons, Pradeep and Sandeep, Nambiar consents to consult an astrologer Thanku Panicker to find if there is any supernatural cause behind their problems. Panicker ascertains that there is an evil spirit residing in the bust of Junior Mandrake kept in their house.
Actually, Nambiar had been entrusted to handover this bust to someone in the airport when he returned from Singapore, but no one showed up to receive it. Panicker prescribes the evil spirit can be got rid of only by presenting the bust to someone who may receive it "with pleasure", who in turn will be taken over by the evil spirit. Nambiar manages to present this bust to his adversary, Pillai, on his birthday party. Panicker is apparently proven right as the misfortune of Nambiar is now shifted to Pillai, starting with coconut falling on Pillai's new car, breaking its window, and also turning Nambiar into an ardent believer in God in the process.
Pillai soon learns about this and tries to get rid of the bust by several ways and finally manages to gift it to "Patti" Menon, the father-in-law of Nambiar. The bust makes various journeys back and forth, finally ending up with Omanakuttan, driver of Menon. Omanakuttan accidentally discovers that there is a bundle of precious stones hidden inside the bust. He takes some stones with him, and keeps the rest over the roof of his rented house.
By the time he came back as a wealthy man, the house had been rented out by the owner as a police station. Omanakuttan tries to retrieve the remaining treasure from the roof by various means, several of these failed attempts prompts the police to believe that Omanakuttan is insane, he is forcefully confined in a mental hospital. During his time at the hospital, there is a series of jokers. At the same time, the actual owner of the bust, Junior Mandrake, a crime boss in whose shape the bust was made, who was so far in jail in Singapore, is now out searching for it.
Mandrake tracks down all those involved with the bust—Pillai, Nambiar, Pradeep, Sandeep, Menon, and Omanakuttan. He plants a bomb on a moving school van as a decoy to keep the police station with less cops, but Pradeep manages to detach the bomb and saves the children. Mandrake ends up in police custody in his attempt to recover the treasure from the police station, and the treasure goes to the government. The story ends with Pradeep joined with the daughter of Pillai with whom he was in love.
Cast[edit | edit source]
- Jagadish as Pradeep Nambiar
- Jagathy Sreekumar as driver Omanakuttan
- Rajan P. Dev as Nambiar, Pradeep's father
- Janardhanan as Shankaran Pillai / Pillaichan
- Kalabhavan Navas as Sandeep Nambiar, Pradeep's younger brother
- Sidharaj as Junior Mandrake
- Keerthi Gopinath as Priya, Pillai's Daughter and Pradeep's love interest
- Reena as Sudharma, Pradeep's mother
- Paravoor Bharathan as 'Patti' Menon, Sudharma's father
- M. S. Thripunithura as Thanku Panicker
- Cochin Haneefa as Police Inspector
- Mala Aravindan as Maniyan Vaidhyan
- Indrans as Driver Gopalan
- Mamukkoya as Constable Abu
- Kalpana as Vandana, Omanakuttan's wife
- Kalabhavan Rahman as Vakkachan
- Zeenath as Vishalakshi / Vishalam, Priya's mother
- Sreeni Njarakkal as Sadasivan, Nambiar's manager
- Sagar Shiyas as mental patient
Production[edit | edit source]
Some of the scenes were improvised while filming, particularly that of Jagathy Sreekumar's.[3]
Soundtrack[edit | edit source]
| Junior Mandrake | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 1 October 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack | |||
| Length | 13:43 | |||
| Language | Malayalam | |||
| Label | Wilson Audios | |||
| Producer | Berny Ignatius | |||
| Berny Ignatius chronology | ||||
| ||||
The film consists of three songs composed by the Berny–Ignatius duo, penned by O. N. V. Kurup and Ali Akbar.[4] The original background score was also done by them. In the film, the character of Pradeep Nambiar (Jagadish) is a folk musician. So, the song "Ellarum Pokumcho" is written in the style of folk music.
| Track listing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 1. | "Ellarum Pokumcho" | K. S. Chithra, K. G. Markose | 4:32 | ||||||
| 2. | "Konnamalar" | K. J. Yesudas | 4:26 | ||||||
| 3. | "Sopanam Thammil" | Biju Narayanan | |||||||
Total length: |
13:43 | ||||||||
Sequel[edit | edit source]
In 2010, a sequel titled Senior Mandrake was released, directed by Ali Akbar himself.[5]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "പിണറായി വിജയൻ യഥാർത്ഥ ജൂനിയർ മാൻഡ്രേക്ക് എന്ന് വീണ്ടും സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയ|CM Pinarayi Vijjayan|junior mandrake|kerala crictet team". East Coast Daily Malayalam. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ↑ ലേഖകൻ, മാധ്യമം (16 February 2021). "There is no answer to the 'Junior Mandrake' joke; that's not the culture of Pala," said Jose K. Mani". Madhyamam (in മലയാളം). Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ↑ "ഉടൽ മണ്ണിൽ മൂക്കിൽ തുമ്പിയും: ആ രംഗങ്ങൾ ചിത്രീകരിച്ചത് ഇങ്ങനെ !". Malayala Manorama (in മലയാളം). 20 April 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ↑ "Junior Mandrake (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Spotify. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
- ↑ Palicha, Paresh C. "Review: Avoid Senior Mandrake". Rediff. Retrieved 21 April 2020.