Aavanazhi
Aavanazhi is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language action film directed by I. V. Sasi, written by T. Damodaran. The film deals with social and political issues of that time. It stars Mammootty, Geetha, Seema, Sukumaran, Captain Raju, Janardanan, Jagannatha Varma, Innocent, Thikkurisi Sukumaran Nair, Sreenivasan and Sankaradi.[1]
| Aavanazhi | |
|---|---|
| File:Aavanazhi poster.jpg Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | I. V. Sasi |
| Produced by | Sajan |
| Written by | T. Damodaran |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Shyam |
| Cinematography | Jayaram V. |
| Edited by | K. Narayanan |
Production company | Saj Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 152 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Aavanazhi was the highest grossing Malayalam film at the time and was an industry hit. It was remade in Kannada as "Anthima Theerpu" starring Ambareesh and Geetha, in Tamil as Kadamai Kanniyam Kattupaadu, in Telugu as Marana Sasanam and in Hindi as Satyamev Jayate. I. V. Sasi made two sequels — Inspector Balram in 1991 and Balram vs. Taradas in 2006.
PlotEdit
Balram, popularly known as Karadi, is an honest Circle Inspector. Frustrated in his life after several personal setbacks, including a failed affair of the heart, Balram has turned to drinking and womanizing. Balram is assigned to nab Satyaraj, who evaded the clutches of the police after murdering Chackochan, a contractor. Balram successfully arrests him, but in court, Satyaraj is represented by Advocate Jayachandran . Satyaraj is acquitted by the court, but Balram decides to frame in several other criminal charges pending against him. Usha, Balram's ex-lover, is now married to Jayachandran.
Balram falls in love with Seetha, a prostitute, whom he decides to marry. Meanwhile, Radha, a young lady, is determined to avenge herself on Balram, who she believes to have killed her brother while in police custody. But in reality, it was a handwork of Satyaraj, on instruction from Vincent. Falsely implicated, Balram had been suspended from police for a couple of years, but has been reinstated. Though Seetha tries to convince Radha of the truth, she is not ready to accept it. To gain her revenge over Balram, Radha decides to offer Satyaraj a safe stay away from the police eyes. Balram's open fight with Satyaraj and his "outside the law" dealing with him forms the rest of the story.
CastEdit
- Mammootty as CI Balram
- Geetha as Seetha
- Seema as Radha
- Nalini as Usha Jayachandran
- Sukumaran as Adv.Jayachandran
- Captain Raju as Sathyaraj
- Janardanan as Vincent
- Innocent as Vishnu
- Sreenivasan as Sreeni
- C. I. Paul as Chandrahasan
- Paravoor Bharathan as Chackochan
- Kundara Johny as Dy SP Alex George
- K. P. A. C. Azeez as Commissioner Azeez
- Sankaradi as Viswanathan
- Jagannatha Varma as DIG Kumar
- Augustine as Ummer
- Kunchan as "Samshayam" Vasu
- Shafeeq as Benny Vincent
- Thikkurisi Sukumaran Nair as Nampoothiri
- Kumari Shibi as Jyothi
- Santhakumari as Radha's Mother
- Prathapachandran
- Hari as Advocate
- Rajan Padoor as Kallan Kuttan
- Amit Amee as Unni/Radha's younger Brother
- Thiruthiyadu Vilasini as Chackochan's wife
- Sajith Devadas as Nirmal Hasan
- Gorilla Unni as Circle Inspector
- Krishnakkurupp NB
- Aliyar
ReleaseEdit
The film was released on 12 September 1986.
ReceptionEdit
The film received positive reviews from critics.
Box officeEdit
The film was a major commercial success. It was the highest grossing film at the time[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] The film ran for more than 200 days in theatres in Kerala.[8]
RemakesEdit
All the remakes of the film were commercial successes.
| Year | Film | Language | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Anthima Theerpu | Kannada | |
| 1987 | Marana Shasanam | Telugu | |
| 1987 | Satyamev Jayate | Hindi | |
| 1987 | Kadamai Kanniyam Kattupaadu | Tamil |
SequelsEdit
The movie had two sequels; 1991 movie Inspector Balram and a spiritual successor, Balram vs Tharadas in which Mammootty reprises his roles from two movies, Inspector Balram from Aavanazhi and Tharadas from Athiratram.
LegacyEdit
The film is considered to be one of IV Sasi's best works. The film remains to be the only Malayalam Industry hit with a policeman as its central character. The protagonist Inspector Balram remains to be one of the most iconic characters in Malayalam cinema.[1]
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Remembering a legend: Five iconic IV Sasi movies that shaped Mollywood". Indulge Express. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ↑ "Architect of blockbusters". The Hindu. 26 April 2013. Archived from the original on 5 December 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ↑ "Saluting the maker of super hits". The Hindu. 13 April 2013. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ↑ "I.V. Sasi reigned at the box office, and made classics too". The Hindu. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ↑ "Kollywood's craze for Malayalam screenplays". Sify. 24 May 2016. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ↑ C S Venkiteswaran (8 November 2017). "Trendsetting titan". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ↑ "The End of an Epoch". The Hindu. 26 October 2017. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "10 Mammootty films to watch before you die". The Times of India. 24 May 2016. Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.