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Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha
| Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha | |
|---|---|
| File:Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha.jpg Promotional Poster | |
| Directed by | Hariharan |
| Produced by | P. V. Gangadharan |
| Written by | M. T. Vasudevan Nair |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Bombay Ravi |
| Cinematography | K. Ramachandra Babu |
| Edited by | M. S. Mani |
Production company | Grihalakshmi Productions |
| Distributed by | Kalpaka Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 168 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (transl. A Northern Ballad of Valour) is a 1989 Indian Malayalam-language epic historical drama film directed by Hariharan, written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, and starring Mammootty, Balan K. Nair, Suresh Gopi, Madhavi, Geetha and Captain Raju. The film won four National Film Awards (1989) including Best Actor (Mammootty), Best Screenplay (M. T. Vasudevan Nair), Best Production Design and Best Costume Design (P. Krishnamoorthy) and seven Kerala State Film Awards.
This film is based on a subplot of Vadakkan Pattukal, a medieval ballad from North Malabar and is often regarded as a classic of Malayalam cinema.[1] The story is a reinterpretation of the life of the legendary Chandu Chekavar and depicts him as an unlucky and misunderstood but ultimately honourable man rather than the traitorous character that earned him the sobriquet of Chathiyan Chandu (literally 'Chandu the Betrayer') in folklore.
Plot[edit]
The film is set in 16th-century northern Kerala. The plot unfolds at Puthooram, the house of the great Kannappan Chekavar. The Chekavar clan provide martial services to their lords by training and providing fighters to help settle feudal disputes through trial by combat. Kannappan Chekavar adopts the son of his estranged sister when the boy loses both his parents and brings him to Puthooram to live and learn with his cousins. The orphan boy, Chandu, a quick learner, earns the love and admiration of his uncle, while he is loathed by his cousin Aromal.
As they grow up, Chandu is betrothed to Chekavar's daughter, Unniyarcha. Chandu is constantly mocked and made to feel like an outsider by the jealous Aromal. He even ends his sister's budding romance with Chandu by marrying her off to his unmanly but better-off friend Kunjiraman. The lack of protest on Unniyarcha's part breaks Chandu's heart. He attempts to move on by proposing to Kunjinooli (Chithra), another girl who professed her love for him. Aromal preempts his proposal by breaking off his own bethrotal and proposing to Kunjinooli himself. Disappointed, Chandu leaves to study Kalaripayattu under the tutelage of Tulunadan expert and master Chekavar, Aringodar.
On Aromal's wedding day, Unniyarcha invites Chandu to her room. When Kunjiraman unexpectedly arrives and finds them alone together, Unniyarcha convinces her husband that Chandu broke into her room by pretending to be him. A dejected Chandu, now with the reputation of being a womaniser, finds solace in Kunji, Aringodar’s daughter.
Feudal lord Unnichandror (Ramu) arrives at the footsteps of Aringodar and asks him to represent his cause in an angam (duel unto death) against his brother Unnikonar. Unnikonar, in turn, asks Aromal to represent him. Chandu is caught in a dilemma when his uncle requests him to play the second hand to Aromal in the angam against his teacher Aringodar. Unniyarcha approaches Chandu and offers to live with him if he helps Aromal win. Chandu is tempted and decides to second Aromal. He takes on the task of revitalizing Aromal's swords by giving them for treatment to a blacksmith. However, Kunji, Aringodar’s daughter, bribes the blacksmith to make them brittle.
On the day of the duel, Aromal, though highly skilled, is no match for the master Aringodar. To add to the misery, Aromal's sword breaks in two. Chandu placates an attacking Aringodar, seeking time to replace the weapon and he obliges. Aromal takes advantage of the momentarily unguarded Aringodar and throws his broken sword at him, killing him.
As the victorious Aromal retires to his resting place, Chandu follows him to tend to his injuries. Aromal accuses Chandu of sabotage by treating the swords to make them brittle, and attacks him. In their scuffle, Aromal accidentally stabs himself by falling over a lamp. As people gather, the mortally wounded Aromal accuses Chandu of betraying him with his last breath.
The ill-fated Chandu escapes the mob and finds the blacksmith, who informs him about Kunji's bribe. Fighting his way through an entire contingent of guards, the furious Chandu storms into Aringodar's household seeking Kunji. To add to his list of regrets, he finds Kunji has committed suicide by hanging herself. Chandu returns to Puthooram and is greeted by a raging Unniyarcha, who vows that her unborn sons will avenge her brother’s death.
Years later, Aromal Unni and Kannapan Unni (sons of Unniyarcha and Aromal Chekavar, respectively) come to Arangodar's kalari seeking revenge. Chandu refuses to fight them. However, after being repeatedly challenged, Chandu easily beats them both, once again showing his mastery. Hoping that they will leave before bloodshed is inevitable, he attempts to retire his weapons. The two young warriors are in no mood to leave in defeat and insist on a duel to the death. Aromal Unni announces that he will either return with Chandu's head or die himself. Chandu realises the madness in the youngsters and appears to relent to their provocations, turning his back to them as if to pray in preparation for the duel. But knowing that no one will ever be able to win against him, and reminded that Aromal is Kannappan Chekavar's grandson, he commits one final act of valour: Chandu stabs himself with his sword. Reminiscing bitterly on what could have been, he addresses Aromal Unni as his unborn son and hopes that he will earn renown for being the one to defeat Chandu and avenge his uncle. He reaches out to the statue of his deity and dies. There ends the life of a valiant but misunderstood man, the greatest warrior of his age.
Cast[edit]
- Mammootty as Chandu Chekavar: A misunderstood hero belonging to a mercenary clan. The orphan boy, Chandu, a quick learner, earns the love and admiration of his uncle, while he is loathed by his cousin. Veteran actor Prem Nazir was originally considered for this role, but since MT felt Mammootty's physique would better suit the character.[2]
- Balan K. Nair as Kannappan Chekavar: Chandu's uncle and a veteran master of the southern style of Kalari martial arts. He adopts Chandu when the boy loses both his parents and brings him to Puthooram to live and learn with his cousins.
- Suresh Gopi as Aromal Chekavar: son of Kannappan Chekavar.
- Madhavi as Unniyarcha: A vixen warrior, sister of Aromal Chekavar and fiancée of Chandu Chekavar.
- Captain Raju as Aringodar Chekavar: A mighty legend and master of northern Kalari known as "Thulunadan Kalari" and Chandu's second teacher in his lifelong learning discipline.
- Geetha as Kunji
- Rajalakshmi as Kuttimani
- Jomol as young Unniyarcha
- Vineeth Kumar as young Chandu
- Vishal Menon as young Kunjiraman
- Biyon as Child Artist
- Ramu as Unnichandror
- Devan as Unnikonnar
- Oduvil Unnikrishnan as the King
- Chithra as Kunjinooli
- Soorya as the blacksmith's daughter
- Sanjay Mitra as Aromal Unni
- Rasheed Ummer as Kanappan Unni
- Sukumari as Kannappan Chekavar's wife
- V. K. Sreeraman as Kunjiraman
- Kundara Johny as Aringodar's student
- Bheeman Raghu as Aringodar's student
- Tony as Unnikannan
Reception[edit]
Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha received both commercial and critical acclaim.[3]
Box office[edit]
The film was both commercial and critical success and ran over 375 days in theatres.[4]
Legacy[edit]
In a 2013 online poll, IBN Live listed Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha as the third greatest Indian film of all time. The poll was conducted as part of the celebrations of Indian cinema completing 100 years. The poll constituted a list of 100 films from different Indian languages.[5][6]
Soundtrack[edit]
The film's soundtrack contains 5 hit songs, all composed by Bombay Ravi. Lyrics by Kaithapram and K. Jayakumar.
| # | Title | Singer(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Chandanalepa Sugandham" | K. J. Yesudas |
| 2 | "Enthinavidam" | K. J. Yesudas |
| 3 | "Indulekha Kanthurannu" | K. J. Yesudas |
| 4 | "Kalarivilakku Thelinjathaano" | K. S. Chitra |
| 5 | "Unni Ganapathi Thamburaane" | K. S. Chitra, Asha Latha |
Awards[edit]
- Best Screenplay – M. T. Vasudevan Nair
- Best Actor – Mammootty (also for Mathilukal)
- Best Art Direction – P. Krishnamoorthy
- Best Costume Design – P. Krishnamoorthy
- Best Popular Film
- Best Screen Play – M. T. Vasudevan Nair
- Best Actor – Mammootty
- Second Best Actress – Geetha
- Best Cinematography – K. Ramachandra Babu
- Best Female Play Back Singer – K. S. Chithra
- Best Child Artist - Vineeth Kumar
References[edit]
- ↑ "10 Malayalam films to watch before you die". The Times of India. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ↑ K. T. C. Abdullah, P. M. Jayan. "വടക്കന് വീരഗാഥയില് ആദ്യം പ്രേംനസീര് ആയിരുന്നു നായകന്" Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Chandrika Weekly. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
- ↑ Srivatsan (7 September 2016). "Happy Birthday Mammootty: 5 best performances of Mammukka you shouldn't miss". India Today. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ↑ "10 Mammootty films to watch before you die". The Times of India. 24 May 2016.
- ↑ "'Mayabazar' is India's greatest film ever: IBNLive poll" Archived 4 February 2015 at WebCite. IBN Live. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ↑ "IBNLive Poll: Vote for India's greatest film of all time". IBN Live. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
External links[edit]
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- Webarchive template webcite links
- Malayalam-language movies
- Indian martial arts films
- 1980s Malayalam-language films
- Indian films
- Kalarippayattu films
- Films with screenplays by M. T. Vasudevan Nair
- Films directed by Hariharan
- Indian epic films
- Films featuring a Best Actor National Award-winning performance
- Films whose production designer won the Best Production Design National Film Award
- Films that won the Best Costume Design National Film Award
- Films whose writer won the Best Original Screenplay National Film Award
- 1989 martial arts films
- 1989 films