Varathan

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia
Information red.svg
Scan the QR code to donate via UPI
Dear reader, We need your support to keep the flame of knowledge burning bright! Our hosting server bill is due on June 1st, and without your help, Bharatpedia faces the risk of shutdown. We've come a long way together in exploring and celebrating our rich heritage. Now, let's unite to ensure Bharatpedia continues to be a beacon of knowledge for generations to come. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. Together, let's preserve and share the essence of Bharat.

Thank you for being part of the Bharatpedia family!
Please scan the QR code on the right click here to donate.

0%

   

transparency: ₹0 raised out of ₹100,000 (0 supporter)


Varathan
File:Varathan Movie poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAmal Neerad
Produced byNazriya Nazim
Amal Neerad
Screenplay bySuhas-Sharfu
StarringFahadh Faasil
Aishwarya Lekshmi
Music bySushin Shyam
CinematographyLittil Swayamp
Edited byVivek Harshan
Production
company
Distributed byA & A Release
Release date
  • 20 September 2018 (2018-09-20) (India)
Running time
130 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam
Box officeest. 330 million[1]

Varathan (transl.  Outsider) is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film directed by Amal Neerad. It is an unofficial adaptation of Straw Dogs.[2][3] It was jointly produced by Nazriya Nazim and Amal neeradunder the banners of Fahadh Faasil and Friends and Amal Neerad Productions. It is written by Suhas-Sharfu and stars Fahadh Faasil and Aishwarya Lekshmi. The film was released on 20 September 2018.[4][5][6][7]

Plot[edit]

Varathan is a story about a husband and wife, Abin and Priya who return to Kerala when Abin loses his job in Dubai. They then decide to live at Priya's childhood-home in the hills. Since their first day there, Priya is suspicious of the intentions of the contractors who work on her family's land. The villagers and neighbours are often shown ogling at her. After their wedding anniversary, when the couple go to bed, Priya spots someone staring at them from the window. But when she wakes her husband, the shadow disappears. Next day, when Priya is about to take a bath, she spots a man staring at her through the window. She screams and Abin spots a worker in the upper terrain. He shuts the window with duct tape and newspaper. Priya is constantly seen warning Abin that people around there were not the same as in Bangalore or Dubai, so they ought to be more careful. Even an occasion occurs when Priya's inner wears are stolen by Jithin.

One day, Abin has to meet up with a designer regarding their startup and Priya is left alone at home. She promises to go to the convent after Abin goes. Priya locks the door and goes to the convent Library on her scooty. Although, midway she is hit by a Jeep with the malefic neighbours Josy, Johnny and their right hand man Jithin. While she lays unconscious, they leave her in the hospital . When Abin returns home at night, he sees the house locked. He then goes out on a search for her when he gets a call from the caretaker of the estates, Benny, who informs him that Priya was hospitalized. When Aby reaches the hospital, Priya is furious. She fumes out of the hospital saying nothing. Aby tries to talk to her when they are on their way home, but Priya is agitated. She takes the key, walks into the house and starts packing her bags. When Abin starts to question her, Priya says she was sexually molested she no longer felt safe living with Abin up there in the hills or anywhere else.

Abin walks out and lights a cigarette standing at the front door. A boy and mother, whom Aby and Priya once gave lift to, comes crying to the house. They describe how the boy was caught with the Contractor's daughter Sandra in the bushes that day. They explain how the contractor family is looking to kill him. Abin tells the mother and son to go inside and locks the door. Two men, who work for the contractor comes inquiring about the boy. Abin says he doesn't know where the boy is. Unsatisfied, they return after noticing one of the boy's slippers on the verandah. However, a Jeep and multiple people including the Contractor and all his sons come to Abin's house. They ask for the boy and Abin says he won't let go of the boy. They can find him tomorrow at the Police Station.

None of the people withdraw, upon which Abin walks inside and tries to lock the door. When he is stopped by Johnny, Abin slides out a butcher's knife from the doorside and stabs his left forearm. He locks the door and walks Priya, the mother and the boy to a safe room.

From there, the movie takes an action-mode. Abin sets up the house to electrocute the invaders and successfully does so. Some others who try to invade the house are seen burned with torch flame and LPG gas cylinder, cleverly by Abin. After fighting tooth and nail until the morning, Abin is brutally hit in the head and captured by the contractor and josey. While they aim to shoot him with a gun, Priya walks out with the mother and the son as if in surrender. When they look towards her, Priya shoots two of the perpetrators. Abin, seeing the opportunity, takes charge. The contractor flees away and Abin brutally hits Josey, the last of his wife's abuser. And he informs that police will come & take them.

After chaos, he is seen drinking the coffee with Priya while he narrates Josey how law is still valid and alive in this part of the country. After that, an epilogue 'Two week Later' is seen where Abin locks the gate with a plaque on it saying 'Trespassers will be Shot'. They live happy life after.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

Besides directing, Amal Neerad co-produced the film with Nazriya Nazim, which stars her husband Fahadh Faasil alongside Aishwarya Lekshmi. Neerad revealed the film's title on 20 June 2018 by releasing the first poster. Varathan in Malayalam means "outsider" in English.[8][9][10] Writer Suhas describes the film as a "survival thriller".[11] Shot in Dubai and Wagamon, filming was completed by June 2018.[12][13]

Soundtrack[edit]

Varathan
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedSeptember 12, 2018
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length40:09
LabelGoodwill Entertainments
ProducerSushin Shyam
Sushin Shyam chronology
Maradona
(2018)
Varathan
(2018)
Lilli
(2018)

The music was composed, programmed and arranged by Sushin Shyam. Lyrics were penned by Vinayak Sasikumar.

Varathan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)[14][15]
No. TitleSinger(s) Length
1. "Nee"  Sreenath Bhasi, Nazriya Nazim 03:22
2. "Puthiyoru Pathayil"  Nazriya Nazim 03:05
3. "Oduvile Theeyayi"  Sushin Shyam, Neha S. Nair 04:10
4. "Title - Sit Back and Relax"    2:29
5. "Abin's Office-Uncertainty"    1:45
6. "Priya and Abin's Love Theme"    2:24
7. "Looking Around the House /Exploring"    1:30
8. "Creep Outside/Josie theme"    1:47
9. "Prying Eyes"    1:23
10. "Violated"    2:27
11. "Red is On"    7:17
12. "Night vision"    1:33
13. "Assault"    1:25
14. "The End"    5:32
Total length:
40:09

Release[edit]

The film was released on 20 September 2018.[16]

Many of the critics remarked that the film is an unofficial adaptation of Straw Dogs.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Box office[edit]

The film was a commercial success. As of 5 October 2018, the film has grossed ₹22 crore worldwide, with ₹18 crore from Kerala alone. It grossed ₹1.06 crore from Bangalore in 12 days. As of October, it was the highest-grossing Malayalam film of that year in Bangalore.[25] Varathan grossed a total of ₹33 crore worldwide at the end of its theatrical run.[1]

Accolades[edit]

Award[lower-alpha 1] Date of ceremony[lower-alpha 2] Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Asianet Film Awards 6–7 April 2019 Best Director Amal Neerad Nominated [26]
Best Actor Fahadh Faasil Nominated
Most Popular Actor Nominated
Best Actress Aishwarya Lekshmi Nominated
Most Popular Actress Won
Best Actor in a Negative role Sharaf U Dheen Nominated
Best Editor Vivek Harshan Won
Asiavision Awards 16 February 2019 Star of the Year Aishwarya Lekshmi Won [27]
CPC Cine Awards 17 February 2019 Best Actress Won [28]
Filmfare Awards South 21 December 2019 Best Actress – Malayalam Nominated [29]
Best Supporting Actor – Malayalam Sharaf U Dheen Nominated
Best Music Director – Malayalam Sushin Shyam Nominated
South Indian International Movie Awards 15–16 August 2019 Best Film – Malayalam Fahadh Faasil and Friends
Amal Neerad Productions
Nominated [30]
[31]
Best Director – Malayalam Amal Neerad Nominated
Best Cinematographer – Malayalam Littil Swayamp Nominated
Best Actress – Malayalam Aishwarya Lekshmi Won
Best Actor in a Negative Role – Malayalam Sharaf U Dheen Won
Best Music Director – Malayalam Sushin Shyam Won
Vanitha Film Awards 2 March 2019 Best Actress Aishwarya Lekshmi Won [32]

Notes[edit]

  1. Awards, festivals and organizations are in alphabetical order.
  2. Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Narayanan, Nirmal (27 December 2018). "Mollywood 2018: List of top 5 blockbusters that stormed box office". International Business Times. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  2. Hooli, Shekhar H. "Varathan review: Is Amal Neerad's Malayalam movie a 'free-make' of Straw Dogs?". Ibtimes.co.in. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  3. "Varathan Movie Review {3.5/5}: Critic Review of Varathan". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  4. https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2018/sep/24/varathan-movie-review-a-blistering-and-immensely-satisfying-revenge-thriller-1876236.html
  5. https://www.ibtimes.co.in/varathan-review-amal-neerads-malayalam-movie-free-make-straw-dogs-781068
  6. https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2018/is-varathan-copy-the-hollywood-movie-straw-dogs-amal-neerad-fahadh-faasil-have-this-to-say-277962.html
  7. https://in.style.yahoo.com/varathan-copy-hollywood-movie-straw-124930326.html
  8. "New Fahadh Faasil-Amal Neerad movie 'Varathan' to be out for Onam". Thenewsminute.com. 20 June 2018.
  9. "Fahadh Faasil's look in Amal Neerad's Varathan revealed. See pic". Hindustantimes.com. 20 June 2018.
  10. "Varathan First Look: Fahadh Faasil is working under his wife Nazriya's production company? - Asianet Newsable". M.dailyHunt.in.
  11. Shrijith, Sajin (20 September 2018). "'Varathan is a survival thriller'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  12. "'Varathan': First look poster of Amal Neerad's Fahadh Faasil starrer". The Times of India. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  13. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/fahadh-faasil-to-shoot-in-dubai-again/articleshow/64134167.cms
  14. https://gaana.com/album/varathan-ost
  15. https://music.apple.com/us/album/varathan-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-single/1436181127
  16. "Fahadh Faasil is Abin in Varathan". The Times of India.
  17. Hooli, Shekhar H. "Varathan review: Is Amal Neerad's Malayalam movie a 'free-make' of Straw Dogs?". Ibtimes.co.in. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  18. "Varathan Movie Review {3.5/5}: Critic Review of Varathan". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  19. "Varathan Review: A blistering and immensely satisfying revenge thriller". Cinemaexpress.xom. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  20. "Varathan Review: Fahadh Faasil Unleashes 'Exotic' Violence In This Thriller". silverscreen.in. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  21. "Sreedhar Pillai on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  22. "'Varathan' review: Fahadh and Aishwarya hold together an uneven thriller". Thenewsminute.com. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  23. "FILM REVIEWS SACHIN CHATTE". Navhindtimes.in. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  24. "Varathan Review: The Nice guy's Baptism by Fire - Filmcholy".
  25. M. K., Surendhar (5 October 2018). "Devadas earns Rs 29 cr in four-day opening weekend; Fahadh Faasil's Varathan rakes in record breaking numbers". Firstpost. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  26. "Asianet Film Awards 2019 Winners List: Mohanlal, Manju Warrier, Prithviraj & Others Bag Top Honours!". Yahoo! News. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  27. "Asiavision Movie Awards 2018 winners list: Ranveer Singh, Dhanush and Trisha honoured [Photos + Videos]". International Business Times. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  28. "CPC Cine Awards 2018: Joju George, Aishwarya Lekshmi & Lijo Jose Pellissery Win Top Honours!". Yahoo! News. 29 January 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  29. "Nominations for the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019". Filmfare. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  30. "SIIMA 2019 FULL nominations list out! Vijay Sethupathi, Samantha Akkineni and others bag top honours". Times Now. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  31. "SIIMA 2019 winners full list: Dhanush, Trisha, Prithviraj win big". The Indian Express. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  32. "Vanitha Film Awards 2019: Mohanlal, Manju Warrier & Lijo Jose Pellissery Adjudged The Big Winners!". Yahoo! Finance. 23 March 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2021.

External links[edit]