if one is appealing to one's senses, the question that comes to my mind (may be a wrong reading) is this: Does Malayalam cinema cater to our visual sense at all? Is it "VIsual" in any sense? \ or does it predominantly address our auditory sense only? will those shifts in malayalam cinema (as put forth by damodar )addresse this aspect?
On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 1:22 PM, damodar prasad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > Have Mohanlal done any role or performed anything closer to mammotty's > Danny? > > I like to read Renju's comment on Commonsense as Common- SENSE ( as in > complete sensory experience). > > The golden period and the subsequent period have all unillaterilized the > Sense experience within the film. The breaks from such unilateralism was > either conceived as deviation or comedic or at worst "parellel". > > > > On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 8:20 AM, ranju radha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Is this commonman, the '"commensensical" commonman of Kerala? >> the article initiates a debate and that is the best part of it. >> >> bz the lacks and excesses of mohanlal, the visibilty and invisibility in >> the roles he donned evoke more nuansed inquiries as well, >> which understandably beyond the scope and space of Tehelka. Having said >> that I would like to know how one should situate Mammootty or sureshgopi or >> Kalabhavan mani within the conceptual framework of Malayalam cinema. as a >> film lover but not a film study peroson I request those film study people in >> greenyouth to enagage with the discussion. >> >> and should not forget to congradulate ratheesh for this insightful piece >> >> best regards >> >> On Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 12:36 PM, damodar prasad < >> [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> *Ratheesh's article in Tehelka web special. >>> * >>> >>> *Since RR is a memeber of GnY, any critical views on this he can listen >>> to or respond >>> * >>> >>> *http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=Ws041008common_man.asp >>> * >>> >>> *30 Years Of The Common Man* >>> >>> *Posted on Sep 26, 2008* >>> >>> *Mohan Lal's career has marked the changing contours of the Malayalee >>> regional identity* >>> >>> *RATHEESH RADHAKRISHNAN** >>> * >>> Mohanlal, who appeared wearing a long-haired wig, thick whiskers and a >>> pink outfit in the introductory scene of the 2007 film *Chotta >>> Mumbai*(directed by Anwar Rasheed) was >>> *not easily recognisable for the middle class Malayalee*. The star had, >>> in the last three decades, become synonymous with the middle class man as >>> the one who shared their aspirations and their failures. Be it the sheer >>> affection for the actor, or the name of the character he played in the Venu >>> Nagavalli's 1987 film* Sarvakalaashaala* (meaning ' university'), he had >>> become their favourite 'laalettan' (brother lal) in a career that has seen >>> almost 300 films. >>> >>> In *Chotta Mumbai *though, he was donning the mantle, in his now >>> trademark playful way, of a cold-blooded villain. He had introduced himself >>> to the Malayalee in the 1980 film *Manjil Virinja Pookkal *('Flowers >>> that Bloom in the Snow', directed by Fazil), with the memorable scene where >>> he stops the protagonist (Shankar), points to the latter's love interest >>> (Poornima Jayaram) and says "I am Narendran, and she is Mrs. Narendran", not >>> only marking a moment of suspense and the turning point in the film, but >>> also heralding the future of Malayalam cinema. >>> >>> All that seems eons away – his failed attempt to become an actor in 1978 >>> with the film *Thiranottam* (directed by Ashok Kumar and produced by his >>> friends, the film was never released) and then his huge success as a villain >>> in the early 1980s. *Manjil Virinja Pookkal* not only introduced three >>> new faces and a new director to Malayalam cinema but also paved way for a n >>> *ew aesthetic in Malayalam cinema*. This new aesthetic firmed up >>> Malayalam cinema's middle class moorings within which Mohanlal, along with >>> Mammooty, went on to become the middle class Malayalee's alter ego. Though >>> it is often suggested that middlebrow cinema used the stardom of Mammooty >>> and Mohanlal, it could be argued that they acquired their stardom due to >>> middle cinema and also that the star and this kind of cinema made each other >>> possible. It was in this period, between the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, >>> that Mohanlal played some of his most remembered roles. In the retellings of >>> the history of Malayalam cinema, this high point of Mohanlal's career >>> parallels* its golden period.* >>> >>> It has been noted that Mohanlal's image represents changing contours of >>> regional identity in Kerala. Scholars on Malayalam cinema have argued that, >>> while Mammooty donned the roles of authority figures like police officers, >>> elder brother of a joint family and the like, Mohanlal was seen as the >>> 'common man'. His dreams were those of the average middle class Malayalee, >>> his desires were shared by them and even his shortcomings were theirs. They >>> were ready to forgive his worst sins the moment he gave his trademark >>> smile—what the *Malayalee k*nows as his *chammiya chiri*. This is no >>> surprise that *Malayalees* love Mohanlal's drunken scenes, even when >>> social commentators like Sukumar Azhikkod publicly hold him responsible for >>> increase in alcoholism in Kerala. >>> >>> Unlike Mammooty, Mohanlal refused to work in films in other languages >>> till a couple of irresistible offers came his way. The result – the vibrant >>> Anandan (the role 'inspired' by MGR) in Mani Ratnam's arguably best-to-date >>> *Iruvar *(1997), the brilliantly underplayed Police Commissioner >>> Srinivasan in Ram Gopal Varma's *Company* (2002) and what could have >>> been the role of a lifetime, Inspector Narasimha in Ram Gopal Varma's *Aag >>> *(2007). >>> >>> Mohanlal's career in Malayalam cinema went through various phases. As a >>> villain, he even played Mammooty's son in the 1982 epic film* Padayottam >>> * (directed by Jijo), which was an adaptation of *The Count of Monte >>> Cristo*. The second phase of his career saw him in his best remembered >>> 'common man' avatar, while the third saw him in the much hated but >>> successful 'super human' roles. It was during this third phase that his fan >>> associations made their presence felt in Kerala and that he refused the >>> offer to become the chairman of the CPI (M)-run television channel Kairali >>> TV. This was later accepted by Mammooty. A fourth phase of his career, one >>> that unfolds as he celebrates his thirtieth year in the industry in 2008, >>> sees him experimenting with different kinds of cinema; of the last releases >>> *Mizhikal Saakshi *(directed by Ashok R Nath) was a small budget film, B >>> Unnikrishnan's *Madambi *was a family thriller and *Aakashagopuram*, >>> directed by KP Kumaran, was an adaptation of an Ibsen play. >>> >>> Apart from the Padmashri in 2001, his acting fetched an array of awards >>> including three national awards, seven state awards, nine Filmfare awards >>> and one IIFA award. He has also produced nine films including * >>> Vaanaprastham* (directed by Shaji N Karun, 1999) which was selected to >>> compete in Cannes and the acclaimed* Kala Pani* (directed by >>> Priyadarshan, 1996). He has even been a playback singer for a number of >>> films. But most of all, he is considered the most versatile and flexible >>> actor that Malayalam cinema has ever produced. Be it as an unemployed youth, >>> an underworld don, a dancer, a musician, an industrialist or a political >>> activist Mohanlal's histrionics have enthralled Malayalees all over the >>> world. His foray into theatre, marked most importantly by >>> *Karnabharam*(2001) – a Sanskrit play directed by the Kavalam Narayana >>> Panikkar—has also >>> been well acclaimed. >>> >>> A film that features 'laalettan' is still eagerly awaited, with each new >>> release creating more frenzy as years go by. The question is whether the >>> industry will produce characters to tap the still* unexploited (!!!!!!!- >>> DP) facets* of this loveable performer. >>> >>> >>> >>> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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