Premam

My review:

I know it is almost redundant reviewing "Premam" which has completed its golden jubilee run at the theaters. But since I missed it reviewing the first time I watched it as I was quiet busy that time, I thought I should write about it this time when I watched it for the second time recently after almost 24 weeks since my first viewing. This is more of my musings about the movie than a review in its traditional sense. 

It is not that common to witness a movie where almost every aspect of the movie comes good. That has happened with "Premam". One can't think of a better casting than what this movie boasts of. We don't know whether it is sheer serendipity or result of painstaking casting, everyone fits perfectly into their roles to make the movie a perfect whole. Be it the young Celine or the foe turned friend Justin, even the most fleeting of characters are memorable and are very well casted and enacted. So when even the minor characters are that good what could you expect from the lead ones except sparkling fun. 

Nivin Pauly would find himself part of legendary tales for years to come. His George has become part of pop culture not only in Kerala but whole of south India, if not India. His flirtatious coy smile has become part of young pining lovers' armory. His swagger with thick beard clad with black shirt and dhoti has become a fashion statement to the college goers. The effortless ease with which he has shown the variation in terms of physical appearance, body language, attitude and voice modulation for each of the three epochs are sings of someone who is brimming with talent and confidence. 

Premam would not have become such a rage if not for Malar and " Malare". Alphonse Putharen has weaved magic with this characterization which runs a risk of being ostracized by the moral brigade for the manner in which she gets into a romantic relationship with her own pupil. But the dignified manner in which it has been written by Putharen and alluringly portrayed by Sai Pallavi has made people overlook the aberration quiet easily. The movie is a celebration of  girls who are simple, and earthy. Malar is skinny, wears average looking cotton sarees and absolutely no makeup, cheeks brimming with pimples,, has a big nose; yet she is the current teenage heartthrob. That is the kind of magic "Premam" has created. The scene in which she showcases her dancing talent to the unsuspecting dumbstruck gang of George will be remembered for long. 

Usually movies of such genre would have different set of friends for each epoch. But here Shambu and Koya are the constant companions for George, enacted brilliantly by Shabareesh Verma and Krishna Shankar, respectively. Along with Nivin, these two terrific finds have also undergone transformation in the spheres I 've mentioned about Nivin. Madonna Sebastian is a cutey pie. Already there are groups in the social media who are creating memes and banter about who is better, Malar or Celine. 

The music and cinematography are two integral parts of this movie that are as important as any other aspect of the movie in elevating it to the heights it has reached. Rajesh Murugan's background score is terrific. Be it the mellifluous scores of the first epoch, the manic electric guitars with the drums in the beginning of the second epoch or the melancholia of the final portions, he is just superb. "Malare" is already declared as the "hit of the decade". It is a beautiful and perfect confluence of music, lyrics, rendition, picturization and enactment. "Scene Contra" is so catchy that a local radio-station modified it and used it for a campaign for wearing helmet. "Rockaankuthu" and its use in the background score keep the viewers energetic and euphoric when ever it appears. 

Among many unsung heroes of this movie, the most prominent one is Anand C. Chandran, the movie's cinematographer. What a brilliant work. He has collaborated well with  Alphonse Putharen to present to us a visually appealing movie, each and every frames of which is so memorable. Even the mundane events like the preparation of a lime sarbath with the sprinkling of kush kush is presented with artistic elan. "Malare" songs visuals is such a terrific piece of camera work. Due to his brilliance, things like lime sarbath, fish fry, beef curry, red velvet cake, butterflies, etc have almost become integral characters in the narration. 

The basic premise of this movie is decade old. The movie is heavily inspired by Cheran's "Autograph". Even the middle portions have a Malayali in that Tamil film, here a Tamilian. But who would have thought of a movie of jilted live in such a lively, humorous, youthful yet arty and crafty manner without compromising on it's commercial value even an inch. Alphonse Putharen seem to have procured that magic wand which made him do nothing sort of a miraculously perfect movie in all aspects. 

May be in times to come the next generation of movie lovers might question why this movie got such adulation and success it got like how we question what that special about that humongous monster hit  "Sholay". But like "Sholay" which still remains as one of the monumental works in Indian cinema, "Premam" would also find its foothold among them.

P.S: My brief review of the movie at time of its release : "Alphonse Putharen is a movie maker to watch out for. After the mighty impressive ""Neram", his second feature film, "Premam" is a instant classic. How can anyone even think of conceiving a movie on multiple love failures in such a breezy, light-hearted manner yet with moments that tug your heartstrings. Nivin Pauly can do no wrong and Sai Pallavi is an overnight heartthrob. Infinite times better than "Autugraph" and hundred times better than "Life Ishtene", both movies which are among my all time favorites. 4.5/5 "