Moonam Pakkam ...

Sarojkumar · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:05 am Post subject: Moonam Pakkam ...

Not without reason though, 'coz I happened to watch 'Moonnam Pakkam' yesterday , after abstaining from watching that movie for all these years,since the experience of watching the movie as child haunted me for long

Monnam pakkam is , according to me , one of the most beautiful films crafted by the late great P Padmarajan. The story revolves around the centre character of Thampi (Played by Thilakan) , an old man who leads a solitary retired life in his ancestral house. Into his solitude comes his grand son Bhaskar a.k.a Bhasi a.k.a pachu(Jayaram) along with his friends played by Rahman,Ashokan nd one more guy(I dunno his name) for their vacation. How this changes his life over the two weeks forms the first half of the story . It's fun , laughter and life yet again into the old man's life.

The next half changes all that . The four friends, while bathing in the sea, gets carried away by tides and Jayaram doesn't return back . The rule of the sea is that the body gets swept on the shore only on the Third day(moonnam pakkam) . Thilakan hopes for his grandson coming back, but never returns. While performing his last rites at the seaside, Thilakan also ventures into the sea. Yet another 'Moonam pakkam', the title reads

I don't know what is not beautiful about this film. This is not a mere tearjerker 'coz the first half is full of light humour(Enacted superbly by Jagathy, who plays the role of 'kavala') . The music is just stunning. Tuned by Ilayaraja, this film boasts of two great songs, one of which , 'Unrumee ganam' made Venugopal's career. What i rave about the second song 'Thamarakkili' is that it is not just another love song. The song has shades of sadness , of seperation , ....I salute Ilayaraja for bringing in sucha gr8 feeling , each time i hear this song. And the BGM, .... mindblowing !!!

The highlight of the movie, though, is Thilakan's mature performance as Thambi. I rate this on/above par with his other great performaces as Kochuvava in kattukuthira nd as the title role in Perunthachan.

Padmarajan has beautifully crafted this movie in every sense. The visuals, the locales. What I find interesting is the concept of 'Moonam pakkam' where he doesn't stop the story when Jayaram is missing in the sea. He gives the old man three days time wherein HOPE again plays with him. He sincerely hopes that his grandson would return. This adds to the agony....

Others have also put in their bit . Ashokan has performed well .So has Rahman(though he dint have much to do) .Padmarajan should be credited for introducing the two to Malayalam cinema.

At the end of the day, this film leaves a mark on our hearts nd a pain which is where I think , Padmarajan , as a master-filmmaker has succeeded. Malayalam misses him and his kind of film makers a lot .The ones who could churn out classics which did well commercially also

Bhuhaha · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:50 am Post subject:

Saroj r u working in Wipro...? Surprised

I read the same article in Wipro's forum without even a word difference...

Sarojkumar · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:23 pm Post subject:

njaan wipro yil allallo .. enikku ithu wipro forum thil ninnum fwd cheythu kittiyaa article aa ... Laughing

Bhuhaha · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 2:09 pm Post subject: Re: Moonam Pakkam ...

rudolf_hitler · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:27 pm Post subject:

ethaayaalum buhaha ye kondu upakaaram undu... ithokke kandu pidikkan oralaayallo !!! njaaan aadyam vaayichu vannappo ithu saroo ntethaanenna karuthiye..anyway...

Njaanum orikkal koodi kazhinja divasam 'moonnampakkam' kandu...orikkal koodi padamarajan touch thottarinju....padmettante( angane snehathodu vilikkam.. ente veettil ninnum atra akalam illa padmettante veettilekku...ente appooppanum rajettante achanum thammil nalla suhruthukkal aayirunnu Very Happy

) ettavum nalla film ente nottathil moonnam pakkam thanne aanu...kadalinte niyamamaaya 'moonnam pakkam' enna concept il ninnu kondu 2nd half thilakante role ne manoharamaakkan padmettanallathe vere aarkka kazhiyuka...unarumee gaanam...orunarthupaattaayi malayalaikku maariyathum ee film nte oru sambhavana thanne aanu...

jagathi aduthide oru interview il paranjathu...1000 adhikam film il abhinayichu kazhinjengilum....ettavum ormayil nikunna ettavum ishtapetta kathapathram "kavala" aanu ennu....!!! Smile

"kavala...innnaaadaaaa"...aa dialoge aarkkanu aa introducing role il marakkkan kazhiyuka... Smile

Bhuhaha · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:34 pm Post subject:

Moonnam pakkathe patti parayumbol enikku orma varunnathu Unarumee gaanam enna pattananu. It is my all time favourite...

molliekutty :) · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 4:18 pm Post subject:

moonaam pakam is a film that i watched prob in my early teens. I never got to watch it again, but the storyline and the film has always remained poignant and fresh in my memory! I agree that this is one of thilakan's best performances. His pain is so real that i can feel it even now when i think of that film. The despair of losing his "life" that is almost in a way embodied in his grandson. His grandson symbolizes his youth, his dream, his only hope and link to the future long after he himself is gone. The viewer is drawn into this desperation without even realizing it. Weldone to the late Padmarajan for presenting this tremendous and emotional saga!!! Applause

molliekutty :) · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 4:21 pm Post subject:

And thanks to saroj for initiating this discussion! brought back alot of bitter-sweet memories of this film!!! Applause

MoTTa · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject:

As the author (who ever it be) said, this is a haunting movie. After seeing it almost 10 years or so ago, I never watched it again or tried to do that, though this is one of my all-time favs. As he said, I too decided to watch it again recently, when it was telecasted somewhere.

Not too many characters touches our heart so deeply, as the characters in a Padmarajan movies does(I am not saying about lead roles, even a vazhipokkan will create some impact if its Padmarajan movie). Thilakan, Jagathi, the 4 friends, girl ennivarude karyam pokette, thilakante friend, Jayabharathi, angane cheriya roles cheythavar polum manassil thangi nilkkum.. (The 4th among the yougsters, pulliye njan orkkunnathu Thoovanathumbikal, MoonnamPakkam ennivayile roles karanam mathramanu).. Very Happy

But I think he was yet to give his master piece... One of the biggest loss to Malayalam cinema.. And the gap created by him still persist.. Hope some one will fill it soon b4 it's too late Sad

rudolf_hitler · Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 6:05 pm Post subject:

padmarajanolam orikkalum varillengilum..."thanmathra" koodi onnirangikotte...addehathinte 'shishyan' blessy yude range ariyaaam...."kazcha" oru kaazcha aakki thannathu addeham allle....motta paranjapole... Kazchayilum onnu sraddiche....aarum nerathe film il abhinayikkathavaraanu...nadakathil okke mugham kaanichavar..but....mammutty yude films sookichekunna roominu thazheyunna pettikadakkaran, aa gujrati laungage ariyunna ex militery... even aa dog...gurat ilekku mammoty ye kondu povunna aa policekaran....pettennu marakkan kazhiyatha ethra pere oru thavana kaanumpol thanne manassil olippikkan blessy kku kazhinju... enikku thonnunnu...blessy yaayirikkum....oru paridhi vare engilum padmettante kuravu nikathaan pokunnathu... Very Happy