Godfather (1991 film)

Godfather

VCD cover
Directed by Siddique-Lal
Produced by Appachan
Written by Siddique-Lal
Starring N. N. Pillai
Thilakan
Mukesh
Kanaka
Jagadish
Innocent
Philomina
Siddique
K. P. A. C. Lalitha
Sankaradi
Bheeman Raghu
Music by S. Balakrishnan
Cinematography Venu
Edited by K.R. Gaurishankar
T.R. Shekhar
Production
company
Swargachithra
Distributed by Swargachithra Release
Release dates
  • 15 November 1991 (1991-11-15)
Running time
 150 minutes
Country India
Language Malayalam
Budget ₹12 lakh (US$18,000)
Box office ₹4.7 crore (US$700,000)

Godfather is a 1991 Indian Malayalam comedy-Drama film written and directed by Siddique-Lal and produced by Swargachitra Appachan. The film stars an ensemble cast consisting of N. N. Pillai, Thilakan, Mukesh, Kanaka, Jagadish, Innocent, Philomina, Siddique, K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Sankaradi, and Bheeman Raghu.

It was one of the highest grossing Malayalam film of 1991. It won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Popular Film. The film was remade into Telugu as Peddarikam (1992) directed A. M. Rathnam starring Jagapati Babu and Sukanya. In 2004, Priyadarshan remade the film in Hindi as Hulchul. It was also remade in Kannada as Pandavaru with Jaggesh and Ramkumar. Film ran for 365 days in a theatre in Trivandrum.[1]

Plot

Anjooran (N. N. Pillai), and his four sons Balaraman (Thilakan), Swaminathan (Innocent), Premachandran (Bheeman Raghu) and Ramabhadran (Mukesh) are in severe enmity with the Anappara family. Anjooran's bitter hatred toward Anappara Achamma (Philomina) stems from events in the past, when the men of Anappara abducted Balaraman's fiancée and forced her to marry the eldest son of Achamma. The resulting series of events saw Anjooran's wife being killed, and him being sent to jail for avenging her by murdering Achamma's husband. Consequently, he develops a hatred toward all women, and their entry into his home is prohibited from then on.

Anjooran's youngest son Ramabhadran is a law student. At college, he and his friend Mayin Kutty (Jagadish) try all means to humiliate their classmate Malu (Kanaka), who is the granddaughter of Achamma. Malu gets engaged to a Shyam Prasad, a young state minister, but the minister withdraws from the relation as Anjooran intervenes and threatens him of political consequences. Incensed, Achamma hatches a plan to divide Anjooran's family by having Malu seduce Ramabhadran and making him turn against his father. When Malu expresses her feelings to Ramabhadran, as per the advice of her grandmother, Mayin Kutty ideates that Ramabhadran could divide the Anappara family by seducing Malu and turning her against them. On his advice, Ramabhadran too acts as if he is in love with her. The facade soon falls and they really fall in love with each other. While wondering about ways to get his family to support this relationship, he gets to know that Swaminathan is leading a secret double life as Ramanathan, with a wife Kochammini (K. P. A. C. Lalitha) and two kids. When confronted with this information, Swaminathan promises to help unite him and Malu.

Through a turn of events, Anjooran comes to know of Ramabhadran's love affair and Swaminathan's deceptiveness. Consequently, they're both ostracised from the family. Over at Anappara, Achamma is shocked to know that Malu's love is not a mere act. She and her sons decide to get her married to the family's advocate's son (Ravi Vallathol). However, she still tries to bring her plans to fruition by sending out signals that the house is divided over the issue. To this end, she sends her sons to beg for Anjooran's help in preventing Ramabhadran from marrying Malu (a request that Anjooran approves), and approaches Ramabhadran herself assuring him of all help in doing so.

However, Achamma does not know that her youngest son Veerabhadran (Siddique) is sympathetic to the lovers' cause and has revealed her plan to Ramabhadran. With his help, Ramabhadran sneaks in to the marriage hall and almost marries Malu. Enraged, Achamma curses Anjooran for not being vigilant enough, exposing her duplicity. Ramabhadran then admits that he sneaked in not to marry Malu, but to foil Achamma's plan and save his father's honour. A regretful Anjooran allows the wedding of Ramabhadran and Malu to take place and welcomes both him, Swaminathan and their families back into the fold, thereby paving the way for the entry of women into his house once again.

Cast

Soundtrack

Godfather
Soundtrack album by S. Balakrishnan
Released 1991
Producer Appachan
Song title Singers Remarks
"Manthrikochamma Varunnundee" KG Markose Mukesh, Jagatheesh & Kanaka
"Neer Palunkukal" M. G. Sreekumar, Sujatha Mohan Mukesh, Thilakan, N.N.Pillai & Kanaka
"Neer Palunkukal (M)" M. G. Sreekumar
"Pookkalam Vannu Pookkalam" K. S. Chithra, Unni Menon Mukesh, & Kanaka

Box office

The Film became second highest grosser of the year 1991 and ran for 404 days in a theatre in Trivandrum.[2][3] The film ran for 400 days in theatres in Thiruvananthapuram.[4]

Trivia

  • This was third film by Siddique-Lal and broke many collection records in Malayalam. The film completed 405 days at Sreekumar theater in Thiruvananthapuram.
  • Theater legend N. N. Pillai made his movie debut as Anjooran. Kanaka was also introduced into Malayalam film industry through Godfather.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.filmelon.com/posts/abhijith-s-pen-films-that-soared-to-new-heights-at-kerala-box-office
  2. ↑ "Spell of Mollywood Movies Released in 1991 Still Grips Hearts". The New Indian Express. 9 January 2016.
  3. ↑ https://www.filmelon.com/posts/abhijith-s-pen-films-that-soared-to-new-heights-at-kerala-box-office
  4. ↑ "Spell of Mollywood Movies Released in 1991 Still Grips Hearts". The New Indian Express. 9 January 2016.

External links

Films directed by Siddique
Directed alone
Directed with Lal
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