Vanaprastham

Vanaprastham

DVD cover
Directed by Shaji N. Karun
Produced by Mohanlal
Pierre Assouline
Screenplay by Shaji N. Karun
Raghunath Paleri (dialogue)
Story by Pierre Assouline
Starring Mohanlal
Suhasini
Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar
Kukku Parameswaran
Venmani Haridas
Kalamandalam Gopi
Venmani Vishnu
Music by Zakir Hussain
Cinematography Santosh Sivan
Renato Berta
Edited by A. Sreekar Prasad
Joseph Guinvarch
Production
company
Euro American Films
Pranavam Arts
Distributed by Pranavam Arts (Kerala)
Release dates
 25 December 1999
Running time
 119 minutes
Country India
France
Germany
Language Malayalam

Vanaprastham - The Last Dance (English title: Pilgrimage, Malayalam: വാനപ്രസ്ഥം) is a 1999 Indian-French-German[1] co-production Malayalam language, drama film directed by Shaji N. Karun. It stars Mohanlal, Suhasini, Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, Kalamandalam Gopi and Venmani Haridas. The film's music is composed by Zakir Hussain. The film follows the tale of a lower-caste Kathakali artist Kunhikuttan (Mohanlal) during the 1940s era in Travancore. Subhadra (Suhasini), a member of an aristocratic family, falls in love with the character Arjuna played by Kunhikuttan. She views Kunhikuttan and the character he plays as separate individuals. Their affair eventually leads to the birth of a son, who is hidden away by Subhadra from Kunhikuttan for almost a lifetime.

The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (AFI Fest) in 1999.[2] It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.[1] It is considered to be one of Mohanlal's best performances. IBN Live ranked the film #9 in its list of greatest Indian films of all time.[3][4] The film was screened retrospective, during the 2014 International Film Festival of India in the Celebrating Dance in Indian cinema section.[5]

Plot

The story revolves around a male Kathakali dancer Kunhikuttan (Mohanlal), an admirable and respected performer but a member of a lower caste. He struggles to come to terms with the rejection and estrangement of his father, a member of an upper caste who denies his son. Poor, unhappy, and stuck in an arranged marriage that provides no relief, he gets by for the sake of his daughter. One night, whilst performing as Arjuna from the epic Mahabarata on stage, his dance is witnessed by Subhadra (Suhasini), a well-educated member of an upper-caste family. Defying the norms of India's rigid caste system, they have a son, but it soon becomes clear that Subhadra loves the character Arjuna from his stage performances, and not Kunhikuttan the artist. More in love with the valiant, noble hero of the Mahabarata, than the dancer Kunhikuttan, she rejects him and refuses to let him see his son. Denied access to his son, and rejected by his father, Kunhikuttan returns to the stage, leaving behind his hero roles to play demonic characters, reaching within the dark corners of his mind, becoming increasingly resentful and full of anger, until one last dance which brings the feature to a stunning end.

Cast

Awards

The character KUNHIKUTTAN depicted by Mohanlal in the film is regarded as one of the finest performance by any Indian actor. The film has been nominated for the following awards since its release:

1999 AFI Fest (United States)

1999 Istanbul International Film Festival (Turkey)

1999 Bombay International Film Festival (India)

1999 National Film Awards (India)

1999 Kerala State Film Awards

1999 Filmfare Award

Other Awards

Soundtrack

Song Lyrics Music Singer(s)
Arjunavallabhayallo Manoj Kuroor Zakir Hussain Venmani Haridas
Bhavatheeya Niyogam Kottayathu Thampuran Traditional Kalamandalam Sukumaran
Dark Melody Zakir Hussain
Enanka Dinam Irayimman Thampi
Inimelil Janikunna Ittiraarisa Menon Traditional
Kaaminee Mama Manoj Kuroor Zakir Hussain Kottakkal Madhu
Karyamavanodu Kalloor Namboothirippad Traditional
Kallinodu Thulya Kilimanoor Cherunnikoyi Thampuran Traditional
Kandu Njan Thozhee Manoj Kuroor Zakir Hussain K. Omanakutty
Kunhikuttan Zakir Hussain
Medoorabhakthiyulla Muringoor Sankara Potti Traditional
Mindidaathathenthe Irayimman Thampi
Pushkara Vilochana Muringoor Sankara Potti Traditional
Smile Zakir Hussain
Sodara Balin Kottayathu Thampuran Traditional
Subhadra Zakir Hussain
Subhadra 2 Zakir Hussain
Sukumaara Nandakumaara Aswathi Thirunal Rama Varma Traditional
Thaal Manthra Zakir Hussain

First film in India made in panavision film with dolby stereo.

References

  1. 1 2 "Festival de Cannes: Vanaprastham". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  2. ↑ Awards (IMDb)
  3. ↑ "'Mayabazar' is India's greatest film ever: IBNLive poll". IBN Live. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  4. ↑ "IBNLive Poll: Vote for India's greatest film of all time". IBN Live. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  5. ↑ http://www.iffi.nic.in/Indian%20Cinema%20Catalogue%202014.pdf
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