2012 has been a good year for Malayalam Cinema. With the exception of perhaps Mayamohini, all other major boxoffice hits were critically acclaimed ones too and that is a good sign. The most pleasing aspect this year has been the rise of a number of promising young leading actors to look out for future.Fahad Fazil( 22 Female Kottayam, Diamond Necklace) , Dulqar Salman( Second Show, Usthad Hotel) and Nivin Pauly(Thattathin Marayathu) played integral parts in making their movies successful.
Among the directors , Vineeth Sreenivasan( Thattathin Marayathu) and among script writers ,Anjali Menon( Usthad Hotel and Manjadikuru) did great jobs and their future projects are going to be hugely anticiapted.With only three major releases ( Da Thadiya, Karmayodha and Bavuttiyude Namathil) left this year, Here is a look at the top malayalam movies that made a big impact in 2012.
1) Thattathin Marayathu – A boy falling in love with a girl from a different religion is a story as old as hills. But Vineeth Sreenivasan’s engaging screenplay turned Thattathin Marayathu to the most entertaining movie of 2012.The movie worked as a comedy rather a romance and had the most popular dialogues of this year. ‘Keralathile anungalkenthina six pack’ and ‘Oola thattamittu kazinja sire pinne chuttumullathonnum kaanilla’ were greeted with great applause in the theatres.Vineeth picked two of the brightest from the Malarvadi Arts Club gang -Nivin Pauly and Aju Varghese and they rocked on screen. From the clever choice of a stunning heroine to Sunny Wayne’s cameo to ‘Aayiram Kannumaayi’ bit, almost everything Vineeth did worked wonders for the movie.
2) Diamond Necklace – They say ‘First impression is the best impression’, well not for Fahad Fazil. Its difficult to imagine that he is the same actor we saw in ‘Kaiyethum Doorathu’ years back. Fahad Fazil had back to back hits in 22FK and Diamond Necklace and his performance in Diamond Necklace was particularly noteworthy. He was really good in handling comedy especially in the scene where his father-in-law discusses his dowry and when he tells his wife cycle balance is all required to drive in Dubai. Diamond Necklace was a comeback for the director Lal Jose and his execution brought memories of ArabiKatha and Classmates when he used to be in prime form.
3) Usthad Hotel– As you watch those scenes in ‘Vathilil aa Vaathilil’ song , you realise how much you would miss Thilakan in years to come and why he is the biggest loss for Malayalam Cinema this year. Dulqar showed us that acting is in his genes and Anjali Menon announced her arrival as a promising script writer . Some of the dialogues she wrote were notable like ‘oro sulaimaniyil orithiri mohabbath venam’, ‘Vayar nirakkan arkum kazhiyum , kazhikkunnavante manassu nirayanam’. Gopi Sundar’s background gelled well with the movie.
4) My Boss – I watched My Boss after I formed this list but I couldn’t help from editing the post to add this movie. After a long time I laughed out loud for a malayalam movie and though the remake of a hollywood comedy, I enjoyed it much more than the original. My Boss was a great example of how you can make a clean entertainer tapping Dileep’s comedic skills to the maximum and I wish he does more movies like this than Mr. Marumakan or Mayamohini. Dileep have a good chemistry with a number of heroines but no one in the past had been able to match up to him in comedy scenes like Mamta did in My Boss ( Manju Warrier obviously is the lone exception). She absolutely rocked on screen. Kalabhavan Shajon and Saikumar too provided ample support. Scenes where Dileep first meets Mamta in office for the interview and when Saikumar first talks with Mamta during the dinner were absolutely riot.
5) Ayalum Njanum Thammil– Lal Jose had a great year and followed Diamond Necklace with another great movie. Bobby Sanjay’s script was another instance of a young man learning lessons of life from an elder person but they made sure you never got bored of it.After a string of flops ,Prithviraj bounced back swith a strong performance. He was quite effective in a couple of emotional scenes where he breaks down and Dr.Tharakan was an important character in the actor’s career. Jomon T. John’s excellent work in the cinematography department helped the movie a great deal.
6) Ordinary – Ordinary did extra ordinary business at the boxoffice. Director Sugeeth’s debut effort surprised everyone and worked because of a good first half laced with enough humour, beautiful locales ,Biju Menon’s recently discovered terrific coming timing and his good on-chemistry with Kunjakko Boban.Biju Menon especially shone with his palakkad accent.
7) Run Baby Run – Another big money grosser and the most successful action thriller in 2012. Run Baby Run had enough thrills and turns to keep you engaged. Mohanlal who had a decent year after the Cassanavo debacle in January was terrific in the movie and he lit up the proceedings whenever he appeared on the screen with Biju Menon. Biju Menon on the other hand continued his successful run being part of another big hit this year. Run Baby Run also saw another song rendered by Mohanlal becoming hugely popular.