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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Disbanded after Hema report firestorm, Malayalam film artists' body sees a historic first – a woman as president
For the first time in its three-decade history, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Friday elected women as its president and general secretary. The election for the new office-bearers was held a year after its 17-member executive committee, headed by Mohanlal, quit in the wake of the Hema committee report and subsequent revelations of sexual misconduct. While Shweta Menon was elected president, Cuckoo Parameswaran is the new general secretary. The former defeated veteran actor Devan, while the latter's rival was Raveendran. The general body also elected Lakshmi Priya as vice-president and Ansiba as joint secretary. Unni Shivapal is the treasurer of the committee, which is elected for the next three years. Shweta told the media that the new committee will bring in changes. 'We will bring in all members who have quit the body. They are most welcome. There are no men or women in the body; all are actors,' she said. The newly elected general secretary said, 'All the 508 members of the AMMA will be taken into confidence before any decision. This body will bring in changes.' Days before the elections, Shweta had faced a case based on a complaint that 'she acted in movies and advertisements involving nudity and made financial gains by misusing her notoriety as a vulgar actor'. The High Court stayed the proceedings in the case, which was allegedly linked to her contest in the AMMA elections. The Hema committee report, which came out a year earlier, had triggered an uproar in the film industry, and the then general secretary of AMMA, Siddique, was forced to quit in the wake of the alleged sexual misconduct. Its joint general secretary, Baburaj, also faced similar allegations. Several prominent actors had openly come out against AMMA, leading to the disbanding of the executive and office-bearers. Shweta is a prominent actress, model, and television anchor, active in the entertainment industry for the last three decades. She debuted in the Malayalam film industry in 1991 in Mamootty-starrer Anaswaram. After being crowned Miss Bangalore, she was adjudged third in the Miss India contest in 1994, which Sushmita Sen won. Twice, she won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress – first for her performance in Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha and then for her role in Salt N' Pepper. Newly elected general secretary Cuckoo started her career as a child artiste. She is also a classical dancer, fashion designer and theatre professional. In 1988, she bagged the second-best actress award in Kerala for her role in Ore Thooval Pakshikal.
The Hindu
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Malayalam cinema wins four honours at National Film Awards; Urvashi and Vijayaraghavan get best supporting actor awards
Malayalam cinema did not exactly shine at the National Film Awards for the year 2023, which was declared on Friday, but the nods to a few deserving winners brought a lot of cheer to the industry. Urvashi won the best supporting actor (female) for her performance in Ullozhukku and Vijayaraghavan won the award for the best supporting actor (male) for Pookkaalam, although technically both of them played the lead roles in these films. Ullozhukku, directed by Christo Tomy, won the award for the best Malayalam film. Art director Mohandas Pallakkotti won the best production design award for the film 2018, in which he recreated the floods that hit Kerala in 2018. The technically solid recreation of the floods in a set built on an empty plot elevated the film. Midhun Murali won the award for the best editor for his seamless work in Pookkaalam. In Ullozhukku, Urvashi plays Leelamma, who shares a fraught relationship with her daughter-in-law. Devastated by the death of her son and caught amid the revelation of unpleasant truths, the woman digs deep into her reserves of strength to navigate the troubled waters. Urvashi delivers a masterclass of controlled acting, with her use of subtle gestures, adding uncommon depth to the scenes. The performance won her the Kerala State Film Award for the best female actor for a record-setting sixth time. Vijayaraghavan, another seasoned performer, is in the middle of a rewarding period in his long career, with a bunch of roles that challenged the actor in him. In Pookkalam, he plays the almost 100-year-old Ittoop who discovers an old letter on the day of his granddaughter's betrothal, a letter which threatens to cast a cloud on the happy occasion, bringing up to the surface the family's buried secrets. Vijayaraghavan, along with KPAC Leela, put in moving performances as a couple who are facing a crisis late in their lives. He was able to make the age of the character believable through minutely portrayed movements of the body. In the non-film category, M.K. Ramdas won a special mention for the documentary Nekal-Chronicle of the Paddy Man.
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Meesha' explores the shades of grey in male friendships, says director Emcy Joseph
Emcy Joseph's Meesha is an ode to friendship, but different from the saccharine 'bros before everything' bromances. The film, which releases on August 1, is about two friends and the ups and downs in their bond. The relationship between the two friends, from very different social backgrounds, oscillates between various emotional states, the most basic being love (not romantic) and hate as they learn to live with each other's choices, often misunderstanding their motives. Although the film explores the greys of a friendship, the characters have an inherent goodness to them. The proverbial toxic masculinity is absent. Hakkim Shah, Kathir, Jeo Baby, Sudhi Koppa and Shine Tom Chacko headline Meesha. The film traverses locales — from the calm coast to the intense forest with its wildlife — where the characters face their not-so pleasant side. The tussle between man and beast represents the war within the characters as they face their true feelings. The latter part of the film, as it moves towards the climax, is metaphor heavy. 'Meesha is about male friendships, the essence of which, I feel, has been diluted. Male friendships have been reduced to togetherness and 'happiness'. There are so many 'friends' — virtual, gym, rider, college, office buddies. I am speaking of that handful of friends with whom we have an emotional connection. And such bonds come with commitments — deeply emotional ones —and I am talking about those in Meesha,' says Emcy. Excerpts from an interview The right actors Casting is the most important thing when I make a film. Suraj ettan (Venjaramoodu) got a Kerala State Film Award for my first film, which made me very happy. I want to continue that high, and I hope one of the actors in this film also gets an award because they have all done very well. They have put forth fantastic performances. I was particular that all the actors/characters should 'perform' in it. Though the characters I have written have an arc, the clarity comes when the 'body' (the actors) steps in. The character grows with their arrival, not on the sets but during pre-production discussions. I don't discuss the character on the set, I just tell them what they shouldn't do. At the end of the day, the director cannot become the character, give it body. That only an actor can. And often, when actors put forth the performance, I as a director, can only think… 'wow! I didn't think of it that way!'. So, Meesha is different from other 'friendship' films? Besides love and affection in friendships, there could be a dash of jealousy, anger and even obsession. Disappointment that our friends did not act the way we expected them to. These are emotions that would be absent in the 'passive' friendships I mentioned earlier, however the deeper bonds would have all these emotions. Even ego for that matter…that is the kind of friends and friendships we are speaking about in the film. What led to it [Meesha]? The inspiration came from real life incidents, of course. There is this thing I wanted to show — the male ego which makes us behave like we are unaffected by the emotions. We twirl our moustaches in pride. My attempt is to offer a peek into what is behind the pretence of being egotistical and indifferent, men can be deeply emotional, feel disappointment, and sadness when it comes to friendships. The camaraderie in male friendships is celebrated, however it has several other layers like any other relationship. Like we do with our mothers, wives or kids…we feel the same gamut of emotions when it comes to our friends too. This is not something we see often in Malayalam cinema — the not-so-sweet side of male friendships. Yes, there are few films in that space which speak of the greys of male friendships. Amidst films that speak of the celebration that friendship is, Meesha is different. Are you a social observer, having made a film like Vikrithi also inspired by a real life incident? I think all of us who live in this world are social observers, we are watching what is happening around us. We cannot live otherwise, if we don't and are unaware of what is going on, we will be irrelevant to others — our words, thoughts and actions. We are with the times because we observe our surroundings. I wish to make films that are socially relevant. I don't want to be preachy, it is showing people a mirror. It's been a while since Vikrithi. It's been four years since. We started filming a movie with Arjun Ashokan and Anna Ben, during the second wave of Covid-19. Everything was ready when we had to hit pause; that is when I started writing this. Writing Meesha took a couple of years. While that one was about 40-odd women, Meesha is about men! (laughs). Can we expect that next? I am not sure if that will be my next film, but it will happen at some point. If it had happened then it would have been back to back films. Are you somebody who likes to make movies back to back, or would you prefer to pace yourself? I would definitely like to do that. It is important that I get the subjects that I want to make films about. However, I would like to make films closer to each other and it might happen now because I have a couple of scripts ready. Meesha releases in theatres on August 1
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Anoop Menon confirms his film with Mohanlal is on track: Lalettan advises not to rush, take time and make meaningful film
has confirmed that his film with is still happening, clearing all rumours. He also shared when the shoot will begin and some exciting details. Come, let's see when his directorial film will start and what he has to say about the rumours. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now About Anoop Menon Anoop Menon is an Indian actor, director, writer, and lyricist. He has worked in many Malayalam films. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and also received the popular Award for his role as a movie star named Ajayachandran in the film 'Thirakkatha'. Official Confirmation on His Directorial Film with Mohanlal According to the reports of Cinema Express, recently he has officially confirmed that his directorial film starring superstar Mohanlal is very much in the works and has not been shelved. There had been rumours suggesting the film might be dropped, but Anoop has clarified that the project is very much alive and progressing slowly due to careful planning. He provided new news on the status of the film and disclosed interesting new information, assuring the fans that they will have a big-screen experience to look forward to. The movie is now due to start filming in 2026, with a large shooting schedule organized in Kolkata. Anoop Menon mentioned that they are planning to shoot during the festival to capture the city's real festive atmosphere. The Kolkata shoot is expected to last around 20 days, and one major action sequence will also be filmed there. The team is waiting for the right time to align schedules and ensure they can shoot the festival scenes live, instead of recreating them on sets. A Little more information about the Film Anoop also revealed that the film will be a big-budget project, complete with five songs and three action sequences. It's clear that the movie is being planned on a grand scale and will be rich in content and visuals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He is currently working on the script and story, and he shared that Mohanlal, fondly called 'Lalettan,' advised him not to rush and to take his time to create a meaningful and well-structured film. Major Highlight about the film Another major highlight is the involvement of Hesham Abdul Wahab, a popular music composer known for his work in the film 'Hridayam'. While this project is still in the pre-production stage, Mohanlal will soon be seen in another movie titled 'Hridayapoorvam', directed by and written by Sonu T. P., based on a story by Akhil Sathyan. This movie is expected to release later this year and will keep Mohanlal fans engaged until Anoop Menon's directorial arrives. Anoop Menon's confirmation and the exciting details he shared assure fans that the film with Mohanlal is on track.
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sangeeth Prathap reveals how he landed a key role in blockbuster Mohanlal-starrer Thudarum: ‘The only reason I said yes to the film was…'
Actor-editor Sangeeth Prathap is currently on cloud nine. It's not just that his career has taken off since the blockbuster success of Premalu (2024), with back-to-back film offers and a Kerala State Film Award for Best Editor for his work in Little Miss Rawther (2023). He's also, since then, had the chance to share the screen with Malayalam superstar Mohanlal; not just once, but twice. Although his role in director Tharun Moorthy's revenge thriller Thudarum was small, it was crucial to the narrative, and in most of his scenes, he shared the screen with Mohanlal himself. In addition to Thudarum, Sangeeth also worked alongside the legendary actor in Sathyan Anthikad's upcoming film Hridayapoorvam. Dubbing the experience of working with him as 'great', Sangeeth said during an exclusive chat with SCREEN, 'Recently, when we went to watch Thudarum, an assistant director from our team posted a video showing Lalettan (Mohanlal) holding my hand and helping me go up the stairs. So, that was the same day the shoot for Thudarum had started. Such coincidences happen often in my life. It turns out that it was exactly a year ago, on that very day, that I saw Mohanlal for the first time. It was my wife who reminded me of it.' He continued, 'I was telling someone recently that over the past year, it's with Lalettan that I've been spending my time, from morning till evening. For a while now, I have been right next to Lalettan, shoulder to shoulder. It's something I never imagined would happen in my life.' Recalling how he landed a role in Thudarum, Sangeeth Prathap said: 'A year ago, when I agreed to do a cameo in Thudarum, my only goal was to see Lalettan up close. That was the only reason I committed to that film; along with my affection for director Tharun Moorthy. When I saw the announcement for the Mohanlal–Shobana movie, I messaged Tharun myself, asking him to let me know if there was any character in it for me. He called me that day or the next, saying there's a small cameo role. His movies, including the previous two — Operation Java (2021) and Saudi Vellakka (2022) — also pique excitement in us. So, it was certain, whether it's one scene or two, I had to do it.' 'He only narrated that particular event (in the story) to me. Usually, we hear many scripts, sort them, filter them, etc, right? But in this case, it was simply their names (Mohanlal, Tharum Moorthy and Shobana) that prompted me to take it up. It's the time I get to spend with them that I value above everything else,' he added. Sangeeth Prathap continued, 'I think I had combination scenes with Lalettan for only three days. Initially, he was somewhere far away; just being able to see him was enough. But now, he's very close, both emotionally and in terms of presence; it's as if he's right beside me. He shows so much affection to all of us. He has treated me both like a son and like a friend, always talking and joking. Those moments are emotionally very special.' Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at ... Read More
