Latest news with #Neelavelicham
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Box office flops, unforgettable characters: When characters won, but the films didn't
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Ever been in a condition where you really loved a movie character, but not the movie? Then we are on the same line here. Especially in Malayalam cinema, there have been several impressive characters that still rule social media, but the films actually failed to impress the audiences. Performances outshine the film Some directors care a lot for their characters in the movie, even more than the actual script. In some ways, there is a rule that the audience should be able to connect to the character, and then only the script will work, as the viewers will be emotionally invested in a particular character or a group of characters. But this can go wrong in many ways, as even if the character seems to be interesting, the script fails to impress. Take, for example, Suraj Venjaramoodu's character Dasamoolam Daamu from Mammootty's 'Chattambinaadu'. All thanks to Suraj's stunning performance, Dasamoolam Daamu still rules social media in memes, trolls, and others. Coming to the film 'Chattambi Naadu', did it work well? A strong 'NO' would be the answer. (Picture Courtesy: Facebook) 'Sometimes, even a full-length character goes unnoticed' - Actress Amalda Liz Bramayugam - Official Trailer In an exclusive interview with ETimes, the actress Amalda Liz opened up about the same topic. Speaking about her Yakshi role in Mammootty's 'Bramayugam', she says, 'The desire to portray a 'Yakshi' role has always been within me, so when Rahul Sadasivan, the director, reached out, we immediately bonded over this particular character. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo We delved into character sketches and other preparatory measures that aided me in shaping my role. Subsequently, we conducted numerous look tests and trial shoots. Additionally, I had already envisioned the character's essence in post-production, which further facilitated my preparation process.' Amalda further said, 'Watching 'Bramayugam' made it clear to me that it's undoubtedly a classic in the horror genre of Malayalam cinema. Also, sometimes, even with a full-length character, it can go unnoticed, but this kind of response to my short-length character was unexpected.' Meanwhile, 'Bramayugam' is a classic example of how characters and story also go hand in hand and impress the audience. Even Amalda Liz's brief Yakshi character stays with you for long after the end credits roll. 'Playing a character from Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's story really excited me' - Pooja Mohanraj Aashiq Abu's 'Neelavelicham', which is a remake of the Prem Nazir starrer by the same name, unfortunately flopped at the box office. While the original film has several memorable characters, why did the remake, which was filled with the same characters, failed to impress? Here, the issue was with the storyline and execution, for sure. 'Neelavelicham's story would have been definitely impressive decades back, but now? No. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, the actress Pooja Mohanraj who played the role of Latha in 'Neelavelicham' said, 'When I got roped in for the role of Bhargavi's friend character Latha, people were asking me two extreme things. One section among them was actually afraid of whether the remake of such a classic film 'Bhargavi Nilayam' would work well and another section said to me that this film is going to be a magnificent one. Playing a character from Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's story really excited me.' In short, there are several examples ranging from Mohanlal's character Mathew Manjooran in B Unnikrishnan's 'Villain' to Mammootty's Bilal John Kurishingal ('Big B' reportedly didn't do well at the box office). Suvh movies may have flopped, but their characters shine.
New Indian Express
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Rima Kallingal Interview: It's frustrating to be reduced to labels like 'bold and beautiful'
More than a decade into her film career, actor Rima Kallingal refuses to be boxed by industry expectations. Although she was last seen in Neelavelicham (2023) on the big screen where she was also the producer, Rima's name continues to make headlines for the interesting projects that she chooses to work in. The short film Lalanna's Song (currently streaming on Mubi) is one of them, where she plays Miriam, a quiet, yet fierce witness to religious hatred and prejudices in the heart of Mumbai, along with Shoby (Parvathy Thiruvothu). 'This piece was liberating,' shares Rima. 'As both a human being and an artist, these issues have always troubled me, and it gave me a medium to confront those concerns directly—to look them in the eye,' she adds. In this interview, Rima elaborates on these themes, why the ripples of the Hema Committee report haven't died down, exploring different platforms to share stories, the importance of creating inclusive spaces for art, and more…
