Pranjiyettan and the saint

A Thrissur based businessman named Francis aka Pranjiyettan visits St. Francis of Asisi's Church to take blessings for some important affairs in his life.  Inside the vacant Church, he encounters St. Francis Asisi in human form and cannot believe his good luck. Some banter ensues and  thereafter, Pranjiyettan tells his life story to St. Francis.  The full movie is in flash back mode and ends after Pranjiyettan finishes narrating his story and asks St. Francis for his advice.


Pranjiyettan as a person, craves for recognition, which he feels world has not been generous in giving to him.  As a kid, he was not good at studies, lost his lady love to his arch rival (Dr. Jose played by Siddique), never passed SSLC, but in business, everything he touched turned into gold.  But still "ari"Pranji  (rice pranji)  has stuck to his name as they have been rice merchants for generations.  Pranjiyettan has ventured into many business just to get rid of the nick name "ari" (rice).  He has been involved in many charities and philanthropic activities.  His man Friday Vasu menon (played by Innocent) is never short of ideas to make "Pranjiyettan" the most talked about man in Thrissur corporation, but the ideas usually fail big time.  He discusses all of these with St. Francis of Asisi and finally tells him how his latest venture of getting Padma Sree award  also backfires, but he eventually does get "Padmasree", does not he? ;-)...... but no spilling beans here.....


Mammokka as Pranjiyettan is superb...In Rajamanikyam, he had deftly spoken Thiruvananthapuram slang and now in this movie, he has done the same with Thrissur slang, but I guess, for a person of his caliber, it may be just another character, just another performance, if I may use a cricketing analogy, something like another hundred for Sachin.


There was a only a minor glitch ( i felt), which is related to a boy who comes in later in the story and who along with Padmasree is the crux of the story, and who is also the reason Pranjiyettan has come to Church.


Overall, another entertaining movie from the stable of Ranjith.

Arapatta Kettiya Gramathil

A light which passes through a prism breaks into 7 colors, this is a fact known by all, similarly movies made by masters have this subtle ability of transferring a viewer's mind into prism and bathing the senses in myriad of emotions. Needless to say, Arapatta Kettiya Gramathil (In the village which wears Warriors's belt), Padmarajan sir has once again taken the viewer on a ride through the fickle world of human emotions and sensitivity.


Malayali's liking to 'vallum adi' is well known and "When a man drinks, his inhibition stops and exhibition starts" is the premise from where the movie begins and leads to a brothel, where the newest entrant is unwilling and causing trouble to brothel owner. Throw in Hindu and Muslim mobs in the mix and the chaos is complete. Not to forget a budding romance (although not shown, it is there)............Welcome to Arapatta Kettiya Gramathil.....starring Mammokka, Nadimudi Venu, and Ashokan as the protagonists......

Thaniyavarthanam

Is insanity hereditary or is the prevailing environment responsible for it? This movie shows how a sane man born in a family, where male members are marked for insanity by Goddess and the society, does turn insane. It is a very serious and sensitive movie. The sane man who turns insane at the altar of societal norms and family commitments is played by Mammotty. This film has aptly portrayed how small talk and gossip indulged in by many people can ruin lives, especially if one happens to live in rural settings. The ending of this movie is heart wrenching. A heavy weight output from the Sibil Malayil(direction)/ Lohitadas (story) combo.