Focus

NATIONAL AWARDS -- Another rich haul for Malayalam films
THE cup of joy brimmeth over yet again for Malayalam filmdom after the tiny landscape cornered as many as 14 feature and non-feature awards, the biggest haul for any language, at the national film awards announced last week.

The news has undoubtedly brought cheer to winners and viewers alike across the state, especially now that the film industry is facing a crisis at several fronts. By collecting the largest number of National honours, the land of world-renowned filmmakers like Aravindan and Adoor Gopalakrishnan has stamped its superiority once again over the national horizon.

We have every reason to be proud for now we can hold our heads high and claim that Malayalam cinema is where you have to turn to for work of quality -veteran P Bhaskaran, winner of several national honours in the past

It is once again the extension of previous years. Starting from 1954 when Neelakuyil of Ramu Kariatt brought the Rajath Kamal to the state, Malayalam films have continued to dominate the scene. Last year as many as 12 awards, including the best actor and director awards, came to the land.

“We have every reason to be proud,” enthused veteran P Bhaskaran, winner of several national honours in the past, “for now we can hold our heads high and claim that Malayalam cinema is where you have to turn to for work of quality.”

Though not inclined to assess the awards on a parochial basis, world-class filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan also expressed happiness over the achievements of Malayalam cinema.
For the last three years in succession, Malayalam actors were adjudged the best. If Balachandra Menon and Suresh Gopi shared the honours in 1997, it was superstar Mammootty who brought the ribbon home, last year.

Leading the pack now is superstar Mohan Lal, who won the national award for the third time, with his searing performance in Vanaprastham, which has also romped home as the best film of the year. In 1989, he had won a special mention for his performance in kireedom and in 1991, he was adjudged the best actor for his role in Bharatam, produced by himself.

Interestingly, this year, too, it is quadruple cheer for the actor, who is the co-producer of Vanaprastham, which has bagged as many as four awards.

The popular star, on being informed about the award, said, “This is God’s gift to us for our sincere work.” Profusively thanking the Kathakali masters, who helped him take up the role, he dedicated the achievement to the maestros.

The versatile artiste acknowledged that it required a lot of hard work to step into the shoes of Kathakali exponent, Kunhikuttan, in the film which narrates the penury and emotional conflicts of an artiste.

It was an encore of the state film awards in many ways. It is Mohan Lal, who is the best actor in the national level too and it was comedian Kalabhavan Mani who was pushed down to the second spot after a neck-and-neck fight till the final round. Mani had fainted after being informed of the results at the state awards.

On the national scene too, he had to satisfy himself with a special mention of his life-time achievement in Vasanthiyum Lakshmium Pinne Njanum. He also earned a pat from the jury for his performance. “Having missed the state award by a whisker, I wasn’t expecting a jury award and I’m happy,” said a thrilled Kalabhavan Mani.

Says MG Sreekumar, who bagged the best playback singer award for the second time, “I sang the song with a light touch and the result has been astonishing.”

For TK Rajeevkumar, whose Jalamarmaram won the award for the 1best film on the environment, the award has made him more committed to the cause. He has decided to donate the prize money to set up a welfare fund for the people of Mavoor, whose plight the film portrays. The award comes also as a fillip to his activities, as he is out to hold free shows of the film across the state.

The same film won the award for the best child artiste, for Master Ashwin Thampi, who is simply thrilled to hear the news. The fifth-class student at Christ Nagar School, Thiruvananthapuram, thinks the award has added a burden on his young shoulders to perform better next time.

Kerala has more reasons for cheer: John Mathew Mathan, the director of Hindi film, Sarfarosh which won the best popular film award, is a Malayalee, too. So too, are Madambu Kunhikuttan (screenplay), MR Rajan, the third-time achiever in the category of biographical films, VK Prakash (Punaradhivasam — best Malayalam film), Madhu Eravankara and I Shanmughadas (critics award) and Pradeep Kumar (debut film).

Rajiv Nath, the winner of best director award last year, was all joy after receiving the news of Malayalam cinema cornering so many awards.

“I am very happy. Especially about Mohan Lal getting the coveted prize. The best director award also should have come to Malayalam,” he said.

UNI