Chotta Mumbai

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Chotta Mumbai
Chotta Mumbai.jpg
Poster
Directed by Anwar Rasheed
Written by Benny P. Nayarambalam
Produced by Maniyanpilla Raju
Ajayachandran Nair
Raghuchandran Nair
Starring Mohanlal
Narrated byMohanlal
Cinematography Alagappan N.
Edited by Don Max
Music by Rahul Raj
Production
company
Sree Bhadra Pictures
Distributed byVaishakha Release
Release date
  • 7 April 2007 (2007-04-07)
Running time
137 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam

Chotta Mumbai (Transl. Small Mumbai) is a 2007 Indian Malayalam-language action comedy film directed by Anwar Rasheed, written by Benny P. Nayarambalam, and co-produced by Maniyanpilla Raju. The film stars Mohanlal in the lead role with Siddique, Jagathy Sreekumar, Kalabhavan Mani, Indrajith Sukumaran, Manikuttan, Bijukuttan, Sai Kumar, and Bhavana in supporting roles. Rahul Raj composed the score and songs of the film. The plot follows Vasco da Gama (Thala) and his gang of friends, all unemployed and leading a happy-go-lucky life until they encounter a corrupt police officer and gangster, Nadeshan.

Contents

The film released on 7 April 2007 opened to positive reviews and was a great success at the box office.

Plot

The film starts in a street in Fort Kochi where Vasco da Gama, the son of a wrestler named Michael, lives. Vasco and his gang of five – "Mullan" Chandrappan, Susheelan, Sainu, "Padakkam" Basheer, and cousin, Tomichan, are small-time goons, involved in petty offenses. As the movie progresses, these characters turn out to be more endearing than bad.

Vasco goes by the nickname Thala (head) since he is the gang leader. Though Michael rebukes his son time and again for his lifestyle choices, he loves him and has big dreams for him. The plot progresses when a marriage broker contracts a wedding between Vasco and auto-rickshaw driver Latha, the only daughter of Pambu Chakochan who is a heavy drinker and a longtime friend of Michael.

Vasco likes Latha, but she pleads with him to tell her father that he does not like her because she plans to elope with her boyfriend. Overjoyed at having discovered a fellow drinker in Vasco, Chakochan does not even let him voice his opinion. Vasco decides to help Latha out, but her plan to elope fails when she discovers that her boyfriend Suni is involved in human trafficking. She returns to Vasco.

Later when Vasco, Michael, Chandrappan, and Latha travel in her auto-rickshaw, they clash with a gang that has been on the run after stabbing an honest police officer named Mohandas. Vasco and his father were witnesses to the murder that was committed by Satheesan, the younger brother of the corrupt circle inspector Nadesan. This forms the remaining plot of the film.

Cast

Production

Jayasurya was cast in a role, but he had to opt-out from the film due to scheduling conflicts with Kangaroo (2007 film). [1]

Music

Chotta Mumbai
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedMarch 2007 [2]
Studio
Genre Film soundtrack
Length25:20
Label Satyam Audios
Rahul Raj chronology
Chotta Mumbai
(2007)
Time
(2007)

Composer Rahul Raj made his feature film debut through this film. The songs Thalaa and Vasco da Gama became chartbusters.

TrackSong TitleSinger(s)LyricistOther notes
1"Vasco da Gama" Afsal, Rimi Tomy, Vipin Xavier Sarath Vayalar Carnival song in the climax
2"Poonila"Sangeeth, Sangeetha PrabhuSanthosh Varma Raga: Kalyani, Sindhu Bhairavi [3]
Not picturised
3"Thala" Shankar Mahadevan, Arjun Sasi, Sangeeth, Rahul RajSarath VayalarHighlighting the lead character Thala
4"Chettikulangara" M. G. Sreekumar, Sayanora Philip Sreekumaran Thampi, Sarath Vayalar Mohanlal's intro song
Cover version of yesteryear song composed by M. K. Arjunan
5"Chotta Mumbai" Rahul Raj, Sreerag, SreelakshmiSarath VayalarTitle song. Showing the life of Chotta Mumbai gang.
6"Chettikulangara (Tell Me Now)"M. G. Sreekumar, Sayanora PhilipSreekumaran Thampi, Sarath VayalarNot picturised

Release

The film was released on 7 April 2007 in 60 screens in Kerala, the biggest release for a Malayalam film. [4]

Critical reception

The film was well-received by critics. Unni R. Nair, in his review for Nowrunning.com said, "An out and out entertainer, it's a film that you would like to just sit back and enjoy, pushing all logical thinking to the background. Chotta Mumbai is a film that cashes in on Mohanlal's superstar image and its aim is merely to entertain and enthrall." (Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg) [5] Paresh C Palicha of Rediff.com gave the film a Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg rating and positively reviewed the film's script, Mohanlal's lead performance, Anwar Rasheed's direction as well as the performances of the supporting cast. [6] Sify.com also published an extremely positive review and said: "What makes the film tick is Mohanlal's at the heart of this mad, mad, mad world with his impeccable sense of comic timing. Clearly, he is at home playing this type of character- for him, it is the equivalent of an old pair of Hawai slippers. If laughter is the best medicine then Anwar Rasheed has earned his stripes yet again." [7]

Box office

The film was a blockbuster at the box office and became one of the top five highest-grossing Malayalam films of the year. It ran for over 101 days in theatres. [8] [9]

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References

  1. George, Vijay (4 January 2008). "Interview : A positive impact". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 8 January 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  2. "Audio CD Cover". Facebook . 14 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  3. "Chotta Mumbai - MSIDb". malayasangeetham.info. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  4. "Is Rajni bigger than the Mega M's ? - Sify.com". Sify . 16 June 2007. Archived from the original on 16 June 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  5. "Review by Nowrunning.com"
  6. "Chotta Mumbai is fun"
  7. "Movie Review: Chotta Mumbai"
  8. "Malayalam top ten 2007". Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  9. "Chotta Mumbai 75days". Archived from the original on 1 April 2012.