Kannur Deluxe

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Kannur Deluxe
Directed by A. B. Raj
Screenplay by S. L. Puram Sadanandan
Story by V. Devan
Produced byT. E. Vasudevan
Starring Prem Nazir
Sheela
Adoor Bhasi
Ammini
CinematographyT. N. Krishnankutty Nair
Edited byT. R. Sreenivasalu
Music by V. Dakshinamoorthy
Production
company
Jaya Maruthi
Release date
  • 16 May 1969 (1969-05-16)
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam

Kannur Deluxe is a 1969 Indian Malayalam-language thriller film, directed by A. B. Raj and produced by T. E. Vasudevan who wrote the story under the pseudonym V. Devan. [1] It is the first road movie in Malayalam which pivots on a theft that occurs in a bus and stars Prem Nazir, Sheela, Adoor Bhasi. The film was released on 16 May 1969.

Contents

Plot

Jayasree runs away from her home to avoid getting married to an old man. In Thiruvananthapuram she is harassed by some city wastrels and seeks refuge in K.B. Pillai’s house. Pillai, a businessman, takes pity on her and appoints her in his office. His son Venugopal takes a liking for her.

Pillai sends Jayasree to Kozhikode with two bundles of currency notes worth Rs. 25,000 rupees to be paid to his partners KBS Nair and Abdul Kader as part of the profit share. One of the bundles comprised counterfeit currency notes. She is instructed to hand over the money to Abdul Kader at the Kozhikode bus stand. Jayasree travels by Kannur Deluxe.

On the way, she finds that the bag containing the money is replaced by a similar bag. When alerted, the Conductor finds one passenger missing. He immediately takes the driver’s seat, reverses, changes the destination board to Thiruvananthapuram and speeds in that direction.

Gopalakrishnan, who had stolen Jayasree’s bag, gets into the bus without knowing that it is the same bus from where he had alighted and is arrested by the police at Kayamkulam. The police find the fake currency, but cleverly hands over the entire money to Jayasree.

A mentally challenged Namboodiri and his escort Chandu get into the bus from Kayamkulam. The bus reaches Kozhikode. But Abdul Kader does not come to collect the money. Jayasree goes to KBS Nair’s office. On the way she is attacked by Dineshan who has been sent by Nair to track her. Namboodiri and Chandu come to her rescue. K.B. Pillai reaches Nair’s office at Kozhikode. The police also reach the office to arrest Jayasree.

And now for the climax. Namboodiri and Chandu reveal their true identities. They are police officers deputed to investigate cases related to fake currency and Jayasree is an officer from the Central Intelligence Department. KBS Nair, K.B. Pillai and Abdul Kader are arrested.

Cast

Production

The film is perhaps the first road movie in Malayalam. [1] A real life incident that occurred at Cherthala in Alappuzha district of Kerala inspired the modus operandi used to arrest the thief in the film. Major portions of the film were shot inside Kannur Deluxe, a KSRTC bus service between Trivandrum and Kannur that was started in 1967 and is still on. [2] The indoor portions were shot at Vahini, Arunachalam, and Newton Studios. I. V. Sasi worked as assistant director in the film. [1]

Soundtrack

The music was composed by V. Dakshinamoorthy and the lyrics were written by Sreekumaran Thampi. [3]

SongSingers
"Ee Muhabathenthoru" K. J. Yesudas, S. Janaki, P. B. Sreenivas
"Ethra Chirichaalum"K. J. Yesudas
"Kannundaayathu Ninne" P. Leela, P. B. Sreenivas
"Marakkaan Kazhiyumo" Kamukara
"Thaippooyakkaavadiyaattam"K. J. Yesudas
"Thulliyodum Pullimaane" P. Jayachandran
"Varumallo Ravil"S. Janaki

Historical importance

The film helped the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to win a trademark case against the Karnataka Road Transport Corporation by submitting its scenes with the KSRTC logo as prime evidence. [4] The scenes were used to prove that the Transport Corporation existed in Kerala even before the Karnataka RTC. [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Vijayakumar, B. (5 July 2015). "Kannur Deluxe: 1969". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  2. ↑ Krishna Kumar KE (29 September 2014). "47 yrs on, 'Kannur Deluxe' still KSRTC's ambassador". Deccan Chronicle . Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "കണ്ണൂര്‍ ഡീലക്സ്‌ (1969)". malayalasangeetham.info (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  4. ↑ "ആനവണ്ടിക്കേസില്‍ കര്‍ണാടകയെ കുടുക്കിയത് സിഐഡി നസീറും ഷീലയുടെ ഇന്‍റലിജന്‍സും!". Asianet News (in Malayalam). 5 June 2021. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "How a 1969 movie helped Kerala win rights over 'KSRTC' use". Hindustan Times . 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
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