Kumari (2022 film)

Last updated

Kumari
Kumari-2022.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Nirmal Sahadev
Written by
  • Nirmal Sahadev
  • Fazal Hameed
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAbraham Joseph
Edited bySreejith Sarang
Music by
Production
company
The Fresh Lime Sodas
Distributed by
Release date
  • 28 October 2022 (2022-10-28)
Running time
137 min
CountryIndia
Language Malayalam

Kumari is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language mythological fantasy film written and directed by Nirmal Sahadev, featuring Aishwarya Lekshmi in title role. It also features Shine Tom Chacko and Surabhi Lakshmi in supporting roles. [1] The film is produced by Giju John, Nirmal Sahadev, Sreejith Sarang and Jakes Bejoy under the banner The Fresh Lime Sodas. Abraham Joseph is the cinematographer of the film, while Jakes Bejoy composed the songs. Kumari is co-produced by Aishwarya Lekshmi, Priyanka Joseph and Mridhula Pinapala [2] [3]

Contents

Plot

The movie starts with a grandmother narrating to her grandchild a story about a goddess that had visited the earth. Becoming fascinated by the beauty of planet, she did not return to her abode, and married a mortal man and had two children named Chathan and Gari Devan, who neither looked like gods nor humans and possessed enormous powers. They fought amongst themselves and destroyed the planet forcing the goddess to restrain Chathan to the mountains and Gari Devan under the land, before returning to her abode. Human beings then start worshipping them, knowing that they are very powerful and can be used for the betterment of mankind.

The movie then shifts to a village, where the conservative landlord Thuppan undervalues people from low-caste and was known to be very cruel. Chokkan was a young orphan, who unbeknownst to everyone often met Chathan and gave him food in exchange for gems. Thuppan's generous wife Nangakutty was fond of Chokkan and often conversed with him. One day, while Chokkan was conversing with Nangakutty, he forgets the mangoes that he fetched and Nangakutty, unbeknownst to anyone, eats the mangoes which was considered a sin by the landlord as he considers them outcasts. Later, while Nangakutty was serving food to Thuppan, he notices the smell of mangoes coming from Nangakutty and realizes she ate mangoes from the forest and that she had used them to cook food which she had given to Thuppan. The agitated Thuppan who was feeling impure, went to have a bath in the family pond to purify himself. Finding Chokkan having a bath at the pond, a furious Thuppan admonished him and eventually killed him using a rock. Angered, Chathan cursed the village causing a rain of rocks and deadly disease, with which Thuppan got infected. To get rid of the curse and protect his clan and people, Thuppan decided to invite Gari Devan.

After twelve generations, Kumari, an orphan raised by her uncles and her brother Jayan, marries Dhruvan, a mentally ill person and Thuppan's descendant despite receiving opposition from Jayan, for her uncles. Kumari is attracted towards the forest by Chokkan but she is desisted by her co-sister Lakshmi, Dhruvan's brother Achyuthan's wife, who discloses that their family is not supposed to enter the forest, having earned the wrath of Chathan. She also reveals that Thuppan had sought the protection of Gari Devan against the curse imposed on the family by Chathan. Later, Kumari confronts Dhruvan when she witnessed his uncle Velyachan and brother Achyuthan mistreat him and he reveals that he was ignored in favor of his brother, causing him to be his own companion and people started to believe that he was mentally unwell. He also revealed that he killed his teacher for beating him mercilessly with a cane for watching a dance performance by skipping his lessons. Kumari realizes that what Dhruvan needs is love and affection and begins to care for him. Achyuthan meanwhile engages in an extra-marital affair with a woman named Parijatham, who provokes him to seek authority over the village.

Kumari, chasing Chokkan who fascinated her, enters the forest and meets a woman called Muthamma who tells Kumari that the latter is carrying a child, who would be in danger because of Dhruvan and asks her to come meet her across the river and that she would take her to Chathan, who would protect the child. Kumari, horrified returns home and later, her pregnancy is confirmed. Kumari gets stressed over the fact that no one in the family except for Dhruvan seem happy about her pregnancy. Dhruvan begins to hold desires for power over the village as its lord and Kumari catches him cutting his two fingers to resemble Gari Devan. Achyuthan mocks him over it and a fight erupts between them but Velyachan intervenes and declares that Dhruvan would be the next landlord as he is the first one of the next generation delivering an heir. Lakshmi later divulges to Kumari that she intentionally didn't bear children for a reason. Twelve generations ago, after Thuppan invites Gary Devan, the former had sacrificed his own son to Gari Devan for appeasing him despite Nangakutty's protests which caused her to commit suicide. The sacrifice of Thuppan's son and Gari Devan's protection for the family only lasts for twelve generations and it was Dhruvan's turn as the lord of the twelfth generation to sacrifice his child which is why the women were not happy over Kumari's pregnancy. Terrified, Kumari expresses to Lakshmi that Dhruvan would never do such a thing but Lakshmi tells her that the family's men would go to any extent to uphold their power and traditions. Lakshmi also reveals to Kumari that Thuppan has been alive for the last twelve generations rotting in the attic for his sins. Velyachan witnesses Lakshmi telling everything to Kumari. The next morning, Lakshmi is found dead in the well, indicating that Velyachan killed her.

Devastated, Kumari crosses the river and visits Muthamma's community that pray to Chathan and Muthamma takes her to Chathan, who promises to protect Kumari's child. She is given a small thing to be buried in her house and a few incantations to be read. Velyachan begins to train Dhruvan for engaging in the next sacrifice while Parijatham instigates Achyuthan to visit Chathan and seek power but he gets killed by Chathan. At the same time, Velyachan also dies due to a snake bite and Dhruvan takes his position as the next lord. Chathan's curse begins to haunt the village for the second time, repeating the history. After a fire erupts in their house, Dhruvan gets convinced that someone is conspiring against him and has taken Chathan's side and goes into the forest along with his henchmen. He beats up Chathan's worshippers but is forced by his henchmen to return when Chathan's arrival is signalled by the nature. Angered by his violence and concerned for her people, Muthamma reveals that Kumari is the one conspiring against him to protect her child. Dhruvan confronts Kumari and justifies that it would be his responsibility to kill his child for the village and confines her to a room. Kumari's brother Jayan visits her to take her away and assaults Dhruvan in the fields for mistreating Kumari but Dhruvan murders him leaving Kumari distraught. With no other option, Kumari meets Thuppan, who blames himself for all the miseries that he has caused and asks her to pray to the goddess, previously worshipped by Nangakutty, whom he had ignored for approaching Gari Devan. She finds the idol of the goddess along with a dagger that she had seen previously in her nightmares.

Kumari eventually gives birth to a healthy boy and tries to escape with her baby but Dhruvan ambushes her and takes the child for sacrifice. He calls Gari Devan to accept the sacrifice but Kumari comes back and fights Dhruvan and Gari Devan with the dagger from the goddess idol. On the other side, in the forest, Muthamma and her people invoke Chathan with their loud prayers. In response to all this, Chathan arrives and fights against Gari Devan to uphold his promise to Kumari and finish the fight that he had started long ago. Chathan cuts off Gari Devan's tongue while Kumari reluctantly kills Dhruvan and saves her baby. One is still unsure whether Gari Devan is alive (being a demi-god) or dead.

A few years later, Kumari is now looking over the village as the landlady. Unlike the men in her family, she is more humane and understanding. Kumari's son finds Chokkan standing in the forest and tries to go to him, indicating that he will be Chathan's next friend.

Cast

Release

The film opened in theaters in Kerala on 28 October 2022 and was released on Netflix on 18 November 2022.

Reception

Cinema Express writes Kumari is powered by a heavily folklore-influenced narrative that bears elements of a gothic horror story or a monster feature, Kumari is one of those films with all its departments well-balanced. [4] The New Indian Express writes the most impressive aspect of Kumari is its visual texture heavy with ominous foreboding. [5]

A critic from The Hindu wrote that "Director Nirmal Sahadev, who debuted with Ranam, an action drama set in Detroit, has improved his game marginally, but a shallow script pulls Kumari down". [6] A critic from onManorama said that "The plot, however, is stuck in a rulebook of the genre, if there is one. The characters' tension doesn't convey to the audience. The narrative flows in a rather predictable manner, leaving little moments of thrill and fear". [7] [8]

Music

The music was composed by Jakes Bejoy and one song composed by Manikandan Ayyappa who also co-composed the background score with Bejoy.

Kumari (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [9]
No.TitleLyricsMusicSingerLength
1."Mandarappoove" Joe Paul Jakes Bejoy Aavani Malhar03:59
2."Shilakal" Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri Jakes Bejoy Akhil J Chand, Vaiga Nambiar02:56
3."Sita Kalyana"Jyothish Kassi Jakes Bejoy Akhil J Chand, Akhila Anand 02:15
4."Nizhaladum"Jyothish KassiManikandan AyyappaManikandan Ayyappa02:29
5."Pattuduthu Vannathum" Arivu, Athul Narukara, Srihari Tharayil Jakes Bejoy Arivu, Athul Narukara, Jakes Bejoy 04:08
Total length:15:47

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chottanikkara Temple</span> Bhagavathi temple in Ernakulam District, Kerala, India

The ChottanikkaraDevi Temple is a temple dedicated to the Hindu mother goddess Bhagavati Lakshmi. She is believed to be residing in Chottanikkara (Mahalakshmi) along with her Husband Maha Vishnu. The main deity is also considered as Lakshmi Narayana according to the temple legend. The temple is Classified one among the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition. The temple is located at Chottanikkara, a southern suburb of the city of Kochi in Ernakulam district, in the state of Kerala, India and is one of the most popular temples in the state.

<i>Swami Ayyappan</i> (TV series) 2006 Indian TV series or programme

Swami Ayyappan is an Indian soap opera that debuted on Asianet channel. The show was produced by Merryland Studio and completed four seasons. It is currently airing its fifth season, Malikappuram: Apathbandhavan Ayyappan. It is one of the top-rated series in Indian television. The series was dubbed into Tamil as Swami Ayyapan for Vijay TV and Telugu as Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa for Star Maa.

<i>Sargam</i> (1992 film) 1992 Indian film

Sargam is a 1992 Indian Malayalam-language musical drama film written and directed by Hariharan and produced by his wife, Bhavani Hariharan. Chowallur Krishnankutty wrote the dialogues. The film features Vineeth, Manoj K. Jayan, and Rambha, while Nedumudi Venu, Soumini/Srikanya, Urmila Unni, V. K. Sriraman, Thilakan, and Oduvil Unnikrishnan play supporting roles. Shaji N. Karun did the cinematography, while Bombay Ravi composed the soundtrack and M. S. Mani handled the editing. This movie was a blockbuster and the third highest-grossing movie of the year. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and three Kerala State Film Awards: Best Director (Hariharan), Second Best Actor, and Best Music Director. It was remade in Telugu as Sarigamalu with Vineeth, Manoj K. Jayan, and Rambha reprising their roles.

<i>Aakasha Ganga</i> 1999 Indian film

Aakasha Ganga is a 1999 Indian Malayalam-language supernatural horror film directed by Vinayan, starring Divya Unni and Mukesh and produced by Aakash Films. It was dubbed in Tamil as Avala Aaviya and in Hindi as Maaya Ka Saaya. A sequel of the movie Aakasha Ganga 2 has been released on November 1, 2019.

<i>Butterflies</i> (1993 film) 1993 film by Rajiv Anchal

Butterflies is a 1993 Indian Malayalam-language comedy drama film directed by Rajiv Anchal and written by A. K. Sajan. It was produced by Menaka and was the debut film of their production house Revathy Kalamandhir. The film stars Mohanlal, Aishwarya, Nassar, and Jagadish. The film was extensively shot in Bangalore. The songs were composed by Raveendran Master, while S. P. Venkatesh provided the background score.

<i>Uzhaikkum Karangal</i> 1976 Indian film

Uzhaikkum Karangal is a 1976 Indian Tamil-language film directed by K. Shankar, starring M. G. Ramachandran Latha and Bhavani. It was released on 23 May 1976.

<i>Karaikkal Ammaiyar</i> (1973 film) 1973 Indian film

Karaikkal Ammaiyar is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language Hindu mythological film, written and directed by A. P. Nagarajan and produced by EVR Films. The film stars Lakshmi, who played the younger-age Punithavathi role, and K. B. Sundarambal, who played the old-age role—as the title characters, with R. Muthuraman, Manorama, Suruli Rajan, V. S. Raghavan, S. V. Sahasranamam, Sivakumar and Srividya playing supporting roles. Karaikkal Ammaiyar is one of the three women saints among the 63 Nayanmars and is considered one of the greatest figure of Tamil literature.

<i>Gundamma Gari Krishnulu</i> 1987 Indian film

Gundamma Gari Krishnulu is a 1987 Telugu-language comedy film, produced by Midde Rama Rao under the Sri Rajalakshmi Art Pictures banner and directed by Relangi Narasimha Rao. It stars Rajendra Prasad, Subhalekha Sudhakar, Rajani, Poornima, and Nirmalamma. The music composed by Chakravarthy. The film was recorded as a Hit at the box office.

<i>Pranayam</i> (TV series) 2015 Indian TV series or programme

Pranayam is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language television series that was broadcast on Asianet. Srinish Aravind and Varada play the lead roles. It is the remake of Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, which aired on StarPlus. It shows the love of two different states and two different cultures. The pair was known as #SharMi on social networking sites. After Varada quit the show citing health issues, ratings tanked and the show was cancelled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aishwarya Lekshmi</span> Indian actress (born 1991)

Aishwarya Lekshmi is an Indian actress and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has won one Filmfare Award South, one Kerala Film Critics Association Award and three SIIMA Awards.

<i>Ranam</i> (2018 film) 2018 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film

Ranam: Detroit Crossing is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written and directed by Nirmal Sahadev and produced by Yes Cinema Production and Lawson Entertainment. The film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, Rahman and Isha Talwar. It is partially inspired from 2011 Film Drive. Ranam was released on 6 September 2018 to mixed reviews from critics. Over the years, the film and its soundtrack has acquired a cult status due to its aesthetic making, songs and a Indo-American cross over that is refreshing to Malayalam cinema making it a sleeper hit.

<i>Vijayam Manade</i> 1970 Indian film

Vijayam Manade is a 1970 Indian Telugu-language film, produced by N. Sambasiva Rao under the Rajendra Arts Productions banner and directed by B. Vittalacharya. It stars N. T. Rama Rao and B. Saroja Devi, with music composed by Ghantasala.

<i>Varathan</i> 2018 Indian film

Varathan (transl. Outsider) is a 2018 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written by Suhas-Sharfu and directed by Amal Neerad, who jointly produced with Nazriya Nazim under the banners of Fahadh Faasil and Friends and Amal Neerad Productions. It is an adaptation of the 1971 film Straw Dogs and stars Fahadh Faasil and Aishwarya Lekshmi in the lead roles.

<i>Vijay Superum Pournamiyum</i> 2019 film written and directed by Jis Joy

Vijay Superum Pournamiyum is a 2019 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy film, written and directed by Jis Joy, starring Asif Ali and Aishwarya Lekshmi, along with Balu Varghese, Siddique, Aju Varghese and Renji Panicker in supporting roles. It is a remake of the Telugu film Pelli Choopulu (2016) which itself is based on a true story. The film's musical score was composed by debutant Prince George. It was released on 11 January 2019 to positive reviews from the critics and the audience. The movie had a run of 100 days at Kerala box office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avanangattilkalari Vishnumaya Temple</span> Hindu temple in Thrissur district, Kerala, India

Avanangattilkalari Sree Vishnumaya Temple is a Hindu temple at Peringottukara, Thrissur District, Kerala state, India. It is dedicated to the god Vishnumaya in Kerala. The god is known also by the names Chathan.

<i>Godse</i> (film) 2022 film by Gopi Ganesh

Godse is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language vigilante action thriller film written and directed by Gopiganesh Pattabhi and produced by C. Kalyan under the banner of CK Screens. The film stars Satyadev and Aishwarya Lekshmi. The film is a remake of the 2018 Korean film The Negotiation and the Spanish crime-thriller series Money Heist. Godse released on 17 June 2022 to mixed reviews from the critics.

<i>Simhasanam</i> (2012 film) 2012 Malayalam action film

Simhasanam (transl. Throne) is a 2012 Malayalam action film written and directed by Shaji Kailas starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Sai Kumar with supporting cast including Siddique and Devan. The music was composed by Ronnie Raphael.

<i>Gatta Kusthi</i> 2022 Indian Tamil-language sports drama

Gatta Kusthi is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language romantic sports comedy drama film written and directed by Chella Ayyavu. It was jointly produced by Ravi Teja, Vishnu Vishal, Shubhra and Aryan Ramesh through the companies RT Team Works and Vishnu Vishal Studioz. The film stars Vishnu Vishal and Aishwarya Lekshmi, while Karunas, Munishkanth, and Kaali Venkat play supporting roles. The film's songs and background score were composed by Justin Prabhakaran. The story is set against the backdrop of submission wrestling form gatta gusthi.

Giju John is an Indian film producer and actor, who works in Malayalam film industry.

References

  1. "Kumari' teaser: Aishwarya Lekshmi starrer unfolds the world of Kumari". The Times of India. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  2. "Aishwarya Lekshmi's 'Kumari' promises a fantasy thriller, watch teaser". Mathrubhoomi. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  3. "Kumari: Aishwarya Lekshmi's next with Ranam director Nirmal Sahadev to begin in March 2021". 5 December 2020.
  4. "Kumari Movie Review: An impressively mounted creature feature". Cinema Express . 28 October 2022.
  5. "Kumari Movie Review". The New Indian Express . 28 October 2022.
  6. Praveen, S. r (28 October 2022). "'Kumari' movie review: Immersive fantasy-horror drama pulled down by a shallow script". The Hindu.
  7. "Kumari Review | Aishwarya Lekshmi-starrer loses its way in a supernatural world". OnManorama.
  8. "Kumari Movie Review: An impressively mounted creature feature". Cinema Express . 28 October 2022.
  9. "Kumari (2022)". Swara Raga Sangeetham. 20 November 2022.