Kunjananthante Kada

Last updated

Kunjananthante Kada
Kunjananthantekadamovieposter.jpg
Theatrical Release Poster
Directed by Salim Ahamed
Written bySalim Ahamed
Starring Mammootty
Nyla Usha
Salim Kumar
Balachandra Menon
Siddique
Cinematography Madhu Ambat
Edited byVijay Shankar
Music by Isaac Thomas Kottukapally
Production
company
Alans Media
Distributed by Kalasangham Films
Release date
  • 30 August 2013 (2013-08-30)
Running time
130 min
Country India
Language Malayalam

Kunjananthante Kada is a 2013 Malayalam drama film written and directed by Salim Ahamed. The film stars Mammootty in the title role, as a shopkeeper, alongside debutante actress Nyla Usha while Salim Kumar and Balachandra Menon play other pivotal roles. [1] The story is about a small-time shopkeeper in Kannur and his attempt to find his own place in a rapidly changing world.

Contents

The film features original background score composed by Isac Thomas Kottukapally. The songs featured in the film are composed by M. Jayachandran. Madhu Ambat is the cinematographer, while sound design, editing and mixing were handled by Resul Pookutty. The film's shooting commenced in February 2013. [2] It released on 30 August 2013. Mammootty won Asianet Film Award for Best Actor.

Plot

The story is set in a village around the Mattannur-Iritty area of Kannur, Kerala. Kunjananthan (Mammootty) manages a provision store the village. Resigned to an unhappy marriage, it is this shop that is at the centre of his existence. The owner of the building pleads with him to vacate the shop so he may settle his debts, but Kunjananthan does not relent. Eviction, however, seems unavoidable when the government tries to acquire land for a road development project. Kunjanthan's travails to retain the shop from the second half of the film.

Cast

Reception

The film opened with mixed reviews from critics. Sharika C. of The Hindu said, "Forget Adaminte Makan Abu, its many laurels, the director who held out a lot of promise and watch this one without strings attached. And you may be a little less disappointed." [3] Jisha G. Nair of Malayala Manorama rated the film 3/5 and concluded her review saying, "The film lags throughout, which may bore the audience. At times, the expressions of the actors and the delivery of dialogues could have been more realistic and strong to have the originality and seriousness of the issues. The last word is that the film is not a complete entertainer." [4] Paresh C Palicha of Rediff.com rated the film 2.5/5 and said, "Kunjananthante Kada is a half baked story which leaves us feeling something is amiss all the time." [5] Sify.com gave the verdict as "average" and commented, "Kunjananthante Kada has its moments that need to be appreciated for sure, but you get the feeling that the viewers have been taken for granted by the makers here. It is hard not to be disappointed by this one!" [6] Contrastingly, Aswin J. Kumar of The Times of India wrote a positive review and said that Kunjananthante Kada is "a film Salim Ahamed can be proud of." [7] Mammootty received the Best Actor award at Asianet Film Awards.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balachandra Menon</span> Indian actor

Balachandra Menon is an Indian actor, director and script writer. He made a number of films in the 1980s and 1990s. He has directed 40 films and has acted in over 100. He won two National Film Awards including the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance as station master Ismail the 1998 film Samaantharangal, which was also directed by him. He has also worked as a distributor, editor, composer, singer and producer in the Malayalam film industry. He has found space in the Limca Book of Records for the maximum number of films directed, scripted and acted in.

<i>Rajamanikyam</i> 2005 Indian film

Rajamanikyam is a 2005 Indian Malayalam-language action comedy film directed by Anwar Rasheed and written by T. A. Shahid. It stars Mammootty as the titular businessman, along with Rahman, Manoj K Jayan, Cochin Haneefa, Ranjith, Salim Kumar, Sai Kumar, Bheeman Raghu, Sindhu Menon, and Padmapriya in supporting roles. The music is composed by Alex Paul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salim Kumar</span> Indian film actor, director, and writer

Salim Kumar is an Indian actor, comedian, director and writer in Malayalam cinema. Mostly known for his comic and comedy roles, Salim Kumar is considered one of the best and most prominent comedians in the history of Malayalam cinema.

<i>Twenty:20</i> (film) 2008 film by Joshiy

Twenty:20 is a 2008 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written by Udayakrishna-Siby K. Thomas, directed by Joshiy, produced and distributed by Dileep through Graand Production and Manjunatha Release. The film stars Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Jayaram and Dileep. The film was produced on behalf of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) as a fundraiser to financially support actors who are struggling in the Malayalam cinema. All the actors in AMMA worked without payment in order to raise funds for their welfare schemes.

<i>Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha</i> (film) 2009 Indian film

Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha is a 2009 Indian Malayalam-language mystery film written and directed by Ranjith, starring Mammootty, Shwetha Menon and Mythili. It is based on the novel of the same name by T. P. Rajeevan, which said the true story of the first recorded murder case in Kerala. Mammooty plays three characters in the film. The film was Mythili's debut in cinema. Ranjith also introduced about thirty Malayalam stage artists through this film. The film tells the story of a private detective, who returns to his birthplace, a village called Paleri, to solve a murder mystery that occurred on the same night he was born. Upon the release of the movie, it got an 'A' certificate due to its violent and adult content.

<i>Best Actor</i> (film) 2010 Indian film

Best Actor is a 2010 Malayalam-language comedy drama film co-written and directed by Martin Prakkat. It stars Mammootty, Sruthi Ramakrishnan, Nedumudi Venu, Lal, Salim Kumar, Vinayakan, Master Vivas, Sreenivasan, K. P. A. C. Lalitha, Master Sreedharan Nampoothiri and Sukumari. The film marks the debut of Prakatt as director. It was produced by Naushad under the banner of Big Screen. Several film directors made cameo appearances in the film. The film is all about the travails of a schoolteacher who dreams of being a film actor. It features cinematography by Ajayan Vincent, music by Bijibal and editing by Don Max.

<i>The Train</i> (2011 film) 2011 Indian film

The Train is a 2011 Malayalam thriller film written and directed by Jayaraj, and starring Mammootty, Jayasurya and Sheena Chohan. The film is based on the 11 July 2006 Mumbai train bombings. It was earlier titled as Track with Rahman. It was released on May 27, 2011, and received a dubbed release in Hindi and Tamil.

<i>Pranchiyettan & the Saint</i> 2010 Indian film

Pranchiyettan & the Saint is a 2010 Indian Malayalam-language satirical comedy film written, directed, and produced by Ranjith. The film centres on the fictitious conversation between the Thrissur based businessman C. E. Francis a.k.a. Pranchiyettan (Mammootty) and St. Francis of Assisi. Priyamani, Innocent, Siddique, Khushbu Sundar, Jagathy Sreekumar, Ganapathy, Sasi Kalinga, Tini Tom and Biju Menon play the other important roles. The film is considered one of the best comedy films in Malayalam cinema and has attained cult status in the years following its release. Some critics consider the film as one of the defining movies of the Malayalam New Wave.

<i>Adaminte Makan Abu</i> 2011 film by Salim Ahamed

Adaminte Makan Abu is a 2011 Indian Malayalam-language social drama film written, directed and co-produced by Salim Ahamed. It stars Salim Kumar and Zarina Wahab, with Mukesh, Kalabhavan Mani, Suraj Venjarammoodu, and Nedumudi Venu in supporting roles. The cinematography was handled by Madhu Ambat. The film features songs composed by Ramesh Narayan and score by Isaac Thomas Kottukapally. The film tells the story of a poor attar seller Abu (Kumar) whose only remaining wish in life is the Hajj pilgrimage, which he strives hard to fulfill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salim Ahamed</span> Indian film director, screenwriter and producer

Salem Ahamed is an Indian film director, screen writer and producer. After working for a long time as a travel consultant, he joined as a creative director and script writer in a television channel. His directorial debut, Adaminte Makan Abu (2011), fetched him numerous accolades and was screened at various international film festivals. It was also chosen as India's official entry to be considered for nomination in the Best Foreign Film category for the 84th Academy Awards. Then he made two movies Kunjananthante Kada (2013) and Pathemari (2015) with Mammootty as the lead. The latter won the Best Feature Film In Malayalam award at the 63rd National Film Awards. Salim's latest film is And the Oscar Goes To...(2019), which tells about his own experiences with the production and marketing of his first film.

<i>Immanuel</i> (film) 2013 Indian film

Immanuel, also publicized as Emmanuel, is a 2013 Malayalam comedy-drama film, directed by Lal Jose and produced by S. George. The film stars Mammootty in the title role with Fahadh Faasil and Reenu Mathews. Lal Jose has stated that it is a "soft film sans hullabaloo" and "essentially tells the story of Immanuel's intrinsic goodness even in the face of adversity."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyla Usha</span> Indian actress

Nyla Usha Gopakumar is an Indian actress, television host, and radio jockey from Trivandrum, Kerala. After working for nearly a decade as an RJ at Hit 96.7 in Dubai, she made her acting debut in 2013 with Kunjananthante Kada.

<i>Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty</i> 2013 Indian film

Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty is a 2013 Indian Malayalam comedy film written and directed by Ranjith and starring Mammootty in the lead role of an Achayan from Kozhencherry, Central Travancore and also in a cameo as himself. The cast includes Nedumudi Venu, Balachandra Menon, Siddique, Harisree Asokan, Suresh Krishna, P. Balachandran, Balachandran Chullikad, Prem Prakash, Meera Nandan, Muthumani, Krishna Prabha, and Kaviyoor Ponnamma. It was produced by Prithviraj Sukumaran, Santhosh Sivan, and Shaji Nadesan under the banner of August Cinema. The film was released on 8 August 2013 on the occasion of Eid-ul Fitr and was a critical and commercial failure. However, modern reception has been positive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aparna Gopinath</span> Indian actress

Aparna Gopinath is an Indian film actress and theatre artist. She debuted in 2013, with the Malayalam film ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi opposite Dulquer Salmaan.

<i>Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus</i> 2013 Indian film

Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus is a 2013 Malayalam-language action comedy film directed by debutante director Marthandan and scripted by Benny P Nayarambalam. Set against the backdrop of theatre, Mammootty plays the title role of Cleetus, a theatre artiste and a gangster. Siddique, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Honey Rose plays prominent roles in the film. It was released on 12 September 2013.

<i>Gangster</i> (2014 film) 2014 Indian film

Gangster is a 2014 Malayalam language neo-noir action thriller film directed by Aashiq Abu. The film stars Mammootty in the lead role, along with Sekhar Menon, John Paul, Kunchan, T. G. Ravi, Nyla Usha and Aparna Gopinath, Alexx O'Nell, Hareesh Peradi and Dileesh Pothan in supporting roles. The film was written by Ahmed Sidhique and Abhilash S. Kumar, with music by Deepak Dev. The film was released on 12 April 2014. It received negative reviews from critics.

<i>Varsham</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Ranjith Sankar

Varsham (Rains) is a 2014 Malayalam drama film written and directed by Ranjith Sankar. The film stars Mammootty and Asha Sarath in the main roles, T. G. Ravi as the antagonist, along with Mamta Mohandas, Govind Padmasoorya and Master Prajwal in major supporting roles. It features a film score and soundtrack by Bijibal. Varsham released worldwide on 6 November 2014. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>Fireman</i> (film) 2015 film by Deepu Karunakaran

Fireman is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language disaster film directed by Deepu Karunakaran and produced by Milan Jaleel under the banner of Galaxy Films.It film shooting is completed on one day It stars Mammootty, Unni Mukundan, Siddique and Nyla Usha in the lead roles. The music is composed by Rahul Raj. This movie is shortly based on 2012 chala tanker accident

<i>Pathemari</i> 2015 film by Salim Ahamed

Pathemari (transl. Dhow) is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film written and directed by Salim Ahamed and starring Mammootty in the lead role, with a supporting cast that includes Jewel Mary, Siddique, Sreenivasan, Salim Kumar, Shaheen Siddique, Viji Chandrasekhar, and Joy Mathew. The plot follows the life of Pallikkal Narayanan (Mammootty) who migrated to the Middle-East in the early 1960s, when the Kerala Gulf boom was just beginning.

<i>One</i> (2021 film) 2021 film directed by Santhosh Viswanath

One is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language political drama film directed by Santhosh Vishwanath and written by Bobby & Sanjay. The film stars Mammootty in the lead role. Mathew Thomas, Murali Gopy, Siddique, Joju George, Ishaani Krishna, Gayatri Arun and Nimisha Sajayan plays the supporting roles.

References

  1. "Nyla Usha to debut in Kunjananthante Kada". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 21 February 2013.
  2. "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates". News18. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012.
  3. C, Sharika (1 September 2013). "Kunjananthante Kada - high expectations belied" via www.thehindu.com.
  4. ""Kunjananthan talks serious issues in shop"".[ permanent dead link ]
  5. "Review: Kunjananthante Kada never quite gets going".
  6. "Review : (2013)". www.sify.com. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013.
  7. "Kunjananthante Kada"