"Campus reunions" has been a trending topic in Malayalam due to the nostalgia, romance, politics and commercial value attached to it.
5 best Malayalam movies based on reunions and ex-relations. (Supplied)
Reunions have often become a theme for filmmakers. This offers an element of nostalgia, romance, and even campus politics that add commercial value to the films.
After the release of Classmates in 2006, there was a trend of reunions happening in colleges and schools. The trend is still going on. The film became a blockbuster and its songs are still trending.
Pranaya Vilasam is the latest addition to this list in Mollywood. Let’s look at the five best films that dealt with reunions and unsuccessful romances during lovers’ college and school life.
Directed by Lal Jose, Classmates comes under the category of a love story-thriller.
A still from ‘Classmates’. (Twitter)
A group of old students reunites at their college. But the central character faces an untoward incident that leads to the revelation of a death that occurred during their college days.
The script by James Albert makes the audience sit through the movie as the flashback scenes are rich in college activities, including campus politics, union elections, rivalry among students, and a silent love story by Murali (Narein) and Raziya (Radhika).
The relationship has an important part in the story. Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kavya Madhavan’s unsuccessful love story also goes well with the plot.
Classmates casts Prithviraj, Indrajith, Jayasurya, Narein, Kavya Madhavan, Radhika, Jagathy Sreekumar, and Balachandra Menon in lead roles. It is one of the successful ventures from Lal Jose.
Pranaya Vilasam, released in February this year, deals with the reunion and love stories of three members – husband, wife, and son.
A poster of ‘Pranaya Vilasam’. (Twitter)
Thanks to the subject, the movie is gaining audiences at a time when small films are struggling to get viewers after the pandemic. The film features Arjun Ashokan, Mamita Baiju, Miya Geroge, and Manoj KU.
Pranaya Vilasam tells the story of a father who meets his old girlfriend and starts dating her. At the same time, his son has a relationship with his college mate.
At a particular point, his mother Anusree dies and they find her diary where she writes about her lost love story in her teenage. Interesting right?
Directed by Nikhil Muraly, Pranaya Vilasam turns into a road movie with the father-son duo in search of Anusree’s old lover.
It shows the fact that the woman was cornered in her house when she lived. The movie is a box office hit.
Ntikkakkakkoru Premondaarnn marks Bhavana’s comeback movie to the Malayalam industry. She is paired up with Sharafudheen here.
The film has no reunion part but deals with the hero and heroine getting into a relationship years after they get separated owing to their families’ interference.
A poster of ‘Ntikkakkakkoru Premondarnnu’. (Twitter)
Ntikkakkakkoru Premondaarnn is a tight slap on toxic parenting similar to that of the cult movie Spadikam (1995). The movie shows how a man and a woman love each other even after there is no contact between them for 12 years.
Jimmy (Sharafudheen) and Nithya (Bhavana) are in a relationship during their school days and get separated. After 12 years, Nithya is married and has a son. She is waiting for a divorce.
Jimmy is still a bachelor. He struggles to make his business model work and finally succeeds. One day, they both meet accidentally and realise that they still love each other. The film shows how they unite by facing the hurdles put by patriarchy and religion.
The movie isn’t a box office success but it has been appreciated by critics and the audience alike. It isn’t a movie for the masses though.
Ntikkakkakkoru Premondaarnn is directed by Adhil Maimoonath Ashraf.
Anuraga Karikkin Vellam is the debut movie of Khalid Rahman who later made Unda, Love, and Thallumala.
The movie features Biju Menon as Raghu, Asif Ali as Raghu’s son Abhi, and Asha Sharath as Raghu’s wife. Raghu is a policeman while his son is unemployed.
A still from ‘Anuraga Karikkin Vellam’. (Twitter)
Raghu is shown as a person who isn’t serious about his family. One day, he accidentally contacts Abhi’s girlfriend (Rajisha Vijayan) who intentionally gives him the phone number of his ex-lover since she wants to avenge her breakup with Asif.
While talking to his imaginary girlfriend, Raghu changes a lot as a person. He starts taking care of his family and his wife’s wishes.
At the end of the movie, Abhi realises that she loves his girlfriend and rushes to confess his love for her. But, by then, she gets married to another person. Meanwhile, Raghu spots his ex-lover and chases her only to realise that she is a stranger.
Anuraga Karikkin Vellam was a superhit at the box office.
Released in 2013, Idukki Gold is the story of five middle-aged men who reunite after 35 years.
The movie starts with Michael (Pratap Pothen), who resides in the Czech Republic, returning to India to meet up with his old schoolmates Madan, Antony, Ravi, and Raman.
A poster of ‘Idukki Gold’. (Twitter)
Interestingly, he puts up an advertisement in the newspaper to locate them. Ravi (Maniyanpilla Raju) and Madan (Raveendran) decide to meet him.
The trio decides to go on a road trip to locate the rest of their friends — Antony (Babu Antony) and Raman (Vijaya Raghavan) — and visit their school.
The movie has scenes from the past that tell how the boys used to get drunk. They even smoke marijuana and beedi (Idukki Gold means Marijuana).
The five friends go in search of marijuana and are held captive by Behnan (Lal) whom these boys fought with as kids.
Directed by Ashiq Abu, Idukki Gold ends on a positive note with Behnan setting them free and admitting that he always wanted to be friends with them. Its climax gives importance to friendship rather than Idukki Gold, the drug.
Apr 23, 2024
Apr 23, 2024
Apr 23, 2024
Apr 22, 2024
Apr 22, 2024
