#FilmyFriday! Udayananu Tharam: Who’s the star?

Nothing could be as interesting as watching a movie on Friday evening. Since it's the last working day for many out there, we know you don't want to take any risks. It's safe to revisit a good movie, instead of choosing a new one. Since we know that the process could get tedious, we have saved you the trouble. ETimes presents - #FilmyFriday, wherein we recommend our readers one Malayalam movie, every week.And this week, we have gone atypical by breaking our usual pattern of suggesting old movies, instead choosing Mohanlal-Sreenivasan starrer ‘Udayananu Tharam’, released in the mid-2000s, but this is exactly the kind of movie that falls into the category of movies, we recommend you!
Direction: Rosshan Andrrews
Script:Sreenivasan
Story: Rosshan Andrrews
Cast:Mohanlal, Sreenivasan, Meena, Mukesh, Jagathy Sreekumar, Salim Kumar, Janardhanan, Cochin Haneefa, Indrans, Bhavana, AK Lohithadas
Release Date: 21 January 2005
If you are a film fanatic and love all the filmy stuff, you are in for the biggest treat! ‘Udayananu Tharam’ is a film within films and is packed with cinematic moments that will fill your heart and jollify your soul!
The film is set in Madirasi (Madras), the city of dreams for film enthusiasts. One can see glimpses of the film city, and a voice-over by Sreenivasan introduces the lead characters of the film. The hero of our movie, Udayabhanu aka Udayan (Mohanlal) has been living in the dream city for a while now. He has been working as an assistant director for the past 12 years and is now occupied with the script so that he could finally become an independent filmmaker. For Udayan, cinema is not a mere passion, but life itself. Soon the filmmaker introduces Udayan, a man in his mid-30s, and he begins his day with a peculiar prayer. “Ohm Satyajit Ray aaya namaha, Spielberg (Steven Spielberg) namaha, Priyadarshanaya namaha, Kurosawa (Akira Kurosawa), Aravinda (G Aravindan), Chaplinaya (Charlie Chaplin) namha,” he chants, and the wall of his puja hall is filled with pictures of the above-mentioned filmmakers. Udayan is engrossed in scripting, and prays hard to the above-mentioned ‘gods’ to help him get a fabulous climax! From not getting satisfied with the filmy dialogues he is crafting to wondering whether the railway station scene should be avoided, since one needs to deposit a sum of Rs. 5 lakh for the permit, and finally jumping in joy for getting the perfect dialogues, Udayan’s activities might amuse the laymen, but the film enthusiasts and cinéastes, especially the ones who had humble beginnings would totally connect with it!

The filmmaker later introduces Madhumathi (Meena), a young woman, who was a Kalathilakam and was introduced to films by Udayabhanu’s guru, with his recommendation. Madhumathi is now a star, a current favourite. The filmmaker cuts into a song Madhumathi is filming for, and it is all things dreamy! Though Udayan and Madhumathi are currently friends, they often appear on Page Six for their ‘alleged romance’.

Now the filmmaker introduces Rajappan Thengummoodu (Sreenivasan), a struggling junior artist, who is looking for a breakthrough. Rajappan does not really have any characteristics that a ‘hero’ is supposed to have, however, he is confident and thinks that if Rajinikanth can make it, he too can. Though he is struggling to make ends meet, he doesn't want to take a junior artist role anymore, because according to him, a junior artist will always be a junior artist. Rafeek (Salim Kumar), a fellow junior artist informs Rajappan that he was kicked out of his room, for the rent due, however, the latter is cool, and decides to seek the help of Udayabhanu once again. He walks to Udayan’s apartment, only to find an ecstatic Udayan, who is thrilled to have got his climax! Rajappan pleads with Udayan, to let him live in his apartment for a while. Udayan is reluctant, because the last time when he allowed Rajappan to stay, he let two tenants live there, without his permission, and also collected the rent! However, Udayan gives a nod for one last time, thanks to the climax!

Production controller Vijayan Varkala (Indrans) comes to meet Udayan, as Madhumathi has left from a film set halfway through. Since they are ‘allegedly in love’, Vijayan asks Udayan to convince her. Udayan meets Madhumathi, only to find that her father and brother are the ones receiving advance tokens and agreeing to films. She had to leave the shooting set, because of the poor script, which she hardly has the right to choose. Movie stars clearly aren’t living a life, many outsiders imagine. Though Madhumathi is taking care of her entire family including her brother and father, she hardly has the space for opinion or to handle her own finances. Post their meeting, Madhumathi has a fight with her family, and during the conversation, she reveals that she loves Udayan.

Meanwhile, Rajappan is making efforts to meet some prolific filmmakers and producers and land a chance in a lead role. Rajappan clearly doesn’t have what it takes. One day, when he approaches a producer (Cochin Haneefa), the latter asks him to bring a good story, and if so, he could play the lead. Though the producer had said that to avoid Rajappan, the latter takes it seriously and steals Udayan’s script, and finally lands an opportunity. Udayan is unaware of the fact and only comes to know about it when he finally finds a producer and goes to register the film. Though Udayan discusses it with the makers of Rajappan’s films, he is forced to let it go, since the makers have invested a humongous sum on the project, and they are innocent. Rajapppan gets the lead role and Madhumathi is the female lead, and undoubtedly the film goes on to become a blockbuster.

Due to certain circumstances, Udayan and Madhumathi tie the knot soon. Udayan is heartbroken, depressed, penniless, unable to kickstart his career, and now has a burden of the family. Though Madhummathi's words are comforting, the problems Udayan is facing are real. On the other hand, Rajappan’s film becomes a blockbuster and gets back-to-back offers, which turns him into a superstar. He is no longer Rajappan, but Superstar Saroj Kumar. Udayan writes his next script, however, the producer asks him to cast Saroj Kumar as the hero, because of the market value. Udayan returns the token he has received from producer Babykuttan (Mukesh). Since Madhumathi too is penniless and quits cinema post-marriage, Udayan is forced to forget his passion for cinema, and take a job at a catering company. Udayan hides it from Madhumathi to not bother her, however, she comes to know about it. Madhumathi hides the fact that she is aware of the same, and discusses with Udayan that she is thinking of taking some roles. Since Madhumathi was the one who wanted to quit acting, Udayan mistakes that she is not satisfied with the mediocre life she has now. The small fights accelerate, as film personnel starts to blame Udayan for not allowing Madhumathi to act. A series of events leads Udayan into becoming an alcoholic, he blames it on Madhumathi, and the marital discord results in Madhumathi leaving him, and she starts working in movies. Udayan seeks solace in alcohol, and producer Babychan helps him to regain his life. Udayan is now forced to work with Saroj Kumar, the same man who stole his career, and is the reason for his failed life. From Saroj Kumar making stupid excuses to disrupt the shoot to asking Udayan to rewrite the script as per his star value, the shoot gets messy, but Udayan has no options left, other than to complete it. Saroj also tries to pursue Madhumathi, since she is single now. Will Udayan be successful? Will he reunite with his lady love Madhumathi? As the title suggests, is ‘Udayan the star’ or Saroj Kumar? You will have to watch the movie to know more. And the climax will leave you stunned, for all the right reasons and it is filled with cinematic moments.

Trivia