Mollywood leads from front as regional cinema reigns supreme

Shekhar Kapur, the jury chairman of the 65th National Film Awards, tried pronouncing Thondimuthalum Driksakhshiyum in nine different ways at the first attempt during the awards’ announcement, none was right. But the acclaimed director had two more chances to get it right – such was Mollywood's dominance at this year's awards which saw regional cinema outclassing Bollywood and earning high praise from the jury with Shekhar, himself, describing them as “world-beating”.

While announcing the Best Malayalam film award to Dileesh Pothan’s Thondimuthalum Drisksakshiyum, he said, “The standard of performances in some of the regional movies is completely stunning. Hindi films cannot compete with them, not at the state they are.”

Dileesh Pothan’s film as well as the others that made the grade stood out not because of anything vastly different that they tried out but because they were rooted in reality. Bolster this quality with “brilliant screenplay and great performances”, as Shekhar Kapoor put it, it’s no wonder that Thondimuthalum fetched three major wins – Best Supporting Actor for its “chain snatcher” Fahadh Faasil, Best Script and Best Malayalam film while filmmaker Jayaraj’s

Bhayanakam

took home the Best Director laurel along with Best Cinematographer and

Take Off

won a special mention for its lead actress Parvathy and Best Production Design.

These movies pushed the envelope in terms of story-telling and content. While the challenge for Take Off was to tell a real-life story with a female protagonist on a big canvas but within the financial restraints of the industry, the characters of Thondimuthalum Drisksakshiyum took the audience for a tour de force drenched in gritty, emotional realism. Jayaraj once again took the novel path of telling a story of what transpired in Kerala during World War II.

This year’s awards were indeed a sign of approval to the sterling efforts of the filmmakers, artistes and technicians who have been trying to redefine cinema and not just the industry.


Here’s the list of winners from Malayalam:
Best direction – Jayaraj ( Bhayaanakam)

Best Supporting Actor – Fahadh Faasil (

Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum

)

Best Singer (male) – K J Yesudas (Poi Maranja Kaalam, Viswasapoorvam Mansoor)

Best cinematographer – Nikhil S Praveen (Bhayanakam)

Best adapted screenplay – Jayaraj (Bhayanakam)

Best screenplay – Sajeev Pazhoor (Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum)

Production Design – Santhosh Raman (Take Off)

Special Mention – Parvathy (Take Off)

Best Film of social relevance -

Aalorukkam