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Saturday, September 03, 2011

Pranayam ..The Essence of Love

Blessy the  Malayalam film director has surely proved himself to be  a blessing to the  woe begotten Malayalam film industry and its recent descent to subteranean depths in terms of quality .
with his latest film Pranayam he has once again shown his mettle to handle sensitive issues with great delicacy and taste .
Mohanlal one of the finest actors in India today has enough potential in him to do any role and the character he plays in Pranayam is Mathews a retired professor of philosophy with  a  wheelchair bound body possessing  a mind that soars above the mundane .His timely quotes and homilies on matters of life and the lovely English song he belts out ( sung by Mohanlal himself ) with a drawl in his voice etches his role .
His wife Gracy is enacted by Jayapradha who is still a beauty to behold .She essays her role silently dignified in the midst of the tsunami of emotions she goes through as she meets her estranged first husband after years and a distraught son who hates her
Anupham Kher  her first husband who was separated from her by the quirk of destiny brings up his son all by himself .a fine actor Kher needs no more to prove himself the movie becomes greater with his presence .

In the autumn of life the three are brought together and a wonderful friendship blossoms between the two husbands of Gracy a kinship developing out of a platonic love towards a single object
 cynicsm takes over this strange bonding and is  echoed by their childrenbut  the threesome rise above such crassness by their honesty .
The trip they make and the events that follow end in a climax not very expected but touching wuthering heights in the meaning  of love
A very mature movie for a discerning  audience created by a different director ,

see it 

7 comments:

Maddy said...

waiting to see it, thanks for the preview..

umeshjairam said...

Based on your review, I am eager to watch/see the movie.

Paresh Palicha said...

Doc, nicely written... However, I may disagree with your review. The story didn't suck me in as such.

The younger generation is painted totally black. As if the director didn't find the conflict & its resolution (considered essential in telling a good story) elsewhere. Don't you feel that current lot bothered about 'what people will say' a little far-fetched? It felt like parents locking up teenage lovers in olden day. :P

Dr Sreejith said...

The title echoes a strange alchemy-the echoing within the depths of a mind rises the quintessential question what is that brings together.Sorry there are ni easy answers ant the more you plumb the hazier it becomes ,a kaleidoscope of questions .And as the rg vedam says
"jagat taswi nacha saswatham kimapi '

Want to see it and wil get back to you and a nice post.
Wishing you a happy and prosperous Onam

Swapna Raghu Sanand said...

Thanks for writing this review about Pranayam. I agree with you, it is a brilliant classic and we've got to thank Blessy for creating this masterpiece.

I think Blessy's approach to this movie has not been to entertain which any mediocre film maker can do today but it was about giving romance that classic vintage feel that has been sadly missing from Malayalam cinema.

As he had worked as assistant with none other than Director Padmarajan, this movie seems almost like watching a Padmarajan movie, especially the way rain becomes not just a part of the craft of storytelling but a part of every individual's tryst and mood spells with nature, through rain.

@Paresh - I disagree with your view point expressed here. In my interactions with today's youngsters spanning 18 to 25, I can tell you they are very conscious and affected by what others think because social image is of utmost importance in how they are perceived. It matters a lot to them how their parents behave because they are conscious of being socially labelled as 'out of bounds' and that they are totally self-centered in their interest to preserve their respectability is a fact of life. My personal opinion was that this movie underplayed the extent to which the youths of today are cold bloodedly selfish.

harimohan said...

Tks swapna

Anonymous said...

Saw this movie recently and completely loved it...top notch performances by three of the most loved stars of Indian Cinema takes the movie to a whole new level..admirable camera work and background music..also must mention that the dubbing and lip sync of Jayaprada was very good..

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