Malikappuram

Malikappuram is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language action adventure drama film directed by Vishnu Sasi Shankar and written by Abhilash Pillai. The film stars Unni Mukundan, Deva Nandha and Sreepath in lead roles, with Saiju Kurup, Ramesh Pisharody, Sampath Ram, T. G. Ravi, Sreejith Ravi, Manoj K. Jayan, and Renji Panicker in supporting roles.[5] The plot centres around Kallu, an eight-year-old girl who is a devotee of Ayyappan and desires to visit Sabarimala Temple.

Malikappuram
Theatrical release poster
Directed byVishnu Sasi Shankar
Written byAbhilash Pillai
Produced by
Starring
Narrated byMammootty
CinematographyVishnu Narayanan
Edited byShameer Muhammed
Music byRanjin Raj
Production
companies
Kavya Film Company
Aan Mega Media
Distributed by
Release date
  • 30 December 2022 (2022-12-30)[1]
Running time
120 minutes[2]
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam
Budget3.5 crore (US$440,000)[3]
Box office100 crore (US$13 million) [4]

The principal photography commenced in September 2022 and the film was wrapped up in November 2022. The major part of the film was shot at various locations in Pathanamthitta, including Sabarimala Temple and Erumeli. The Cinematography was done by Vishnu Narayanan, with editing handled by Shameer Muhammed. Ranjin Raj composed the soundtrack for the film.

Malikappuram was released theatrically on 30 December 2022 and received positive reviews from critics and emerged as a box office success, [1] becoming the highest grosser in Unni Mukundan's career, grossing over 54 crore (US$6.8 million) against the budget of 3.5 crore (US$440,000).[6]

Plot

Kalyani (Kallu) is a devotee of the famous deity Ayyappan and is enthusiastic to visit the Sabarimala temple. As per religious beliefs, Kallu has a small window of two years to visit the temple as she is 8 years old. Her grandmother narrates the life of Lord Ayyappan to her, which she loves a lot. Ajayan is Kallu's father who has mortgaged their house and it is on the verge of being seized by the bank. Furthermore, Ajayan has also borrowed a huge sum from a local usurer and acquaintance Ambadi, and is unable to repay both the loans.

The bank has issued a seizure notice, which Ajayan hides from his family. Ajayan promises Kallu to take her to Sabarimala and that both will do the initial rituals for the pilgrimage, which is supposed to happen a few weeks from thereon. Ambadi publicly harasses and roughs up Ajayan, which is witnessed by Kallu. A humiliated Ajayan subsequently commits suicide out of disgrace. The bank eventually seizes Ajayan's house and Kallu’s grandmother moves in with Ajayan’s elder sister. Kallu and her mother move in with Ajayan’s friend and neighbor Unni. Kallu becomes frustrated with the fact that she is unable to go to Sabarimala because of her father's death and yells at her classmate and Unni's son Piyoosh.

Piyoosh finds that it is impossible to dissuade Kallu from pursuing her journey to Sabarimala, and decides to accompany her. Both the kids board a bus to Pamba, and en route they meet Mahi, a local goon who is also a pedophile and trafficker. Under the pretext of heading to Sabarimala, he is on the lookout for young kids. His eyes fall on both Kallu and Piyoosh. Piyoosh senses that something is wrong and tries to persuade Kallu to stop the journey and head back home, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Unni and Kallu's mother informed the police about the missing children.

Later, a man named Ayyappan boards the bus, who also seems to be heading to Sabarimala, and gets acquainted with the kids. Mahi introduces himself as the kids’ guardian uncle to Ayyappan, which Ayyappan later finds out to be false and suspects that he has some malicious intentions. After hearing their story, Ayyappan promises the kids that he will accompany them to Sabarimala. Ayyappan intimidates Mahi and an infuriated Mahi is determined to incapacitate Ayyappan and kidnap the girl. On reaching Pamba, from where they have to walk to reach the shrine, the trio discovers that the police have restricted entry for the remainder of the day as a measure to control the crowd and they will not be able to visit the temple, but an adamant Kallu leaves Ayyappan with no choice except to take a route through the forest.

Mahi’s accomplice who has been following them, informs Mahi about their movements, and he sends all of his henchmen to beat up Ayyappan and kidnap Kallu. Ayyappan is alerted of impending danger, where he successfully overpowers Mahi and his people. During the fight, Kallu visualizes Ayyappan as the actual embodiment of the deity Ayyappan and later reveals to him that she has seen him in her dreams, and shows him the drawings she made from them, which shows a man who looks just like Ayyappan. The following day, Ayyappan disappears into the crowd and the kids enter the shrine. As Kallu begins to worry and look for him, he shows up and encourages her to climb the steps to fulfill her father's wish. Later, the police hand the kids over to Unni and they are taken home. Due to the circumstances which followed, the kids believe that he was the deity Ayyappan himself.

It is then revealed that Ayyappan is actually CPO D. Ayyappadas, working at the police station in Pamba. He was alerted of the missing children and knowingly boarded the bus after having seen Kallu's photo. After hearing out their stories, he decided to make their wish come true by visiting the Sabarimala temple. Meanwhile, the police apprehended Mahi and his men, who happened to be on Tamil Nadu criminal records.

Cast

Production

Filming

The principal photography of Malikappuram commenced on 12 September 2022 following a pooja ceremony at Erumely Sree Dharmasastha Temple.[7][8] K. Ananthagopan, then president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, performed the switch-on ceremony, and S. Sudarshan gave the first clap.[9] Members of the Pandalam royal family had visited the shooting location shortly after it began.[9] The film was shot in places like Konni, Kalleli, Lahai, Pamba, and Sabarimala Temple in Pathanamthitta district and Erumely in Kottayam district.[10] The filming was completed in November 2022.[11]

Music

Malikappuram
Soundtrack album by
Released17 December 2022 (2022-12-17)
GenreFeature Film Soundtrack
LabelAnto Joseph Film Company
ProducerRanjin Raj

The film score and the songs are composed by Ranjin Raj.[12] The lyrics are written by Santhosh Varma and B.K.Harinarayanan.[5] The album consists of eight songs.[13] The first song "Ganapathi Thunayaruluka" was released on 17 December 2022.[14]

Track listing
No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Kaliyuga"Ranjin Raj1:04
2."Ayyappan - Intro"Ranjin Raj1:07
3."Boothanaadha"Ranjin Raj1:00
4."Ganapathi Thunayaruluka"Madhu Balakrishnan, Anthony Daasan3:39
5."Harivarasanam"Prakash Puthoor5:46
6."Ambadi Thumbi"Vineeth Sreenivasan, Theertha Subash, Vaiga Abhilash3:11
7."Nangeli Poove"Ranjin Raj3:46
8."Onnam Padi Mele"Vineeth Sreenivasan2:00
Total length:21:33

Release

Theatrical

The film was censored with a U certificate one week prior to its release.[15][16] The film was released in theatres on 30 December 2022.[17] The Telugu and Tamil language dubbed versions were released on 26 January 2023.[18]

Home media

Malikappuram premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on 15 February 2023 [19] in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.[20] On the occasion of Vishu, it was shown on Asianet on 15 April 2023.[21][22]

Controversies

Since the release of the film on December 30, 2022, it has been heavily promoted by right-wing groups and severely criticised and denounced as an attempt to promote the Hindutva agenda in Kerala by left-wing groups.[23][24] In response to the controversy, Vishnu Sasi Shankar has clarified that they didn't want to make a political statement with the film but only to make a film that everyone could enjoy. The opening credits of the film show all the leaders across the political spectrum.[25]

Reception

Critical reception

Malikappuram received positive reviews from critics.[1]

Gopika S of The Times of India gave a rating of 3 out of 5 and wrote that "Unni Mukundan was a good choice for the role and he easily gains a superhero image among the kids. The music by Ranjin Raj is apt for the setting".[26] 123Telugu stated that: "Malikappuram clicks here and there. The movie largely benefits from the lead cast’s superior performances, and emotions work in parts. Had the movie team designed a few more exciting moments, the film’s range would have been enhanced".[27]

Sowmya Rajendran of The News Minute noted that Malikappuram is certainly a disruption in the new wave that Malayalam cinema is witnessing, which is questioning traditional understandings of gender, caste, class, and religion with new ways of storytelling.[28]

Box office

Malikappuram, which was made on a budget of 3.5 crore (US$440,000), was a commercial success at the box office. It grossed 40 crore (US$5.0 million) in the third week[29] and 50 crore (US$6.3 million) in the final week of January, becoming a commercial success.[30][31]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2022 Kerala Film Critics Association Awards Best Popular Film Malikappuram Won [32]
Best Child Artist Deva Nandha Won

References

  1. "'Malikappuram' Twitter review: Netizens call the Unni Mukundan starrer 'Mollywood's 'Kantara'". Times of India. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  2. "Malikappuram". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  3. "'Malikappuram' box office collection: Unni Mukundan starrer enters the 50- crore club". The Times of India. 2023-01-22. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  4. "'Malikappuram' box office collection Day 40: Unni Mukundan starrer crosses Rs 100 crore". The Times of India. 2 February 2023.
  5. "Unni Mukundan's next 'Malikappuram' starts rolling". The Times of India. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  6. "King of Kotha to Odiyan, 6 Malayalam movies that defied negative reviews to sweep the box office". www.ottplay.com. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  7. "Makers of 'Malikappuram' launch the first look poster on Unni Mukundan's birthday!". The Times of India. 2022-09-22. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  8. "Unni Mukundan to headline Malikappuram". Cinema Express. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  9. "Pandalam royal family visits sets of Unni Mukundan-starrer 'Malikappuram'". OnManorama. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  10. "'മാളികപ്പുറം"നൂറ് കോടി ക്ലബ്ബിലേക്ക് മല കയറുന്നു". Konni Vartha. 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  11. "'മാളികപ്പുറ'ത്തിന് പാക്കപ്പ്; സഹപ്രവര്‍ത്തകര്‍ക്കൊപ്പം ചുവടുവച്ച് ഉണ്ണി മുകുന്ദന്‍: വീഡിയോ". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd (in Malayalam). 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  12. "History of Malikappuram: Mammootty lends his voice to the Unni Mukundan starrer". India Times. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  13. "Malikappuram (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Youtube Music. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  14. "NEWSFirst song of Unni Mukundan movie Malikappuram released". Kerala Kaumudi. 17 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  15. "Unni Mukundan's Malikappuram With A Clean U Certificate; Film All Set To Hit Theatres". xappie News. 23 December 2022.
  16. "ക്ലീൻ യു സർട്ടിഫിക്കറ്റ് നേടി ഉണ്ണി മുകുന്ദൻ ചിത്രം 'മാളികപ്പുറം' ; ഡിസംബർ 30നു തിയേറ്ററുകളിൽ". Zee News. 24 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  17. "Unni Mukundan Announces Release Date Of His Next Malayalam Film Malikappuram". News 18. 24 December 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  18. "Unni Mukundan starrer 'Malikappuram' Telugu version gets a release date". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  19. "Malikappuram, The Romantics, African Queens, The Night Manager, Unlocked: OTT releases this week". The Week. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  20. "Malikappuram gets OTT release date". The Indian Express. 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  21. "Vishu 2023 Television Premieres: മലയാള ടെലിവിഷൻ ചാനലുകളിലെ വിഷുകാല ചിത്രങ്ങൾ". Indian Express Malayalam (in Malayalam). 2023-04-14. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  22. KS, Anish (2023-04-12). "Alone & Malikappuram Are The Vishu Day Premiers Of Asianet On April 15 , Saturday". Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  23. "Political and religious criticisms don't bother me: Actor Unni Mukundan". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  24. Staff, T. N. M. (2023-01-26). "Malikappuram actor Unni Mukundan uses expletives on YouTuber, audio viral". The News Minute. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  25. Rajendran, Sowmya (2023-02-08). "Ayyappan As Superhero: How The Malayalam Devotional Film Malikappuram Made Rs 50 Crore". www.filmcompanion.in. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  26. "Malikappuram Movie Review : Kids' movie on faith". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  27. "Malikappuram Telugu Movie Review". 123Telugu. 2023-01-26. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  28. Rajendran, Sowmya (2023-01-12). "Can Unni Mukundan's traditionalist Malikappuram afford to exist in new Malayalam cinema?". The News Minute. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  29. "'Malikappuram' box office day 17: Unni Mukundan starrer crosses Rs 40 crore, amidst big-ticket releases 'Thunivu' and 'Varisu'". The Times of India. 2023-01-17. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  30. "മുടക്ക് 3.50 കോടി; ബോക്സ്ഓഫിസിൽ 50 കോടി വാരി മാളികപ്പുറം". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  31. "'മാളികപ്പുറം' 50 കോടി ക്ലബ്ബിൽ; ഉണ്ണി മുകുന്ദന്റെ കരിയറിലെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ ഹിറ്റ്". Mathrubhumi. 2023-01-21. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  32. "Kerala Film Critics Awards: Darshana Rajendran, Kunchacko Boban are best actors; B 32 Muthal 44 Vare and Headmaster named best film". The Indian Express. 2023-05-23. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
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