Azhakiya Ravanan
| Azhakiya Ravanan | |
|---|---|
 VCD cover | |
| Directed by | Kamal |
| Produced by | V. P. Madhavan Nair |
| Screenplay by | Sreenivasan |
| Story by | Sreenivasan |
| Starring |
Mammootty Bhanupriya Sreenivasan Innocent Biju Menon Rajan P. Dev Cochin Haneefa |
| Music by | Vidyasagar |
| Cinematography | P. Sukumar |
| Edited by | K. Rajagopal |
| Distributed by | Murali Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Azhakiya Ravanan (English: Popinjay) is a 1996 Malayalam romantic comedy drama film directed by Kamal and written by Sreenivasan. The film is a rags-to-riches story of Shankar Das (Mammootty) who eventually gets drunk on his success. It also stars Bhanupriya, Sreenivasan, Innocent, Biju Menon, Rajan P. Dev, and Cochin Haneefa. The music is composed by Vidyasagar. Chirakodinja Kinavukal released on 2015 is a spin-off to this film.
Plot
Shankar Das (Mammootty) is a rich businessman who returns to his native village in (Alappuzha). No one in the village is aware of his past. During his childhood he was a servant of the local feudal lord Chatothu Panickar (Rajan P. Dev). He left the job after getting severely punished for kissing the lord's young daughter. He fled to Mumbai and there he became a successful businessman.
Now he has returned to his native village incognito. He is a very boastful man and revels in the praises showered on him by the sycophants. He reveals his identity to Ambujakshan (Sreenivasan), who is his childhood friend and an aspiring writer. He also confides in him his interest for Panicker's daughter Anuradha (Bhanupriya), who was his childhood infatuation. Ambujakshan succeeds in convincing Shankar to produce a film by telling him that it would help him to earn the respect of the villagers and win over Anuradha. Thus the production of the film starts under the direction of Sharath (Biju Menon), who is the love interest of Anuradha.
Shankar renders unsolicited financial help to Panicker's family. But, Shankar later realizes about the love developing between Anuradha and Sharath the film director and that leads to a pause on the film's production. Later, Shankar proposes marriage to Anuradha, which she declines. However, the family which is indebted to him coerces her to marry him. Anuradha, who is infuriated, decides that she will not present herself as a virgin before Shankar and makes love with Sharath. After the marriage she learns from Shankar that Sharath had accepted money from him for not creating any trouble for their marriage. This causes another heartbreak for her and she confesses about her relationship with Sharath to Shankar. In the end Shankar forgives Anuradha and their marital relationship resumes.
Cast
- Mammootty as Shankar Das
- Bhanupriya as Anuradha
- Innocent as Karayogam President TPV Kuruppu
- Biju Menon as Sharath
- Rajan P. Dev as Chathothu Panicker
- Valsala Menon as Omanakuttyamma
- Santhakumari
- Cochin Haneefa as Varghese
- Sreenivasan as Ambujakshan
- Vineeth Kumar as Anuradha's Brother
- Kavya Madhavan as Young Anuradha
Themes
The film was also a satirical take on the Malayalam film industry. It depicted how rich business men, who are craving for fame, are entrapped by struggling writers and directors to produce films. This phenomenon resulted in the churning out of mediocre films that lack artistic quality and commercial feasibility. The film also showed how money alone cannot win love and how money corrupts love.
Soundtrack
| Azhakiya Ravanan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Album cover for Azhakiya Ravanan | ||||
| Soundtrack album by Vidyasagar | ||||
| Released | January 1996 | |||
| Length | 23:35 | |||
| Label | Satyam Audios | |||
| Producer | Vidyasagar | |||
| Vidyasagar chronology | ||||
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The music of the film was composed by Vidyasagar. This movie marked Vidyasagar's entry into Malayalam films. The songs were very popular. Especially the song Vennila Chandana Kinnam, evokes nostalgic feelings. Lyrics are written by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri. Vidyasagar won Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director for this film.
Track listing
All lyrics written by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.
| Azhakiya Ravanan | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Vennila Chandana" | K. J. Yesudas, Shabnam | 5:14 |
| 2. | "Pranayamanithooval" | Sujatha Mohan | 4:31 |
| 3. | "Sumangalee" | K. J. Yesudas | 4:46 |
| 4. | "Pranayamanithooval" | K. J. Yesudas | 4:30 |
Total length: |
25:35 | ||