The Hindu : Kerala News : Malayalam cinema takes a Ramzan break

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007
ePaper

Kerala

Kerala

Malayalam cinema takes a Ramzan break

Actor Mohanlal

Malayalam cinema is taking a breather now. There will be no new releases during the holy month of Ramzan, which began last Thursday.

“It has always been so, as there would be considerable drop in the number of viewers at cinemas during the fasting month for Muslims, especially in Malabar region,” says K.M. Prabhath, a Kozhikode-based film distributor.

“Some cinemas in the region will remain closed during the period. No distributor would want to take the risk by releasing a new film in the Ramzan month.”

Indeed, films like ‘Paradeshi,’ the Mohanlal-starrer directed by P.T. Kunhumohammed, has been ready for release for some time, but it will hit cinemas only after the fasting month.

It is slated to be released on October 12.

“It is an excellent film which has to be seen by people, especially those in Malabar, and that is why we decided to make it a Ramzan release,” says Mohanlal.

“The film’s characters are based on people living in Malabar who have not been granted Indian citizenship because of partition. Kunhumohammed made the film after doing a lot of research on the subject.”

There is a Mammootty movie getting ready for a Ramzan release too; ‘Nasrani,’ directed by Joshi. Vimala, who has become one of the busiest heroines in Malayalam cinema in no time, is acting opposite Mammootty in the film.

The Prithviraj-starrer ‘Chocolate,’ directed by Shafi, is also planned as a Ramzan release. It is the second film of the year for Shafi after ‘Mayavi’; the Mammootty-starrer was one of the biggest hits of the year so far. ‘Chocolate’ also stars Roma, Samvrutha Sunil and Jayasurya.

P.K. Ajith Kumar

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala