Manorathangal

Every story in this collection is happened some decades ago in Kerala or places where Malayaleese for Ved to go for jobs of survival.

Here they all connected emotionally vibrant and alive. The story flows in a way as if the paratagonists are trying to sacrifice something of their life to the betterment of others.

Every tale depicts a painful existence of man woman relations, its narrowing difficulties and sometimes sad endings just to move on.

A Kerala of 1950s to 1990s are the best time where people to people interactions and emotional connections are at its peak. These stories dwelve into the existences of such charectors who just too good for today's world of gadgets, selfishness and unhappiness.

The new generation of mobile lovers should watch these stories several times to understand the pain in which every relation cherish or perish in the sands of time.

Mohanlal did well a chatector done by Madhu in 50s of Olavum Theeravum. Surabhi Lakshmi portrayed a cheroctor of opportunist women in those days of utter poverty!

Mammuttoty tried his best to be there though the role is very brief. Biju Menon portrayed a typical mallu eying for his ancestral property to make his Kerala hating wife happy which is the reality of mallu men who married women who born and brought up elsewhere just to Kerala and its orthodox people's way of life.

Parvathy did full justice to a struggling female who succumb to the patriarchal way of Kerala's gossip mongers and selfish relatives!

Painful cinema experience. The plots are virtually nonexistent, with characters wandering aimlessly through scenes that barely connect and lagging thru out...... The dialogue feels like a first draft, filled with no sense and awkward pauses. Editing is chaotic, with scenes cutting abruptly, leaving the audience disoriented and poor color grading. There's no emotional investment, no narrative cohesion, and no reason to care. A true test of patience, it's a film best left unwatched. This is a testament to the bad taste of audience and the lost artistic and creativity of today's movie makers.....

*Manorathangal*

An adaptation from the novel written by Padma Bhushan Sri. M T Vasudevan Nair,the greatest literary wizard Indian Cinema has seen. The idea of this anthology movie was conceived by Priyadarshan and brought to light by 8 veteran directors including Priyadarshan,Ranjith,Jayaraj,Shyamaprasad,Santosh Sivan,Rathish Ambat, Mahesh Narayanan and one movie by Aswathy V Nair,MT's daughter as her debut directorial.

All the short stories starts with a preface note from the Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan. All the directors has portrayed and given life to the characters on screen without losing the soul of the story the great writer has conceived. The short stories penned by the writer and the subjects he has chosen for them is timeless.

The short stories starts with a soothing intro song composed by M Jayachandran in our humming bird Chitra's voice.

*Olavum Theeravum by Priyadarshan*

A tale of love amidst the river bank .The story portrays how one can use other people for their convenience and ignore them when they find a better caregiver. Priyan reflects on hatred,love,betrayal,cunningness,exploitation and humiliation in the movie. Notable performances by Mohanlal,Hareesh Peradi & Surabhi Lakshmi. It was heartwarming to see Mamukoya on screen through this posthumous release. Impressive camera shots by Santosh Sivan.

A good story that shows the cunning and crooked human nature for their own benefit and survival.

Rating - 3.5/5

*Kadugannava Oru Yathra Kurippu by Ranjith*

A short story portraying the travel of a middle aged man in search for his step sister from an illicit relationship his father had in Ceylon during his official trip and recollecting the childhood memories he had about her during his travel to Kadugannava. Impressive performances by Megastar,Vineeth & Anumol.

Ranjith has conveyed the deep inner emotions and concern he had in his heart for his sister through Mammootty's character.

Rating - 3.75/5

*Kaazhcha by Shyamaprasad*

This short story puts light onto a shaken marriage relationship of the heroine character with her husband and the societies and families outlook on the way she selflessly dealts with her relationship issues.

Shyamaprasad portrays the movie on the backdrop of music and shows the passion the heroine has for music.

Subtle delivery by Parvathy Thiruvothu as an independent strong women and notable performance by Harish Uthaman.

He also shows justice to the novel by showcasing the existence of strong and selfmade women in those times.

Rating - 3.25/5

*Shilalikhitham by Priyadarshan*

The plot of the story reflects on the dyeing relationships over age and the social status factor confining to one's own selfish needs and wants without any concern.

Priyan has portrayed Biju Menon in a characterisation arc were he goes in search for a historical evidence collection with regard to his work but brings him into the realisation that he has forgotten his roots and the importance of family relations over the hunt for wealth.

Rating - 3/5

*Vilppana by Aswathy V Nair*

The debut directorial by Aswathy V Nair through this short story portrays a middle aged married woman feeling lost and dejected in her life in thirst for a good company.

Aswathy's inexperience is visible through the way she handled the screenplay making the audience lethargic and disinterested in few areas with a long time duration.

Madhubala's portrayal seems to be mechanical though Asif performed well in the movie.

Rating - 2.75/5

*Sherlock by Mahesh Narayanan*

The story revolves around a cat named Sherlock and a new guest who has joined his family in America.

Mahesh has portrayed FaFaa as a weak character who is not comfortable with cats but how he tries to get rid of the cat from the house crookedly forms the storyline.

Mahesh has tried to make the story narrative interesting but couldn't keep the audience completely hooked to the movie as he does in his full length commercial films.

FaFaa's performance couldn't elevate the story as a whole. The long time duration makes this short story just a one time watch.

Rating - 3/5

*Kadalkkaattu by Rathish Ambat*

Rathish has portrayed the life of a working man who balances his family and an illicit relationship in his workplace away from home.

Rathish has given a good character to Aparna Balamurali as a lovable and caring wife and she has made a subtle delivery of the role.

Indrajith has portrayed the character convincingly and the moments he feels guilty was shown brilliantly by Rathish Ambat indirect references.

Rating - 3.25/5

*Abhayam Thedi Veendum by Santosh Sivan*

The entire movie could have carried by the versatile actor Siddique alone but Santosh couldn't convince what he was trying to convey through the story.

The movie may get critical acclamation but not convincing to normal audience.

Felt like he has treated the subject like an offbeat movie he has done earlier.

Rating - 2/5

*Swargam Turakkunna Samayam by Jayaraj*

Jayaraj holds true to the typical value oriented movies in this anthology series as well. It was heard in a promotional drive that Jayaraj was given a privilege to choose from among the 9 short stories by MT and he had rightly chosen this.

The movie reflects on the age old custom beliefs like an ideal time for death of a person.

It was delightful and heart warming to see Nedumudy Venu in one of his final performance through this posthumous release.

Jayaraj has conveyed the selfish and greedy attitude of humans over family relationships in the movie through various moments.

A close resemblance to Anjali Menon's Manjadikkuru was felt in few areas of the story. Good performances by Indrans,Renji Panicker & Surabhi Lakshmi.

Rating - 3.25/5.

Manorathangal is a compilation of cinematic works adapted from the short stories of M. T. Vasudevan Nair. The anthology comprises a total of nine episodes, with each episode being directed and performed by a different individual.

The first episode, entitled "Oolavum theeravum", was directed by Priydarashan. The cast features Mohanlal, Durga Krishna and Surabhi Lakshmi in the primary roles. The film is noteworthy for its excellent performances and cinematography, making it a worthwhile viewing experience. The film received a rating of 6.

The second episode, entitled Kadugannawa, oru yathra kurippu, was directed by Ranjith. The film features prominent actors Mammootty, Vineeth and Anumol in the primary roles. The film is a commendable work, notable for its excellent direction and cinematography. The performances are commendable. The film received a rating of 6.

The third episode, entitled 'Kazhcha', was directed by Shyamaprasad. The primary cast comprises Parvathy, Narein and Harish Uthaman. The episode is notable for its commendable performances and cinematography, making it a worthwhile viewing experience. The film is worthy of a rating of 5.

The fourth episode, entitled "Shilalikhitham", was directed by Priydarashan. The primary cast comprises Biju Menon, Joy Mathew and Shanti Krishna. The film is of interest as a one-time watch, with commendable cinematography and acting that is deserving of praise. The film is thus awarded a rating of 5.

The fifth episode, entitled "vilpana", was directed by Aswathy V Nair. The film features Asif Ali and Madhubala in the primary roles. The film is notable for its ability to hold the viewer's attention, making it a worthwhile viewing experience. The performances and direction are noteworthy, with a commendable level of appreciation for both. The narrative was satisfactory. The film is thus awarded a rating of 5.

The sixth episode is entitled Sherlock and was directed by Mahesh Narayanan. The primary cast comprises Fahad Faasil and Nadia Moidu. The narrative is of substandard quality, with the performances being satisfactory. The episode is not recommended for one time watching. Its evaluation is thus assigned a rating of 4.

The seventh episode, entitled Kadakkattu, was directed by Rathish Ambatt. The primary cast comprises Indrajit Sukumaran, Aparna Balamurali and Ann Augustine. The quality of the direction, storytelling, and cinematography is commendable. The performances, however, are deserving of particular attention. The film is recommended for a one time watching. The film received a rating of 6.

Episode 8, entitled 'Abhayam thedi veendum', was directed by Santhosh Sivan. It's not intended for one time watching. Despite the cinematography and performances being of a high standard, the narrative is not well-structured. However, the narrative arc is not readily discernible, and the viewer may find it challenging to establish a connection with the story. The narrative is entirely incongruous. The film is thus awarded a rating of 4.

The ninth episode, entitled Swargam Thurakkunna Samayam, was directed by Jayaraj. The primary cast comprises Nedumudi Venu and Indrans. The film is of merit, boasting excellent direction and acting. The direction is commendable. The film received a rating of 6.

In conclusion, it is evident that the narratives under scrutiny are characterised by profound emotional depth and sensitivity. The nature of such narratives precludes straightforward visual representation. This aspect is a notable drawback. The series, in its totality, is intended to be viewed in its entirety.

This collection features stories set in Kerala and places where Malayalees sought work decades ago. These emotionally rich tales follow protagonists who often sacrifice their own well-being for the sake of others, delving deep into the complex and painful realities of human relationships. Set between the 1950s and 1990s, a period when emotional connections were at their peak, the stories highlight characters whose purity and selflessness stand in stark contrast to today's gadget-driven, self-centered world. Through masterful storytelling, these narratives resonate with timeless themes of love, sacrifice, and the enduring human spirit.