Read on; I will not make the story public.
I saw the Malayalam movie Classmates starring a range of talented performers, yesterday.
The movie can be summed up in one word as classy. The story was the hero; and you have four alternatives in Prithwiraj, Indrajith, Jayasurya and Sunil (aka Narein). It is undoubtedly, the best Malayalam movie based on a campus story to date. Lal Jose has directed the movie in such a way that it can be hailed as a director's masterpiece. So much care has been put into every shot, and the spanking campus life is endearingly copy-pasted into the film reel so that there never was a dull moment in the whole two and a half hours.
The dynamism of campus politics, the amorous love letters and cursory jawings are all typical of any campus, especially fifteen years back. The director has looked into the minor details to make the film more realistic when recreating visuals of one and half decades back. Prithwiraj as a left student's group activist was immaculate and his brother Indrajith, I thought was the best character in the movie. He was faultless in his transition from a friendly, caustic and acerbic vexer to a mature married man. Jayasurya performed well in his portrayal of a negative-laden knavish right activist. Sunil played an entrancing music boy role and would gain a lot of attention through this movie. Balachandra Menon and Jagathy Sreekumar were so naturalistic and fitting in their roles. But I bet, you will like Indrajith's character the best!
Well, the story is about a group of students in the Chemistry batch of 1991 in a campus that incorporates active and violent student politics. Normal and natural love threads, strikes, songs and all find places in the movie. They plan to meet together after 15 years, wherever they are then. This is the theme of the movie. What prompts such a move, what happens thereafter etc make the movie complete. The last shot in the movie was so impressive!
The fights scenes and the climax were pictured pretty elegantly. The two heroines Kavya Madhavan and the new face Radhika impersonated their roles touchingly. The music, thanks to Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma, Alex Paul and a bunch of singers helped the movie quite a lot with some true campus rhythms and nostalgia. The song 'Ente khalbile' comes twice in the movie with two scenic appearances. These would give you a catch of how brilliantly the film was taken by Lal Jose. Rajeev Ravi has done a great work behind the camera so that the picture in front of us is so beautiful. Bust sides? You may hear some grotesque autopsy report in the film though!
I would give the film 8 out of 10 and would recommed you the same so highly! Enjoy!
Photo: Varnachitram
I saw the Malayalam movie Classmates starring a range of talented performers, yesterday.
The movie can be summed up in one word as classy. The story was the hero; and you have four alternatives in Prithwiraj, Indrajith, Jayasurya and Sunil (aka Narein). It is undoubtedly, the best Malayalam movie based on a campus story to date. Lal Jose has directed the movie in such a way that it can be hailed as a director's masterpiece. So much care has been put into every shot, and the spanking campus life is endearingly copy-pasted into the film reel so that there never was a dull moment in the whole two and a half hours.The dynamism of campus politics, the amorous love letters and cursory jawings are all typical of any campus, especially fifteen years back. The director has looked into the minor details to make the film more realistic when recreating visuals of one and half decades back. Prithwiraj as a left student's group activist was immaculate and his brother Indrajith, I thought was the best character in the movie. He was faultless in his transition from a friendly, caustic and acerbic vexer to a mature married man. Jayasurya performed well in his portrayal of a negative-laden knavish right activist. Sunil played an entrancing music boy role and would gain a lot of attention through this movie. Balachandra Menon and Jagathy Sreekumar were so naturalistic and fitting in their roles. But I bet, you will like Indrajith's character the best!
Well, the story is about a group of students in the Chemistry batch of 1991 in a campus that incorporates active and violent student politics. Normal and natural love threads, strikes, songs and all find places in the movie. They plan to meet together after 15 years, wherever they are then. This is the theme of the movie. What prompts such a move, what happens thereafter etc make the movie complete. The last shot in the movie was so impressive!
The fights scenes and the climax were pictured pretty elegantly. The two heroines Kavya Madhavan and the new face Radhika impersonated their roles touchingly. The music, thanks to Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma, Alex Paul and a bunch of singers helped the movie quite a lot with some true campus rhythms and nostalgia. The song 'Ente khalbile' comes twice in the movie with two scenic appearances. These would give you a catch of how brilliantly the film was taken by Lal Jose. Rajeev Ravi has done a great work behind the camera so that the picture in front of us is so beautiful. Bust sides? You may hear some grotesque autopsy report in the film though!
I would give the film 8 out of 10 and would recommed you the same so highly! Enjoy!
Photo: Varnachitram
75 Comments:
Must see this one..
Dont know when it`ll happen
wish it happens soon.
BTW, Sreejith, was there anything similar to your college life in the movie.
Re: Srijith Unni
Yah, you must see this one. It is worth a watch!
Experiences? Plenty! On most occasions all the characters seemed to be my friends!
will need english subtitles to view this one....
Re: Passerby55
:-O
Oh dear! It is a good movie in any case....
Hopefully I will be able to see this movie soon.
Re: Balaji
Hmmm... good! It is a must watch, a complete movie. Hopefully it will drive directors like Vinayan to make something fresh! :-)
hi,
seems to be intresting..cant we have it in hindi version so that we be able to see that...
Re: Tanushree
Hi, welcome to my blog!
Yah, it is a good movie, especially the direction! If you know Hindi, hope that Priyadarshan would make it in that language some day! :-)
Hope to see you again!
silly me,I went to see a movie called Keertichakram cos my friend wanted to see it so bad.
We both couldn't read Malayalam and went to the wrong counter and bought tickets.Once in the theatre we realised we were not in for a Mohanlal movie(had got into 'CLassmates by mistakes).
So we ran out and bought tickets for the Mohanlal pic
But now I wish I had sat and seen that though my friend was disinterested.
After reading your review,gonna try and get the Cd quick or better still if it plays in a theatre near me,i'll be the first one to rush out there.
Re: Maya Cassis
I see! But Keerthichakra is also a good movie. I would give it 6 out of 10, but would give Classmates 8! It is a must watch. The direction is brilliant; hats-off to Lal Jose. The casting was good. I would say the perfect movie in Malayalam after a good break!
Re: Maya Cassis
By the way, here is my opinion of Keerthichakra!
Srijith,
This was a very cool review.
I loved reading it!
I am waiting for the film to come here!
Re: James Bright
Thanks a lot for the appreciation! It should be a releaving experiece from the main stream heroic movies that are made in Malayalam. This one has good story, good comedy, good fights and a good climax, plus the last shot! Worth a watch!
Hi Sreejith!!!!
The movie seems very interesting but i don't even understand a word in Malayalam.:) So i'll have to wait for it's Hindi version.
Re: Sunil Parmar
Hi Sunil, welcome to my blog. It seems like most people assembled here do not know Malayalam! But believe me, this is a class film. The storyline is good and the director has made a brilliant work. One of the most interesting aspects of the movie is that it is not completely about the hero or the heroine. Each and every character is important in the movie; and that itself is a welcome sign.
thumbs up on Classmates!
loved it through & through. told ya sree, it was gud :)
3 cheers to Classmates!!
Re: Akhil
Yup, Akhil... you were one of the galvanizers for me to see this film. It is a fantastic one, yes. The best movie I have seen for a long time! Thanks for the inspirational doses! :-)
i haven't seen the movie... heard it is a good one...anyways will catch it soon....
the latest munnabhai is also really good...
nice to be in your blog after a long time..read the apollo moon hoax debate again
Re: Just a Jester
Hi, welcome back after a long interval! Yah, this movie is good; I also heard that Munnabhai is good; but I do not see Hindi movies that often! The last one I saw was Rang De Basanti, before that Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and before that Border! :-))
I am so happy to let you know that I received free DVDs of the moon hoax from Bart Sibrel which you had doubted previously. I couldn't find time enough to prepare a review of the same. The overall cost for the same was about INR 12500, and it was a great gift to get the pack free!
I too heard about the movie. Seems to be good. Want to watch it badle. I think its been a while since a movie like this has come out. Moreover i liked the songs too!
thanks for the review. meeting old college friends after 15 years is bound to bring lots of memories and recollections, and mixed nature of college life is always a treat to watch. i'll look out for the hindi/english translation of this movie if that were to be!
Re: Alex
Yah it is a good movie; and the songs are really captivating. The picturing of the songs is also neatly done!
Re: Gaurav Jain
Yah, the friends are meeting after 15 years. But the reason for such a move and its consequences are the highlights of the movie. This one is a total package. I too wish someone made it in Hindi soon.....
Hey !
I have done the 6th things tag already
And , just this morn , I got a Fwd on Classmates .. coincidence !
Re: Deepa
Oh dear! I didn't know that you had done the six things tag already!
A Classmates forward? That is too good. Hope it doesn't reveal the movie completely!
Can't wait to see this movie..unfortunately, no scope of it getting released in Hyd :( ..Havent done the tag yet..caught up with lot of work..will put up by this weekend .
Re: Ajith
Ho gawd! Most people commented haven't had a chance to see the movie!
Tag thing can wait bhai..... Take your time....
if you rate it 8,then it's a must watch.
I couldnt agree with u more, Sree. That was the only movie worth a watch this Onam season!!!
:D
Re: Maya Cassis
LOL! I liked the out of sight meaning in your words! Yes, I would rate it high; the film deserves it. Manage to get your ticket and see the movie asap. It is still running housefull here in Trivandrum.
Re: Velu Nair
Voila! So, you liked it, right? That's good to hear. Good movies should be applauded...
Classmates not really an encouraging movie like Gandhi, Lagaan, Border like films... this film is only a local hit..not an inspiring one....this film doesnot flags any good message..... i like your comments about the film.. only your writing language....ur blog is superb..use it only for to express ur talents..avoid unwanted links...anyway all the best...keep rich this blog with your words.....
Re: Anonymous
First of all, thanks a lot for the appreciation!
See, this one is clearly unlike the movies you mentioned. Some movies are for inspiration, some are for enjoyment and still some are for instilling hatred. This one belongs to the second category. We cannot expect a Gandhi-like theme in a campus movie. A campus movie is complete when it deals with true campus stories and also when it recreates the long lost visuals (in this case). In that sense this movie is a complete package. Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings are bigger hits when compared to the movies you mentioned. What is the message such films convey? Zilch. But for that can we say such movies should not be heralded? Nope.
There is a limit to the stories and themes we can create and most of them have already been exploited. Now it depends only on how the directors create it. In that sense this film is a big plus and deserves a lot of attention.
Thanks a lot again for dropping by and giving your thoughts. I always like to discuss the pros and cons.
hello..sorry for dropping by late..
I guess i will have to wait longer to watch the movie..
A good malayalam movie is a rarity these days..so its a pleasure to hear some good ones coming up!!
cheers..
Re: Mathew
Cheers Matt, nice to see you back! Hope you have a good time in Der Fuhrer's land!
Hmmmm... I understand that. Grab this opportunity to see a good film whenever you get it.
hi,
"There is a limit to the stories and themes we can create and most of them have already been exploited. Now it depends only on how the directors create it."
do u mean recreating.
somegood thinking on ur part, need to understand this better now.
Sreejith, are we around the same morals, treating good is good and bad is bad, and now its only the presentation of the director's viewpoint that could pull crowds or make many think....
is this what you meant?
thankyou
Re: Passerby55
No. It is not all about recreating the same stories. But generally, I have observed this consistency in our movies, where you can see a hero appearing, then a heroine, the hero in fight with the heroine, then they fall in love, a villian comes (most times the dad of the heroine!) and then some scennes of separation and finally a fight scene followed by a group photo to finish it off! Most movie directors still prefer the same story and only the treatment of the subject can make us feel somewhat different! That is the only thing I meant.... Isn't that correct?
correct sreejith,
"I have observed this consistency in our movies"...
its due to this reason we avoid seeing films today.
many want to follow the crowd and produce films what others made to make their box office go ringing.
I guess we not only copy others but also copy ourselves over and over again...
copying should also be done intelligently.
and to take risk, is not everyone's cup of tea...
Re: Passerby55
Right! The directors of present make films to please people. Films should serve that purpose also, but the directors need to bring people to a new world. Those who take up the challenge will win; and others will continue making replications till they retire! It is, as you said a risky business, but those who are brave will take it up.
Update:
Classmates is to be made in other South Indian languages!
You have been tagged!
Re: Alex
Hi Alex, thanks a lot for the tag. Actually I have already taken this up. This is it.....
oops..my carelessnes...
i don't see it running here in mangalore yet.went yesterday to my local video store to see if they had a pirated copy....no luck :(
Hi Sreejith!!!
If ever i'll get a chance i'll surely give it a shot{Malyalam}.:)
you've not updated ur blog since many days???-Waiting for some action.....
Re: Alex
:-) Doesn't matter. Feel free to tag me the next time!
Re: Maya Cassis
Oh that is so sad! Hey, you are speaking open about pirated CDs!!!! :-)
Re: Sunil Parmar
Give it a try, though the language is different!
Yah, it is a long time since something has appeared on my blog! Short of subjects! LOL
I dont understand Malayalam, but I would love to catch it if I could get it with sub titles. I love campus movies too.
Ah yes!!
Time for a new post, indeed!
:)
Re: Strictly for my friends
Hmmm.... but I dislike movies with subtitles. The punch would be missing....
This one is to be made in South Indian languages soon. Hope it will cross more borders and reach Bengal..
Re: Velu Nair
:-) Hmmmm yah.... I shall.... but no subjects in my bag as of now.... will try to find something.... :-)
Sreejith,
What you said about certain people having the quality of being evil is so true.
Re: Alex
Thanks mate! That was an insightful post from you......
classmate is remembering my college days.
Re: Nibu G
Hi Nibu, welcome to my blog! Yes, Classmates reminds us of our yesteryears. We have seen many of the characters in real life. A simple, yet impressive film....
Saw classmates from PVR Bangalore. Lal Jose rocks!! Its a beautifully crafted movie with a campus background. Reminds me of some of the thrillers in Hollywood.
BTW what is the incident that happened in Kottayam CMS college that was an inspiration to the movie?
Ranjith
Re: Ranjith (Anony.)
Hi Ranjith, yah this is a good film. In fact there was no incident that happened in CMS which inspired Lal Jose to create the movie. I think James Albert (I think the script writer) developed this one from his personal experiences and also some fiction has been added to it.
hi sreejith...me to saw the film last nite.It really reminded me about our old campus days and all those forgotten things...
Did you saw the dedication in the beginning of the film?. Its dedicated to the CMS college batch of 1941 or 1946(dont remember the exact year),one of my friend said that the film was based on the real story of that batch... :)
Re: Renjith B
Hi Rens, good to see you here!
Yes, most of the characters in the film seemed to be our friends! A very good campus movie....
In fact, I reached the theatre just in time for the movie and couldn't see what was displayed in the beginning. But the scriptwriter James Albert had said in an interview that the film is based on some stories of his own college life in Fatima College....
HI
Re: Anonymous
Hi! But who? @-)
Saw the movie last week. After a long time a wholesome entertainer to be screened...anyone can identify with a personality like that of "sugu" the college "star" ..i am multilingual and watch hindi, mal, and tamil...this is really worth a watch. "a walk down your college days" it was very nostalgic and emotional experience for me
Re: Smita
It is! It is a very good movie and the characters are so familiar to us. The good old college days! :-) Nice to see you here and hope to see you again....
Hi there!!
I never thought u wud post so soon!! that's really gr8. will keep visiting coz I was going through ur blog and found it really interesting..esp about sabarimala...i wud like to share one little thought..this was passed on to me by my mom...about "vavar" there is an "eidheehiyam" in our parts of kerala (valluvanad) that he was born to a very beautiful muslim lady by lord Shiva, when he saw her beauty and was enchanted..just by looking at her!!! is it not very intriguing.
Re: Smita
Hi Smita! I'm sooop glad that you liked my blog and that you will visit me again! :-)
That was an article I wrote for www.chintha.com. I have never heard the version of story you just told. Thanks a lot for sharing it! One thing is for sure; Islam came to India in the AD and the presence of Islam in these stories indicate that those may be contrived by some wise man in the sense that all religions should co-exist in harmony... I like that idea.......
I could relate to most of the characters in the movie. Everything about the movie was awesome. Character named pius was the best acted character in the whole movie.
Hoping to see more movies like this from Lal Jose.
Re: Bobby
I too would say that Pius was the best in the movie. A great transformation from a vexer to a decent man! Lal Jose is making some good movies of late.... Hope the trend continues....
cool, a pandalam guy.. where in pdm? and what doing now?
Re: Cloud9ine
Hi! I am at proper Pandalam! I think you are also from there? Where exactly? It is interestingly written 'cloud9ine'......!
Re: Cloud9ine
By the way, I am working as an ID in TVM....
Watched classmates last week.. It rocks. I had lost the habit of watching mal movies because of lack of quality in subjects or treatment in the new ones.(exceptions-blessy's movies)
I was able to immediately identify the characters as I am one of 90's batch guys and played little bit of campus politics.. before moving to bangalore..It was really a nostalgic trip down the memory lane.
Dont know what's the campus scenario in kerala now.According to me some must watch mal campus movies are: Chaamaram,Shaalini Ente kootukaari,Sarvakalashala and now classmates..
Cheers for your blog.. Keep improving.
Re: Maplesman
90's batch? Great!
The Kerala campus politics has changed quite a lot. Now there are restrictions for political activities in colleges...
Yes, a very good list of campus movies!
Classmates was Superb.
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Re: Kavyamadhavan
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