Macha.......There is no single answer to the phenomenon........Enthinanu oru answer venam ennu vashi pidikunnathu?.......EE padathe kurichu oru exclusive cover story oru magazine-il vannu kanan agrahamundu......Athu Ningallku sadhikkatte!
Kurachu points ivide add cheyyunnu (taken from my review of Drishyam)
What is amazing about Drishyam?
High Seriousness
This is something I caught my attention…..The the whole film, apart from first 45 minutes or so, seemed damn serious like “Kireedam” without much entertainment ingradients ……There was pin drop silence in the hall where audience laughed only during Lalettan –Meena combo Scenes and clapped in the climatic scenes!.......Entertainment (in the strictest sense) wise, the viewers had little to cheer about!.......Yet, they were thoroughly satisfied after the film and their expressions told the story….This film is becoming the Ultimate Blockbuster in Malayalam!..........Amazing !!!
Before Drishyam………. Amaram,Valsalyam, Akashadhooth and Kireedam, Bharatham were great successes here but not BBs….Drishyam is the only family movie in recent times to become a BB, not to speak about ATBB…..
What makes Drishyam……so popular?
I think the following Major factors accounts for the phenomenal never-seen-before popularity of Drishyam
1) Georgekutty & Mohanlal
2) Contemporary Relavance
3) Common Man Vs Authority
4) Realism
5) Hollywood style of Making
7) Reaction against New Generation Cinema
Return of Old Generation Viewers
1) Georgekutty
Georgekutty epitomizes the typical family conscious Malayali……..Georgekutty says in the climax…….. “My world consists of my wife & children…..All I do for them is right to me ....I will sacrifice my life for them”…….I am damn sure that it vibes well with the family philosophy of Every girl/wife in Kerala …..
The Mohanlal Factor
This key character in the film is portrayed by ever charismatic Mohanlal, who after a long break, appears as a middleclass family man in simple costumes and with his trade mark comic expressions & innocent looks without any heroic ornaments……..Every Malayali still cherishes his roles without heroics in Varavelppu, Nadodikattu, Midhunam, Ayeauto in their heart….His natural comedy is always refreshing and can really elevate small trivial scenes…….In such roles, he is a pure joy to watch…..Here, Mohanlal is in his top form and make us love Georgekutty…… The flow people in age group (30-50) to Drishyam cinemas are mostly due to the Mohanlal factor……
2) Contemporary Relavance
Drishyam discusses some burning issues among family circles in kerala society……like parenting, technology abuse ,encroachment against women, corrupt policing etc in a serious manner…..That makes the film a hot topic in movie discussions……Old genereation guys do like yesteryear preachy moral movies of Lohi,Sathyan Anthikadu, Sreeni a lot…..In Drishyam, we do get a socially relavant film with hidden morals of a kind…real-life significance of what is shown in the film lift the film in to a higher plane….
3) Common Man Vs Authority
This is an age old battle that is still running…..we hear stories of abuse of power and status on a regular basis…..The abuse of money & technology by rich youth, the blind eye of law towards them….. Here, the hero is an orphan, a school drop-out without any god father… therefore, we instantly support Mohanlal’s Georgekutty who symbolizes Common man, when he takes on authority in a battle of wits.
4) Realism
What sets Drishyam apart from the league of other popular Malayalam films is its great fidelity to realism…... Instead of going over the board with a sensitive story line, the director has boldly avoided the clichéd entertainment ingradients, considered mandatory for the success of a Malayalm film at the Box-office….There is no colorful dance sequences, no slapstic comedies, no heroic one-liners, pulsating action to enthrall the audience…..Instead, the director was keen on narrating a story and he did that with telling effect!.... Everything in Drishyam is narrated in a clinical, realistic way, exploiting all the possibilities of the visual medium, without resorting to gimmicks of any kind, even though the plot offers a lot of scope for it….This makes Drishyam a real living experience in front of viewers…As a result, the film and the characters continue to haunt the viewers even after the film …… This is no mean achievement!
5) Hollywood style of Making
Last, but not the least, is the making of film……. In narrative style and pacing of the action, it follows Hollywood style of film making …….It starts slowly……steadily gaining momentum…..Sudden twisting interval punch….second half action gripping…….edge-of-the seat climatic portions and an excellent visual climax…….(Seven,Alien,Pulp Fiction,Unforgiven….etc)…….I believe this is how films should be made…….Almost all the films that follow this basic principle is good to watch….Jeethu had applied it in style in “Memories” ….But., in “Drishyam”, he applies them into perfection……Two scenes mark out…….Asha sharath explaining drishyam theory…..Climatic scenes with George kutty coming out of Police Station!..........Oh Man, Jeethu…….You are too Good!
6)Excellent Casting
A good a script with great characterization will not translate in to a great movie, unless it is well supported by the able actors who make us believe the whole proceedings on screen …..It is of primary importance in a film like Drishyam which deals with highly emotional life situations.....You need to have actors who can pull it off without seeming melodramatic….This is where Jeethu has scored big in this film….The characters in the film enters our heart easily and make an instant impression…..The director was able to extract the best not only from veteran actors like Mohanlal, Sidique,kunjan, Meena , also from less exploited actors like Shajon, Asha Sharath, Baby Esther, Ansiba…..Among them, Asha sharath & Shajon have delivered the performance of their life time.
Mohanlal-Meena chemistry
I have seen many people showering praise on Shajon & Asha Sharath…..They deserve it, no doubt…..It is the first time they have come up with anything substantial on screen…..Hence, it is understandable……But, Meena really rocked in the film…… I just can’nt imagine any other actress performing Rani with such ease,grace and perfection other than Meena….. The chemistry between Mohanlal & Meena is also remarkable and is so crucial for the success of the film…….
7) Reaction against New Generation Cinema
Started with “Traffic” in 2011, the so-called New Generation Cinema, though a refreshing change from the hero- oriented formula Malayalam films, were often rooted in coarse immorality. Such films presented inter-marital relationships as a must for those craving for individual freedom and glorified alcoholism and alienated city life…..and These films were peppered with stylish abusive language and open discussion of Sex (Trivandrum Lodge, Chappa kurishu, Hotel California, 22 Female Kottayam, etc)…..it is a naked truth that such films made watching Movies with kids & family in theatres an ordeal……. for Whatever excuse the fim makers have……Drishyam marks a welcome change from New Generation Gimmicks…..
The Return of the Old Generation Film Viewers
It is really heartening to see film viewers in the age group (40-70) flock theatres to watch Drishyam!.....These viewers had fabulous entertainment in their youth in 1970s,1980s, 1990s…. The fall in quality of films, along with the phenomenal rise of electronic media had kept them away from the theatres long before….. These vieweres are quite demanding and Now a days, they return to theatres only when movies of real quality comes…..Drishyam has been able to attract these lost generation and that accounts for the incredible rush for the film even after a month.
Originally Posted by Laleattan
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