• Kerala celluloid masterpieces in Colombo festival show
• Star studded millennium

Kerala celluloid masterpieces in Colombo festival show

By Kumaradasa Wagista

The festival will be inaugurated by film scholar Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries on December 7 at 6.00 p.m. and the festival will be opened with the screening of Adoor Gopalakrishna's' Mathilukal'.

Shaymprasad's 'Agnisaakshi' (Fire is Witness) will be screened on December 8. With the God on Fire as principal witness, (Unni Rajit Kapur) accepts Devaki (Sobhana) as his wife and brings her into the fold of his house. 

Bound by a plethora of traditional beliefs, customs and rituals that constitute life within the four walls of the joint family , Unni is unable to be the husband that he would have liked to be. Yet, the couple understand and love each other immensely.

Guarded by the fortress of tradition, the family remains oblivious to the winds of change sweeping through society. Though Unni is aware, he shuts the door to everything that his family will never be able to comprehend or accept..

But Devaki, who is essentially of a different mould, longs to step out into the real world and is finally forced to do so. 

The story set in the1930's, develops within the four walls of his house in Kerala, against the backdrop of the struggle for freedom from British rule.

The film opens in Haridwar, a holy city, where Thangam (Srividya) Unni's cousin, has come to immerse Unni's ashes in the Ganges and trace Devaki, who is now an ascetic. The story is revealed through the reminiscences of Thankam, a mute spectator who is caught between these characters and the complexities of their relationships - complexities that can never be relegated to the rims of right and wrong.

V. V. Babu has produced the film which is cinematographed by Alagappan. Screenplay and direction is by Shaymprasad.

Versatile actor Mmootty plays opposite Sri Lakshmi in A. K. Lohitha Das's 'Bhoo-thakkannadi' ( Magnifying Glass) which is slated to be screened on December 9.

Director Das who is known as the man with a Midas touch in screenplay writing in Malayalam cinema makes his debut as a film director in this film. 

When the electronic watches became popular because of its variety, low price and compactness, mechanical watches started getting rare. This in turn made the life of a traditional watch repairer difficult.

'Bhoothakkannadi' is the story of a watch maker, played by front row actor in Malayalam filmdom Mmootty.The magnifying glass which he uses to see parts inside watches slowly forms an integral part of himself. He starts seeing everything around him in an enlarged manner and it becomes impossible for him to concentrate anything big.

Thrice best Cinematographer National Award winner Venu has photographed this film. He has worked in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi and English films.

P. T. Kumhimohammed's 'Garshome' will be screened on December 10.

Nazrudeen ( Murali) after a prolonged sojourn in the oil rich Arabian Gulf, returns home. An idealist to the core, he is prompted by an urge to transcend the realms of vulgar practicality . He decides to settle in his home place with his family of two kids, an aged mother and his wife Noorja and to find decent means of domestic survival. He pawns his wife's jewellery and borrows money from money lenders to start a hardware shop. olmThe forlorn sojourner finally resolves to resume his never ending journey. The journey re -commences as the sorrowful prayer of his mother fills the air.

Filmmaker Sreenivasan's 'Chinthavishtayaya Shyamala' ( The Solicitious Shyamala) is scheduled to be screened on December 11 and the concluding film is Girish Kasaravalli's 'Thai Saheba' with Jaimala and Suresh Heblikar in the lead roles. All films are sub titled in English. 

Star studded millennium

By Poorna Rodrigo

However as the midnight clock strikes on 31st night there will be some additional feature to the celebrations, said the General Manager of Galadari Chandra Mohotti at a press conference held last week.

On December 20 to January 15 Channa's dance troupe will perform during lunch and dinner while Dance World, Latin American sensation will perform during dinner excluding December 24 and 25. Christmas eve dinner which is a candlelit 6 course dinner with com-plimentary chocolates, Champagne and live entertainment by Ananda Dabare will be dished out at the California Grill. A ticket is priced at Rs.2500 per head. As the sun sets on another millennium, the California Grill welcome all to relax to the beat of music coupled with a scrumptious buffet. Also a complimentary breakfast buffet will be served together with transport within Colombo city limits.

Thirty first night Dinner Dance a ticket which is priced at Rs.15000 per person will be full of prizes and surprises that will make it a night worth celebrating, he said.

However the kids too are not excluded. Kiddies Christmas party will be held on December 11 at the Space Station Lobby including Kiddies games, magic shows and music by Nalin and the Star Combination. Ticket per kid is priced at Rs.1000 while per adult a ticket will cost Rs.1250.

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