Black (2004 film)

Black is a 2004 Indian Malayalam language neo-noir action thriller film written and directed by Ranjith, and produced by Lal. It deals with the underworld operations in Kochi. Mammootty plays the role of Police Constable Karikkamuri Shanmugham, a dreaded hitman. The film features cinematography by Amal Neerad. The film was a comeback for actor Rahman to Malayalam cinema. The movie was released on 12 November on the occasion of Diwali

Plot
The plot revolves around Shanmukhan and Adv. Devin Carlos Padaveedan, who runs an organized crime syndicate of Kochi. Shanmukhan aka "Kumbari" a feared hitman,who moonlights as a police constable, but wears his uniform only on January 26 (Republic day) and on August 15 (Independence day).

Ashok Sreenivas is the new SI in Kasaba Police Station (Shanmukhan's station) whose aim is to get rid of organized crime from Cochin. Ashok's elder brother (Who was rendered paralysed below the waist by Shanmukhan) is requested by him to take care of SI Ashok.Partly out of regret and liking for Ashok Shanmukhan agrees.

SI Ashok catches hold of one of Padaveedan's gang members and is kept at a secret location to reveal the gang's further whereabouts. Shanmukhan warns Ashok about such a move will only attract more violence directed at him but Ashok is adamant. Shanmukhan tries to reach where Ashok is to save him from the wrath of Padaveedan but is too late. The captive gang member lures Ashok into Padaveedan's lair and ambushes him. Ashok puts up a fight but is heavily outnumbered. Padaveedan brutally stabs & kills Ashok by the time Shanmukhan reaches the spot.

A local innocent Tamil laundryman is arrested for SI Ashok's murder and interrogated in jail. His hapless wife (Anandam) approaches Shanmukhan to help release him. The interrogation methods prove too much which the laundryman is unable to withstand and dies due to the torture. The laundryman's custodial death is then portrayed as a custodial suicide by the cops. The subsequent incidents cause Shanmukhan to go through a period of remorse with Ashok's death and also when he realizes a deaf and mute girl handed over to him by one of the respected political veterans is actually fathered by him. Shanmukhan gives a piece of mind to the commissioner for letting the laundryman die and decides to leave his life of crime behind him.

Padaveedan's gang member, Papalli Sabu has been eyeing Anandam for sexual favors for quite a while and when he becomes persistent in his efforts, Shanmukhan intervenes and warns other gang members to stay away from her and also declares he will punish Sabu for his insolence.

Pappali Sabu is eventually killed by another gang when he is flung off a building while he is on his extortion rounds. The gang members complain to Padaveedan about Shanmukhan's warning and also expresses doubts that Shanmughan's hand and connivance with the gang that threw Sabu from the building.

Padaveedan suspects Shanmukhan, because of his interaction with SI Ashok Srinivas and his new found family. Padaveedan turns against Shanmukhan and orders his lieutenants to finish him. Shanmukhan still can't believe his betrayal, but eventually is sure about it when his daughter & Anandam are attacked by Padaveedan's men and is rescued in nick of time by two small time crooks.

Padaveedan has had enough when Padaveedan imports trained killers from Tamil Nadu to finish off Shanmukhan but Shanmukhan kills them all. He meets the commissioner and reveals he is going on a mission to finish Padaveedan's gang one by one. The commissioner tries to object by saying that the government hasn't given the police permission to do so. But, Shanmukhan tells him to get lost and sets out on his misson.

Shanmukhan then dismantles his syndicate by killing every member of the gang and finally sneaks into Padaveedan's home in full uniform while the commissioner and a battalion of police are guarding the place and kills him by slitting his throat. In the end, Shanmukhan, moves out to start a new life with his deaf daughter and Anandam.

Cast

 * Mammootty as HC Karikkamuri Shanmughan (Kumbari)
 * Lal as Adv. Devin Carlos Padaveedan
 * Rahman as SI Ashok Srinivas
 * Mohan Jose as Mammali
 * Sriya Reddy as Anandam
 * Babu Antony as City Police Commissioner Govind Chengappa IPS
 * Janardanan as Aashan
 * Janaki Krishnan as Anna
 * Tom George Kolath as Ajay Srinivas
 * Kulappully Leela as Veronica
 * Sona Nair as Sheela
 * T. P. Madhavan
 * Prem Kumar as Unni
 * Sadiq as Mustafa
 * Ramu as K. E. Francis, Minister of Fisheries and Tourism, and a close associate of Shanmughan and Padaveedan
 * Daniel Balaji as Ezhumalai
 * Anoop Chandran as Pauly
 * Joju George as Ashok's friend
 * Besant Ravi
 * Meenakshi (Cameo appearance in the song Ambalakkara)

Release
The film was released on 10 November 2004.

Box office
. Black which opened with a record 50 prints. In Ernakulam, it played at Shenoys and Little Shenoys and netted Rs 7,52,000 in the first week and in Thiruvananthapuram it netted Rs 7,47,000.

Soundtrack
Music: Alex Paul Lyrics: Ranjith, Kaithapram, Pirai Choodan


 * "Ambalakkara" – M. G. Sreekumar, Chorus
 * "Ambalakkara" (Extended) – M. G. Sreekumar
 * "Thinkal Kalaye" – Sujatha Mohan