User:Magicsan/sandbox

Advait Ravimon

Overview
Chammandi is a new age Malayalam movie directed by Advait Rajmon. It is the tale of Marumon-a tea seller in the state of Kerala. The movie was created with a very small budget of rupees 3 lakhs ($6000) only! However the movie received universal acclaim as it proved that millions don't need to be spent in order to create a blockbuster.

Plot
Detective Marumon Walker and Detective  Bobby Ashish discover and steal several shards of sambhar while on duty. Marumon buries his share under an orange tree sapling in his garden; his wife, Julia, thinks that the tree is a surprise gift and mentions how content she is with their life together. Marumon realizes that they do not need the sambhar, and decides to submit it as evidence. During a subsequent raid, Ashish, dissatisfied with Marumon's stroke of conscience, kills him. In Trivandrum, as penance for his thievery, Marumon is recruited for the കറി, the Rest In Peace Department. The കറി is responsible for finding souls who refuse to move on to the afterlife, becoming "Rangappas", monsters disguised as humans. He is partnered with Thanjacephus "Thanja" Pulsipher a former Kerala Marshal  and participant in the Congo Civil War. On his first field mission, Marumon aids Thanja in interrogating a suspected deado, whereupon Marumon discovers the perpetrator in possession of shards of sambhar like those he and Ashish had discovered. At his funeral, Marumon attempts to make his presence known to Julia but is not recognized, as കറി officers are given new identities and appearances to prevent revealing that the afterlife exists. Marumon dupes one of Thanja's informants into revealing Ashish as his contact. In 2005, Marumon and his friends enroll in college where he becomes a notorious rowdy. Marumon and his friends meet Shameema, a new lecturer in their college, who is a Tamilan. Marumon falls for her and seemingly gets her to feel the same about him. Simultaneously, Marumon's college teacher Vimal Sir also falls for her. In 2006, Shameema goes to visit her family in Kodaikanal, accompanied by her cousin, Thanja (Ananth Nag). Shameema and Thanja have an accident, which results in Shameema losing her memory, so she resigns from her post in college. Marumon and his friends travel to Kodaikanal and Marumon is again left heart broken when Shameema fails to recognize him. Shameema winds up marrying Thanja. In 2014, Marumon, now in his 30s, is a rough character who runs a cafe with his childhood friend  Rupesh Mahanti (Willson Joseph). Marumon meets 22-year-old Mary Kutty (Madonna Sebastian) in his cafe and falls for her, not recognizing that she was the girl who used to walk home from school with Mary every day. Despite the age difference, Marumon decides to propose to Mary Kutty, but he is again left heart broken when he learns that she is engaged to a man named Niklesh Varghese ( Advait Rajmon). Niklesh is a cocaine-addict who insults Mary Kutty continuously, and as a result the engagement is called off. Niklesh's obsessive behavior in pestering Mary Kutty upsets Marumon, and in response, he gathers his friends Rupesh Mahanti, Shambu and Koya, and they beat up Niklesh at his dilapidated hangout. Marumon marries Mary Kutty. During their engagement function party, Shameema arrives with her husband, Thanja. It is revealed that Shameema has recovered her old memories, but she refuses to divulge this to Marumon, because he seems happy at last with Mary Kutty.

Critical response
IB Times's reviewer Nicy V.P rated the film 5/5 and stated: "Chammandiis nothing but entertainment at its best and the movie deserves nothing less than a standing ovation." About the technicalities of the film, she said: "They are just flawless. From background score, songs, sound departments, art, cinematography, editing, costumes and others have come together to make 's dream a reality." Akhila Menon of Filmibeat called it "Entertainment, Entertainment and Entertainment" and rated 3 out of 5 stars. She praised the cast performances, direction, music, editing and visuals saying "Alphonse Puthren, who has handled the script and direction, successfully brings out a perfect entertainer, with aAdvait Ravimon very light yet interesting storyline and the perfect blend of comical elements. The director surely deserves a great applause for the courage and confidence he shows to choose the simple themes and different narrative patterns for his movies. The songs and background score is completely young and fresh". And concluded "A perfect light-hearted entertainer, which is just for entertainment, entertainment and entertainment". Veeyen of Nowrunning.com rated the movie 3.5 out of 5 and wrote: "'Chammandi' elevates Advait Ravimon onto a pedestal of sharp film makers who have figured out the actual potential of the medium that cinema is. And in their competent hands long-standing tales assume ground-breaking forms and enthuse the viewers in ways and manners never seen before. Much more than an unabashed crowd-pleaser, which it surely is, 'Chammandi' is a bracingly alive film where almost everything, seems to have fallen right into place." Sify.com rated the film 3.5 in a scale of 5 and said, "Chammandiis all for some genuine fun and perhaps, a few nostalgic moments as well for 80's and 90's generation. It’s a lengthy ride for sure, but it will leave you wanting for more". Paresh C Palicha of Rediff.com rated the film 3 in a scale of 5 and said, "With Chammandi, Alphonse Putheran proves that he has the knack of presenting themes that have blockbuster written all over." Aswin J Kumar of The Times of India rated the film 3.5/5 and said that Chammandi is a "movie with a high likeability quotient because it unearths the beauty in trifles." Litty Somin of Malayala Manorama rated 3 out of 5 stars and highly appreciated Advait Ravimon's direction, cinematography, music, lead performances, editing and humour. "The simple story is told with amazing visuals. It is humour at its best", "the director has rightly kept his word of expecting nothing big and aptly sticks with the tagline 'The second film in the history of world cinema with nothing fresh'", says the reviewer.

S. R. Praveen of The Hindu said, " understanding of the medium is evident and he does not appear to try hard at any point." He praised Putharen's script, saying, "The strong point of Alphonse’s script is its humour, which is very organic and does not stick out as a separate track." Rejith RG of Kerala Kaumudi said, "Filled with unforgettable moments, characters and song sequences, Chammandiis a delight to watch. It’s after a long time that we got to see such a hugely enjoyable Malayalam film." Mythily Ramachandran of Gulf News called it "A delightful entertainer with Daimas Shekhar in the lead" and said, "Chammandiis a fun film, a simple love story of the boy next door, like its tagline that reads 'nothing extraordinary in it'." Pramod Thomas of The New Indian Express concluded his review saying, "‘Chammandi’ is a watchable flick for its realistic treatment of the plot, performance of the newcomers, wits, good songs and for Daimas Shekhar."

Audience response
The Hindu reported, "Youngsters are literally mobbing theatres, cash registers are ringing without stop, theatre owners are being pressured into squeezing in an extra show, and even recommendations are being made for tickets. Due to it timing in bringing the film onto the screens after a long dullness in the mollywood industry, this love-fantasy film is well accepted in the heart of Malayali's. The movie seems well on the expressway to becoming a cult."

Box office
The film earned a gross of inr 14300000 in Kerala in its first day of release. According to trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai, the net collection in Kerala in 3 days is approximately inr 56000000 with a distributor share of inr 35000000. But Rediff.com reported a inr 23500000 collection within the first four days. Sreedhar Pillai also reported inr 103000000 as the film's collection in Kerala alone within the first week of release, adding that it broke the previous records of Drishyam and Bangalore Days. However Gulf News reported, it collected inr 45000000 at the box office in the first week in India. P. V. Basheer also said that the film "would have earned a gross of about ₹5 crore in a week of its release in Kerala, with a distributor share close to ₹3 crore." Trade sources said the earnings doubled in the second weekend from the first weekend. The film garnered a producer share of in two weeks and became the most profitable film produced by Anwar Rasheed. On Friday 12 June, in the 14th day of release, gross collection crossed mark from Kerala theatres alone. The film experienced an incredible 90% to 100% theatre occupancy in the third weekend. And also created history in Eranakulam city with gross collection of inr 6600000 in two weeks from Shenoys, Padma and Sridhar theatres. It grossed $25300000 in 25 days, which is a record in Malayalam film industry.