Roudram
After a couple of years Mammootty is once again donning a cop's uniform, in the new Malayalam flick 'Roudram'. This is the actor's 25th film as a police officer, of which almost all were acknowledged hits at the box office. His recent outing in the uniform were films like `Balram Vs Taradas', `The God Man' , `Rakshasarajavu' and `Inspector Balram' which were all profit makers. The actor who is a right combination of beauty and spirit personified, particularly in police uniforms, had always rendered through these films what his fans expected of him.
But the major highlight of this film is that it comes from Ranji Panikkar who had almost made an icon out of the character, with Suresh Gopi regularly in the same uniform. He is one of the directors whose name on screen makes the theatres alive with thunderous applause from his loyal enthusiasts. His debutant film as a director Bharat Chandran IPS was so eventful that it marked the re-entry of Suresh Gopi, from virtual hibernation to his earlier position as a super star with the least ease.
In the case of `Roudram', this is the first time; Mammootty is appearing in the uniform abiding the scripts and mice of Renji. The specialty with Renji Panikkar's heroes is that they portray real tough valiant men, the kind who practice what they preach, fearing none .And naturally it will be a viewers delight to watch Mammootty blasting out the bombastic dialogues that the scriptwriter is quite famous for.
In this new movie Mammootty plays Narendran, a graduate in law ,now a dashing Assistant Commissioner of Police in Cochin city who joined the force after the death of his father , who was also a policeman killed in an encounter. Narendran is called by the name ``Nari'' particularly due to his cunning and raging character , full of spirit and pertness , who doesn't care for the names before taking action.
Narendran is deputed by the state chief minister to gather information about a murder case, which at first seemed a routine affair. Day after day, machinated tales started outpouring which further complicates the case diary .He now finds that, it is time to take on some powerful names of the political and business mafia to dislodge some confusion following the case. How he handles the whole things, speaking always for the righteous people, forms the narrative of the movie.
The film will have a new heroine, Manju, Basically a fashion designer who plays Mammootty's mature wife in the film. `Roudram' also features a host of stars including Sai Kumar, Vijayaraghavan, Subair, Lalu Alex, Rajan P Dev, Shammi Thilakan, Sphadikom George, Urmila Unni and Sona. Sai Kumar is Sethu, a high profile businessman with a sporting new look, mannerisms and dialogues while Vijayaraghavan, who received rave reviews for his portrayals of many Renji characters comes in as Appichayi, with a paralyzed hand but unrelenting grit
'' I always do the kind of films that I feel comfortable. And I don't prefer working in back to back films, but only when my energy levels are full to go for one .And even then, I prefer writing emotionally charged scenes and punchy dialogues to create the required effect. "In 'Roudram' also, we are not including any songs as i believe there is no space for songs in this genre of suspense drama". Says the director.
The satellite right of the film was sold even before its release for a record ninety lakhs, which will amount to almost a half of the production costs. This itself shows the interests and expectations that the different people on and off the trade have on the movie.
`Roudram' is being produced by Shahul Hameed Marikar and Anto Joseph under the banner of Marikar films, who had earlier produced the Mammotty starrer<