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Balyakalasakhi
Balyakalasakhi
	Official poster
Directed by	Pramod Payyannur
Screenplay by	Pramod Payyannur
Based on	Balyakalasakhi; by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer
Produced by	MB Muhsin; Sajeeb Hashim
Starring	Mammootty; Isha Talwar; Meena; Seema Biswas; KPAC Lalitha; Mamukkoya
Cinematography	Hari Nair
Edited by	Manoj Kannoth
Music by	Songs:; K. Raghavan; Shahabaz Aman; Score:; Bijibal
Production; companies	Red Cinema; Livinart Film Factory
Release date	7 February 2014 (Kerala);
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

Balyakalasakhi (transl. Childhood Companion) is a 2014 Malayalam language film adaptation of the famous novel of the same name by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.^[1] The romantic musical drama film was written and directed by debutante Pramod Payyannur and stars Mammootty, Isha Talwar, Meena, Seema Biswas, KPAC Lalitha and Mamukkoya in lead roles.

The story revolves around childhood sweethearts Majeed (Mammootty) and Suhra (Isha Talwar). Born to rich parents, Majeed falls in love with his not-so-affluent neighbour Suhra. After her father's death, when Suhra struggles to make both ends meet, Majeed pleads with his father to sponsor her education. Refused, he wanders off to distant lands.^[2]^[3] Some of the other characters created by Basheer such as Ettukali Mammoonju and Ottakannan Pokker also appear in the film.^[4]

The film has lyrics and music created by several leading masters including P. Bhaskaran, K. Raghavan, K. T. Muhammed, O. N. V. Kurup, Kavalam Narayana Panicker, Sreekumaran Thampi, and Basheer himself. The launch of the film edition of the novel Balyakalasakhi was done by Leela Menon who handed over the book to Fabi Basheer, wife of Vaikom Muhammed Basheer.^[5]

Cast

Mammootty In Dual Roles
- Majeed
  - Shane Nigam as Teenage Majeed
    - Gouri Shankar as young Majeed
- Majeed's Father
Isha Talwar as Suhara
Meena as Majeed's Mother
Seema Biswas as Selvi
Tanushree Ghosh as Shabnam
Sunil Sukhada as Avuran
Sashi Kumar as Ameen Sahib
Mamukkoya as Narayanan Master
Priam Shaikh as Praful
Kavitha Nair as Suhara's Mother
Prakash Bare as Beeran, Suhara's father
Parambrata Chatterjee
Shari
KPAC Lalitha
Saniya Iyappan as Suhara (childhood)
Nidhi as Suhara (childhood)
Nayana Josan as Suhara (childhood)
GK as Beeran
Nilambur Ayisha as Jinnumma
Moly Kannamaly as Kadathukari Kunjali
Aneesh G Menon as Thoma
Binny Tom as Avuran's wife

Production

Pramod Payyannur, a familiar name in Malayalam theatre and television, made his debut on the big screen with the film.^[6] Mammootty was chosen to play the lead in film by Pramod Payyannur. He said in an interview with Malayala Manorama, "Vaikom is the home of the writer Basheer, the character Majeed and also the actor Mammootty. Only a person who knew that place closely could imbibe that character in both looks and expressions. That search ended in Mammootty."^[4]

On being quizzed about the inspiration to choose Kolkata as the location of the film, when Vaikom Muhammed Basheer has not referred to any specific city in the novel, Pramod says that Kolkata is perhaps the only Indian metro that still retains its old world charm and that it perfectly matched the setting of the film's backdrop. Besides, Basheer is believed to have written Balyakalasakhi during his brief stay at a house in Lower Chitpur Road in Kolkata, he explains.^[6]

Two seasons were shot in Kerala and Kolkata, West Bengal. The team began shooting in August, 2013 at Perumbalam near Vaikom. Mammootty began filming for Balyakalasakhi at Kolkata in October, 2013. The 18-day schedule included various places such as Victoria Memorial, Chhote Lal Ghat, in front of Town Hall.^[2]

Reception

Metromatinee.com said "even if it has some limits, it is a timeless and exciting classic, Mammootty as lovelorn Majeed is impressive but a lack of good chemistry with Isha Talwar is a letdown".^[7] Deccan Chronicle said that Mammootty excelled in the double role as Majeed and as Majeed's father.^[8]

Soundtrack

The film has lyrics and music composed by several leading masters in the field while the background score was composed by Bijibal.^[1] The first line of the song "Thaamara Poonkaavanathil Thaamasikkunnoley" has been mentioned in the novel by Basheer himself.^[9] An oral traditional song of the Muslims in Kerala, the song's lines were supplemented with lyrics penned by K. T. Muhammed. It has been sung by legendary singer K. J. Yesudas.^[9] "Kaalam Parakkanu", the second song composed by Raghavan Master, which has Pramod's lyrics, has been sung by Raghavan Master's disciple V. T. Murali.^[9] P. Bhaskaran's poem "Ente Thoolika" has been adapted for a song composed on the lines of Rabindra Sangeet. It is the title song and has a mix of Urdu lyrics and Baul music too. It has been sung by Shahabaz Aman. The entire song signifies a journey. The Urdu portion has been sung by Ustad Faiyaz Khan.^[9] Sreekumaran Thampi's lyrics for the film has been sung by K. S. Chithra and Vijay Yesudas as a duet while O. N. V. Kurup's poem "Vaaghdatta Bhoomi" has been translated into Bengali and sung by Bengali singer Raghav Chatterjee.^[9] Kavalam Narayana Panikkar has composed a song in the folk music tradition that makes use of Basheer's idioms and words. It has been sung by Shahabaz.^[9]

Mammootty officially launched the music on 6 January 2014 by handing over the CD to late music director Raghavan Master's family.^[5] The soundtrack consists of six songs and four karaoke versions.

Track listing^[10]
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Singer(s)
1.	"Aa nammalu kandillenna"	Kavalam Narayana Panicker	Shahabaz Aman	Shahabaz Aman Pushpavathy Poypadathu
2.	"Kaalam parakkana"	Pramod Payyannur	K. Raghavan	V. T. Murali
3.	"Kothai Sesha Bhoomi"	O. N. V. Kurup Venu Kolkatha	Shahabaz Aman	Raghab Chatterjee
4.	"Povukayanu Njan"	P. Bhaskaran	Shahabaz Aman	Shahabaz Aman Ustad Faiyaz Khan
5.	"Thamarappoonkavanathil"	K. T. Muhammed	K. Raghavan	K. J. Yesudas
6.	"Veendum thalir podinjuvo"	Sreekumaran Thampi	Shahabaz Aman	Vijay Yesudas K. S. Chithra

References

^ ^a ^b "Balyakalasakhi music review". The Times of India. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Mammootty shoots in Kolkata!". The Times of India. 26 October 2013. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ "Tanushree to play a freedom fighter". The Times of India. 1 December 2013. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Hope people will receive Balyakalasakhi wholeheartedly". Manorama Online. Archived from the original on 17 January 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ ^a ^b "Mammootty attends Balyakalasakhi's music launch party in Kochi". The Times of India. 13 January 2014. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ ^a ^b Sunil Naliyath (6 February 2014). "Poetry on reel". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
^ "Balyalakalasakhi Review by Raj Vikram". Metro Matinee. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
^ "Malayalam movie Balyakalasakhi review: Mammootty excels in double role". 9 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Saraswathy Nagarajan (3 January 2014). "Ode to Basheer". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
^ "Baalyakaalasakhi [2014] | ബാല്യകാലസഖി [2014]". Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2019.