Adharvam
Encyclopedia
Adharvam is a 1989
Malayalam drama
film directed by Dennis Joseph and written by Shibu Chakravarthy
; starring Mammootty
, Ganesh Kumar
, Charuhasan, Silk Smitha
, Thilakan
, and Parvathy
in the main roles. Mammootty played the role of Anantha Padmanabhan, an expert in mystic tantric rituals, one of the most acclaimed performances in his career. The movie is regarded a classic in the history of malayalam movies and was inspiration to other filmmakers causing similar movies in the genre. The background score of the movie by Ilaiyaraaja
also got much appreciation.
) born to an aristocratic Brahmin
father (Charuhasan) and a Shudra
mother (Jayabharathi
), who quickly learns and masters all 3 Vedas
and allied arts of it. But, Ananthan and family goes through a whole lot of trouble as the narrow minded Brahmin community finds out that he is in love with an aristocratic girl, which ends up in tragedy upon his family. To seek revenge for his mother's death, he learns ancient mystic tantric rituals
and the 4th Veda, Atharvaveda
, which is generally related to sorcery and stuff. He puts a menace on the whole society using his powers that he gained over years and his dad's second son (Ganesh Kumar
) is send to save the society and the village from the clutches of this austere man inflicted with vengeance.
and lyrics penned by Shibu Chakravarthy.
1989 in film
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Malayalam drama
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
film directed by Dennis Joseph and written by Shibu Chakravarthy
Shibu Chakravarthy
Shibu Chakravarthy is noted lyricist,screenplay and script writer who mainly works in Malayalam Cinema.He had been lyricist to around 200 songs and had also been script writer for various films like Nair Saab, Manu Uncle, Adharvam etc.He continues penning for various new films in Mollywood .He...
; starring Mammootty
Mammootty
Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
, Ganesh Kumar
K. B. Ganesh Kumar
Keezhoote Balakrishna Pillai Ganesh Kumar is an Indian film and TV actor and politician, now serving as Minister for Forests & Environment, Sports and Cinema in the Government of Kerala. He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly from Pathanapuram in Kollam district for the first time in...
, Charuhasan, Silk Smitha
Silk Smitha
Silk Smitha was an Indian film actress. She became a movie extra and subsequently the most wanted heroine of the early 80s. The sobriquet "Silk" came in 1979, with her first Tamil film Vandi Chakkaram, in which she played a bar girl named Silk...
, Thilakan
Thilakan
Surendranatha Thilakan , known mononymously as Thilakan, is an Indian actor who works in Malayalam cinema and theatre. He was awarded Padma Shri on 25 January 2009.- Theatre:...
, and Parvathy
Parvathy Jayaram
Ashwathy Kurup , better known by her stage name Parvathy, is an award-winning film actress from Kerala, India. Parvathy was a popular actress of Malayalam cinema industry and was active in films between 1986 and 1996. Her most notable works include "Amrutham Gamaya" ,"Oru Minnaminuginte Nurungu...
in the main roles. Mammootty played the role of Anantha Padmanabhan, an expert in mystic tantric rituals, one of the most acclaimed performances in his career. The movie is regarded a classic in the history of malayalam movies and was inspiration to other filmmakers causing similar movies in the genre. The background score of the movie by Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
also got much appreciation.
Plot
The movie is a life portrait of Anantha Padmanabhan (MammoottyMammootty
Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
) born to an aristocratic Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
father (Charuhasan) and a Shudra
Shudra
Shudra is the fourth Varna, as prescribed in the Purusha Sukta of the Rig veda, which constitutes society into four varnas or Chaturvarna. The other three varnas are Brahmans - priests, Kshatriya - those with governing functions, Vaishya - agriculturalists, cattle rearers and traders...
mother (Jayabharathi
Jayabharathi
Jayabharathi is a popular Malayalam film actress who started her career in late 1960s. She is a two-time winner of the Kerala State Film Award for best actress....
), who quickly learns and masters all 3 Vedas
Vedas
The Vedas are a large body of texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism....
and allied arts of it. But, Ananthan and family goes through a whole lot of trouble as the narrow minded Brahmin community finds out that he is in love with an aristocratic girl, which ends up in tragedy upon his family. To seek revenge for his mother's death, he learns ancient mystic tantric rituals
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
and the 4th Veda, Atharvaveda
Atharvaveda
The Atharvaveda is a sacred text of Hinduism and one of the four Vedas, often called the "fourth Veda"....
, which is generally related to sorcery and stuff. He puts a menace on the whole society using his powers that he gained over years and his dad's second son (Ganesh Kumar
K. B. Ganesh Kumar
Keezhoote Balakrishna Pillai Ganesh Kumar is an Indian film and TV actor and politician, now serving as Minister for Forests & Environment, Sports and Cinema in the Government of Kerala. He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly from Pathanapuram in Kollam district for the first time in...
) is send to save the society and the village from the clutches of this austere man inflicted with vengeance.
Cast
- MammoottyMammoottyMammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
as Anantha Padmanabhan - Ganesh KumarK. B. Ganesh KumarKeezhoote Balakrishna Pillai Ganesh Kumar is an Indian film and TV actor and politician, now serving as Minister for Forests & Environment, Sports and Cinema in the Government of Kerala. He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly from Pathanapuram in Kollam district for the first time in...
as Vishnu - Silk SmithaSilk SmithaSilk Smitha was an Indian film actress. She became a movie extra and subsequently the most wanted heroine of the early 80s. The sobriquet "Silk" came in 1979, with her first Tamil film Vandi Chakkaram, in which she played a bar girl named Silk...
as Ponni - Charuhasan as Thevalli
- ParvathyParvathy JayaramAshwathy Kurup , better known by her stage name Parvathy, is an award-winning film actress from Kerala, India. Parvathy was a popular actress of Malayalam cinema industry and was active in films between 1986 and 1996. Her most notable works include "Amrutham Gamaya" ,"Oru Minnaminuginte Nurungu...
as Usha - JayabharathiJayabharathiJayabharathi is a popular Malayalam film actress who started her career in late 1960s. She is a two-time winner of the Kerala State Film Award for best actress....
as Malu - ThilakanThilakanSurendranatha Thilakan , known mononymously as Thilakan, is an Indian actor who works in Malayalam cinema and theatre. He was awarded Padma Shri on 25 January 2009.- Theatre:...
as Mekkadan - Jagannatha VarmaJagannatha VarmaK. N. Jagannatha Varma is a Malayalam film and seriel actor. He is also an accomplished Kathakali artist.his son Manu Varma also a recoganized artist and his son in law Viji Thampi is a well known Film Director. He acted in a number of Malayalam movies performing stereo typical roles of a senior...
as Putthedan - SukumariSukumariSukumari is an Indian film actress who has primarily acted in Malayalam and Tamil films. She has been acting since she was 10 years old and has acted in various roles. The total number of her films is presumed to be about two-thousand. In 2003, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of...
as Thevalli's Wife - Kunchan as Subramani
- Trichur Elsi
Crew
- Direction: Dennis Joseph
- Screenplay: Shibu Chakravarthy
- Story: Shibu Chakravarthy
- Producer: Eeraly Balan
- Music: IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
- Editing: K. Shankunny
- Cinematography: Anandakuttan, Ajayan Vincent
- Art Direction: Rajeev Anchal
- Makeup: M. O. Devassiya
- Stunts: A. R. Basha
Soundtrack
The songs were composed by IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
and lyrics penned by Shibu Chakravarthy.
- Puzhayorathil - K. S. ChithraK. S. ChithraK. S. Chithra often credited as Chithra , is an Indian playback singer who has made her mark in the Indian music playback industry. Popularly known as Chinna Kuyil of South India, she has lent her voice to Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Badaga and Punjabi films...
- Ambilikkalayum Neerum - K. S. ChithraK. S. ChithraK. S. Chithra often credited as Chithra , is an Indian playback singer who has made her mark in the Indian music playback industry. Popularly known as Chinna Kuyil of South India, she has lent her voice to Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Badaga and Punjabi films...
- Om Midhye - P. Jayachandran, IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
- Poovayi Virinju - M. G. SreekumarM. G. SreekumarM. G. Sreekumar is a two-time National Award-winning Indian playback singer and music director who works in Malayalam cinema. With a career of over 25 years, he is one of the prominent male singers in the Malayalam film industry. He is known for matching voice with Malayalam actor Mohanlal. He has...
, IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...