Prem Nazirine Kanmanilla
Encyclopedia
Prem Nazirine Kanmanilla is a 1983 Malayalam crime film
starring Vijay Menon, Maniyanpilla Raju and Sreenivasan who play as kidnappers of Prem Nazir
. Other supporting actors include Mammootty
, Shankar
and Nedumudi Venu
. The movie also shows the Kerala society and its political leadership and how various people behave during such a tragic event.
from one of the film shooting sets. The captured Prem Nazir is then taken to a dilapidated home in a dense forest. The kidnappers treat Prem Nazir with due respect and treats him in the best possible manner, given the place where they are put up. One kidnapper (Sreenivasan
) comes from an upper-caste Hindu family, and his father worked as the local "വെളിച്ചപ്പാട് " (temple oracle). Though highly educated he does not find a good job. Another gang member (Vijay Menon) has a very troubled childhood during which his parents were murdered and he had to live as a domestic helper of the murderer. The kidnap of Prem Nazir is to express their frusturation against the cruel society.
Kerala is now totally shocked to hear about this news. Old actresses Ragini and Kumari are seen watching old movies in which Prem Nazir acted with them. New movie releases (including Richard Attenborough's Gandhi
) has been suspended and old Prem Nazir movies are now played in the theatres. For the movie distributors this is a quick way to make some extra revenue. The producer of the latest movie in which Prem Nazir was acting, is in a very bad state. Only two more scenes in his movie were yet to be shot. In desperation he requests Prem Nazir's brother Prem Nawaz to act as a dummy, so that he can somehow complete the movie. The producer, named Innocent, pleads with Prem Nawaz that the movie would get completed, and he can release the movie and generate some quick money. His idea is to release the movie before Prem Nazir is rescued.
The political scene in the state is in a worse condition. The ruling government of the day is accused of being lax on investigations. The party in the opposition feels that government did not provide adequate protection to Prem Nazir because, Nazir sympathised with the party in opposition. Demands are made asking the Home Minister (Thilakan
) to resign. The Home Minister flatly refuses and tries to retain his position. He feels there are international agencies out there involved in the kidnapping and so assistance from the central government is required.
Meanwhile the state police also mobilizes large numbers of police officers from the armed reserve and armed police battalions for a combing operation. At the same time, Prem Nazir, who by then had become quite friendly with the kidnappers, manage to convince them about the stupidity of their actions. He advices them to surrender. They soon plan to escape of the forest with a plan to surrender when they are ambushed by a police party. The police whose only aim was to rescue Prem Nazir uses excessive force to capture the kidnappers. They are beaten all the way to the police vehicles and one of them is shot. A dejected Prem Nazir looks on helplessly as he knows that the kidnappers are not hardcore criminals, but he cannot convince the police and also the government leadership and the people.
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
starring Vijay Menon, Maniyanpilla Raju and Sreenivasan who play as kidnappers of Prem Nazir
Prem Nazir
Abdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
. Other supporting actors include 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...
, Shankar
Shankar (actor)
Shankar Panikkar, popularly known as Shankar is an Indian film actor and director. He was one of the prominent lead actors of Malayalam cinema during the 1980s.- As an Actor :...
and Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu
Nedumudi Venu is a popular Malayalam film actor from Kerala, India. He has also written screenplays and has directed one film.- Early life :...
. The movie also shows the Kerala society and its political leadership and how various people behave during such a tragic event.
Plot
A group of frusturated youngsters decides to kidnap the famous Malayalam actor Prem NazirPrem Nazir
Abdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
from one of the film shooting sets. The captured Prem Nazir is then taken to a dilapidated home in a dense forest. The kidnappers treat Prem Nazir with due respect and treats him in the best possible manner, given the place where they are put up. One kidnapper (Sreenivasan
Sreenivasan
Sreenivasan is an award winning Indian film actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He is noted for his satirical, screwball, and black comedy screenplays. As an actor he is famous for his comic performances....
) comes from an upper-caste Hindu family, and his father worked as the local "വെളിച്ചപ്പാട് " (temple oracle). Though highly educated he does not find a good job. Another gang member (Vijay Menon) has a very troubled childhood during which his parents were murdered and he had to live as a domestic helper of the murderer. The kidnap of Prem Nazir is to express their frusturation against the cruel society.
Kerala is now totally shocked to hear about this news. Old actresses Ragini and Kumari are seen watching old movies in which Prem Nazir acted with them. New movie releases (including Richard Attenborough's Gandhi
Gandhi (film)
Gandhi is a 1982 biographical film based on the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who led the nonviolent resistance movement against British colonial rule in India during the first half of the 20th century. The film was directed by Richard Attenborough and stars Ben Kingsley as Gandhi. They both...
) has been suspended and old Prem Nazir movies are now played in the theatres. For the movie distributors this is a quick way to make some extra revenue. The producer of the latest movie in which Prem Nazir was acting, is in a very bad state. Only two more scenes in his movie were yet to be shot. In desperation he requests Prem Nazir's brother Prem Nawaz to act as a dummy, so that he can somehow complete the movie. The producer, named Innocent, pleads with Prem Nawaz that the movie would get completed, and he can release the movie and generate some quick money. His idea is to release the movie before Prem Nazir is rescued.
The political scene in the state is in a worse condition. The ruling government of the day is accused of being lax on investigations. The party in the opposition feels that government did not provide adequate protection to Prem Nazir because, Nazir sympathised with the party in opposition. Demands are made asking the Home Minister (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:...
) to resign. The Home Minister flatly refuses and tries to retain his position. He feels there are international agencies out there involved in the kidnapping and so assistance from the central government is required.
Meanwhile the state police also mobilizes large numbers of police officers from the armed reserve and armed police battalions for a combing operation. At the same time, Prem Nazir, who by then had become quite friendly with the kidnappers, manage to convince them about the stupidity of their actions. He advices them to surrender. They soon plan to escape of the forest with a plan to surrender when they are ambushed by a police party. The police whose only aim was to rescue Prem Nazir uses excessive force to capture the kidnappers. They are beaten all the way to the police vehicles and one of them is shot. A dejected Prem Nazir looks on helplessly as he knows that the kidnappers are not hardcore criminals, but he cannot convince the police and also the government leadership and the people.
Cast
- Prem NazirPrem NazirAbdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
– himself - Sreenivasan – kidnapper (I)
- Maniyanpilla Raju – kidnapper (II)
- Vijay Menon – kidnapper (III)
- 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...
– himself - Achankunju – Maran
- 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:...
– Home Minister - Santhakumari – Bhargavi
- Innocent – Innocent, the film producer
Trivia
- The name may have been based on an older movie Post Man-e kaananilla ("Post man goes missing") in which Prem Nazir played the lead role.
- Innocent, one of the popular comedians in the Malayalam movie, today acts as Innocent a film producer. In real life, in 1980s Innocent was a film producer.
- Director P. G. Vishwambharan, actors Mammootty, Nedumudi Venu and Prem Nawaz act as themselves in the movie.
- John Samuel, who was quite popular anchor for the programme Prathikaranam in DoordarshanDoorDarshanDoordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
Malayalam in early 1990s acted as the Deputy Superindent of Police investigating this case.