Producer- Thomas Kottackakam
Director- Siddhartha Siva
Cast- Minon, Murugan, Lena, Indrajith, Nishant Sagar etc.
Music- M K Arjunan
Background music– Bijibal
Review By : Unni R Nair (Kerala9.com )
Here’s a film that comes from the heart and touches hearts, but with its intellectual content well-packaged. Here’s a film that poses questions before you and you’d find yourselves struggling to find the answers. Here’s a film that’s a treat to watch and which perhaps would gift you a totally new perspective of life itself. ‘101 Chodhyangal’ is one film which you should watch again and again as you progress through life…
Anil Kumar Bokaro (Minon) is the young son of Sivanandan (Murugan), a mill worker who has lost his job after he organized a strike at the mill. Sivanandan at present is totally jobless, finding it rather difficult to get himself to do some other job. He wants to be taken back in and tries to persuade the management to do so. In the meantime, it’s his wife Sathi (Lena) who works hard to keep things going. Sivanandan and Sathi have another child too, a mentally retarded girl. Their hopes are pinned on Anil Kumar, who is called by all as Bokaro.
In the meantime a new teacher named Mukundan (Indrajith) joins Bokaro’s school. In a few days Mukundan develops a liking for Bokaro and soon they enter into a pact. Mukundan is to write a book for a small-time publisher who specializes in selling books in buses and on the street. The book would comprise of 101 questions and their answers. Mukundan asks Bokaro to fetch 101 questions, from the world around him and in return he promises him a remuneration of one rupee per question. He tells Bokaro not to bother finding the answers, which Mukundan himself would pen.
From here starts a quest by the young kid… which leads him to a totally new world…of revelations and realizations. It’s an interesting journey for us too, into the intricacies of life, life that seems simple at the outset, but ends up being too complicated…
‘101 Chodhyangal’ is indeed a film that everyone must see. I know a film like ‘101 Chodhyangal’ never gets released on a large scale, at all centres. I had to travel about 60 kilometres to watch it, and trust me, I am not disappointed at all. In fact, I’d even try to travel the distance once again to watch the movie and once its CDs are released, will buy one to keep among my priced collections.
Siddhartha Siva’s debut venture is indeed a film that deserves to be watched with interest and discussed at all levels…
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Performance
Minon, the little boy playing Anil Kumar Bokaro, is indeed a revelation, a real good find by actor-director Siddhartha Siva. He delivers a superb performance as Bokaro. Murugan as Sivanandan too delivers a great performance. Lena and Indrajith put in convincing performances while Nishant Sagar too impresses, in his role as Radhakrishnan, Sivanandan’s friend. I’d say ‘101 Chodhyangal’ is a film that you should see for the sake of these brilliant performers too.
Technical aspects
The technicians who have worked behind the film have done it all very well. Especially worth mention is Prabhath E K, the cinematographer who lends full support to the director in making it all come alive so splendidly.
Music
Bijibal’s background score jells perfectly well with the theme and the mood while M K Arjunan, the veteran music director who is in charge of the song composition renders melodious music. The song ‘Doore doore…’ is indeed a good one and is beautifully woven into the film.
Script
A very intelligent script, by director Siddhartha Siva, is the real foundation on which the whole edifice of the film ‘101 Chodhyangal’ rests so strongly…
Direction
Siddhartha Siva has been around doing supporting roles for quite some time. Now, with this much acclaimed debut film of his, he proves his calibre as a director worth reckoning. Good job!! Congrats!!
Verdict– Impressive, splendid…a must watch!!
Rating: 3.5/5