Nivedhyam
Lohithadas who made his debut in 1987 with Mammootty starrer Thaniyavarthanam was the biggest name behind scripts in the nineties, in Malayalam. His powerful pen has scripted a number of modern classics which not only became the trendsetters in Malayalam but also gained international appreciation. But with the scriptwriter turning to direction, Lohithadas has minimized his number of scripts to one in a year.
Naivedhyam, the latest offering from the scripter - director is the 57th film that Lohithadas is scripting. Poised to reach the theatres as an Onam offering, Nivedyam revolves around the ups and downs of an old family and its efforts to survive in a modern world.
With the film, Lohithadas is introducing two new actors into Malayalam - the hero Vinu Mohan and the heroine Bhama. Vinoo Mohan, the grand son of Kottarakkara Shreedharan Nair debuts playing the character of Mohana Krishanan in the film. He is the son of C .K, a famous dramatist in the film. C .K. who fought for the rights of writers died when Mohana Krishnan was studying in his seventh standard. Thereafter his life becomes a suffering even though he managed with his studies till plus one. Forwarded by one of his father's friend lyricist Kaithapram, he arrives at the Kovilakom, headed by Rama Varma Thampuram, a pious aged man who was a dear student of Chembai Vaidhya Natha Bhagavathar.
Mohan Krishnan was looking fir a job at Kovilakom, but the financial position of the Tharavadu was not so bright that they can offer any job for him. But Mohana Krishnan had bigger personal problems that won't allow him to go back. And in these circumstances Ramavarma Thampuran debuts him to assist the priest at the temple owned by the Kovilakam. Nedumudi, who is a regular in Lohithadas films, says "In this film, I enact the role of an old priest in a temple owned by a Kovilakam that is in dire straits. Although the elderly priest's health is declining, he wants to continue. That is when a young Namboothiri youth is appointed. He doesn't know anything about mantras and rituals. The old priest gives him necessary training and entrusts him with the rituals of the temple while keeping a supervisory role for himself".
Once the Keezh Santhi comes, the prospects of the temple brighten as he works day and night to keep the rituals of the temple. The young priest attracts the attention of many young women, including the heroine Bhama, who is an orphan, the daughter of lady who committed suicide for his misdeeds. Eventually the youngsters fall in love.
According to the director Lohithadas,' Naivedhyam is a romantic film that centres on the developments in an old Kovilakam whose members had once played progressive role in the locality and the temple associated with it. Like many other Tharavadus and Kovilakams, this also suffers from disintegration and consequent financial difficulties'.
The film was mostly shoot at Olappamanna Mana, near Vellinezhi,and at Alathur in Palakkad. The sets of the hundred year old temple, created by art director Prashath Madhav for the film was already in the news for its creative brilliance.
Noted director Sibi Malayil and lyricist Kaithapram plays themselves in Naivedyam, while Bharath Gopi appears as Ramavaram Thampuran.Sibi Malayail appears in the beginning of the film as a director who is supervising the music composition for a film. Appearing along with him on screen are Kaithapram and M Jayachandran.
The flm has a number of songs written by Lohithadas, Kaithapram, Bichu Thirumala and C J Kuttappan set to music by M Jayachandran. The tracks sung by Sudeep Kumar, Shankarn Namboodhiri, Swetha , Sudha Ranjith, M Jayachandran and N Krishnakumar are climbing the charts of audience approval.
The others in the cast include Athulya, A