A still from ‘Neelavelicham’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Like ghosts that remain bottled up and forgotten, eternally waiting for a like soul to discover and converse with, works of literature live on for years or centuries, to be rediscovered by a new generation. For. But short story by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer Neelavelichambased on which he wrote the script Bhargavi Nilayam, there is no forgotten work. In 1964, cinematographer A. Vincent’s directorial debut was so popular that ‘Bhargavi Nilayam’ became a common usage for any abandoned house in Kerala.
Sixty years later, when filmmaker aashiq abu While attempting to re-interpret the material, he almost sticks to Basheer’s original script, with hardly any deviations. Author (tovino thomas) comes to live in a haunted mansion, where the ghost of former resident Bhargavi (reema kalingal) is rumored to still be present. Bhargavi, a college student, is believed to have committed suicide after her lover Sasikumar.Roshan Mathew) left him. The author, who begins writing his story, soon realizes that there is much more to his sad story.
Neelavelicham (Malayalam)
Director: aashiq abu
mould: Tovino Thomas, Reema Kalingal, Roshan Mathew, Shine Tom Chacko
Duration: 134 minutes
Story: A writer comes to stay in a haunted mansion, where the ghost of former resident Bhargavi is rumored to still be present. The author, who begins to write his story, soon realizes that there is more to his sad story.
More than anything, including the inevitable improvements in visuals and sounds, it is the power of the original script by Basheer that stands out even in the remake, although some of the dramatic dialogue from that era may seem dated in the present. It’s a mystery why Basheer—whose voice lends itself to cinema—didn’t write more screenplays.
Aashiq Abu’s attempt here seems to retain the soul of the original film, especially the unique relationship between the writer and Bhargavi, who is invisible but whose presence can be felt in every corner of the haveli. The author’s one-sided conversation with him reflects excitement and curiosity rather than fear. In a way, it can also be seen as symbolic of the writing process, in which the author has long conversations with his or her beloved characters, and the characters sometimes intervene and correct the story.
Apart from some attempts at intimidation, Nilavelicham More concerned with immersing the audience in the melancholic mood in which Bhargavi’s soul floats, the carefully crafted sound design and visual effects succeed. The current generation of filmmakers make a remake of such a wildly popular film. for those who are familiar Bhargavi Nilayam, hardly anything new is introduced in the material here, not even an attempt is made to somehow relate it to the present time. In Abu’s attempt to stay true to the original, the novelty becomes a casualty.
Some of the parts removed from the original film have been done with a view to evoking ideas of political correctness, notably the black face of the villain, Bhargavi’s hatred for black shirts and the fat-shaming of one of the characters. Three classic songs of Baburaj-P. The Bhaskaran team has reworked but really wished for the original. Tovino Thomas, Reema Kalingal and Roshan Mathew have been able to fit into the big shoes they had to step into, to an extent, but the same cannot be said about Shine Tom Chacko, whose interview personality appears frequently on screen these days. Keeps on giving
Nilavelicham Provides an absorbing sensory experience, but the question of the need for a remake remains. Its biggest contribution would be to inspire an entire generation to watch the original historical film. And, of course, we could eventually see the blue glow in blue as Bashir saw it, not in black and white.
Nilavelichamcurrently playing in theaters