Chattakari
Encyclopedia
Chattakari is a Malayalam film written by Thoppil Bhasi
based on Pamman
's famous novel of the same name, and directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan
. It is a love story of an Anglo-Indian
girl (Laxmi) and a Hindu boy (Mohan) who consummate the relationship. She has a child out-of-wedlock in secret.
It was the first Malayalam film of Laxmi and also the start of her romance with co-star Mohan. It bagged the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor
for Adoor Bhasi
who played Laxmi's alcoholic father, and the Filmfare Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam
. Storywriter Pamman
received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Story
. It has the distinction of being the first Malayalam film to run continuously for 40 weeks in a Bangalore
theatre.
Warrier family. At Usha's residence she (Julie) meets her brother Sasi who is studying at a different place. Julie soon falls in love with Sasi, and even Usha is aware of it. The relationship gets more cozy and Julie gets pregnant. Her alcoholic father Morris soon dies. Julie is taken to a remote place where here mother's aunt lives. There she gives birth to a boy.
Julie's mother who feels that England
is their true motherland decided to migrate to the United Kingdom
. Soon Julie confesses about every thing to Usha. She also meets Sasi who is now ready to accept her. But Sasi's orthodox mother rejects her outright. Sasi's father Mr. Warrier questions him, and Sasi confesses about his role in ruining Julie's life.
Mr. Warrier then helps Julie's family in packing up and invites them to his home for a small farewell. Here he introduces his wife and also his daughter Usha. Usha comes out with a small baby in her arms, and Julie recognizes it as her kid. Mr. Warrier then says that he and his family has no hesitations in accepting Julie as their daughter-in-law and encourages the rest of the Morris family to stay back in India.
, cinematographer Balu Mahendra
and scriptwriter Thoppil Bhasi
for the film. The director suggested Laxmi as heroine and Mohan who had acted in P. N. Menon
's art film as hero. Sukumari
was Laxmi's mother in the film. Laxmi played an Anglo Indian girl who wore short skirts throughout the film, which made her a sex symbol as well. The sensuous songs and the youthful pair set the box office on fire.
The film's ending is different from that of the book. In the book the Hindu boy deserts his Anglo Indian girlfriend who is pregnant and never comes back but in the films, he comes back to accept her. Rahim, an admirer of Julie whom she had rejected, tries to influence her father by giving him booze and due to this the old man vomits blood and dies. In the film Rahim has no role in the death of the old man.
(1975). She received the Filmfare Best Actress Award
. The music composed by Rajesh Roshan
won him Filmfare Best Music Director Award
award, and his songs "Dil Kya Kare" and "My heart is beating" are still evergreen hits.
Nadira
won Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
for playing Julie's mother. Future superstar Sridevi played Julie's younger sister.
Laxmi also starred in the Telugu
remake titled Miss Julie Prema Katha (1975).
The Kannada remake titled Julie (2006) had Ramya in the title role of Julie and Dino Morea
as her lover, but the film didn't do well.
Thoppil Bhasi
Thoppil Bhasi was a Malayalam playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He was associated with the communist movement in Kerala and his play Ningalenne Communistakki is considered to be a groundbreaking event in the history of Malayalam theatre.Thoppil Bhasi was born in Vallikunnam, a small...
based on Pamman
Pamman
Pamman , born R. Parmeswara Menon, was a prolific Malayalam novelist from Kerala, India. He is best known for his novels which grapple with the sensual imagery of the human psyche. He has also written the script for several Malayalam movies. Some of his novels were made into films, including...
's famous novel of the same name, and directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan
K. S. Sethumadhavan
K. S. Sethumadhavan is an Indian director of Malayalam films. He has also directed films in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Since the early 1960s he has directed over 60 movies...
. It is a love story of an Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
girl (Laxmi) and a Hindu boy (Mohan) who consummate the relationship. She has a child out-of-wedlock in secret.
It was the first Malayalam film of Laxmi and also the start of her romance with co-star Mohan. It bagged the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor
Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor
The Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor has been awarded annually in India since 1969. The Kerala State Film Awards were managed directly by the Government of Kerala's Department of Cultural Affairs until 1997; they are now given by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, an autonomous non-profit...
for Adoor Bhasi
Adoor Bhasi
Adoor Bhasi was an Indian film actor and film director from Kerala. Adoor Bhasi was almost always cast as the man who stands next to the hero. His hilarious actions and roles became the cynosure of comic scenes in the Malayalam films of the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. He is also famous for his...
who played Laxmi's alcoholic father, and the Filmfare Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam
Filmfare Award for Best Feature Film (Malayalam)
The Filmfare Best Film Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Malayalam films....
. Storywriter Pamman
Pamman
Pamman , born R. Parmeswara Menon, was a prolific Malayalam novelist from Kerala, India. He is best known for his novels which grapple with the sensual imagery of the human psyche. He has also written the script for several Malayalam movies. Some of his novels were made into films, including...
received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Story
Kerala State Film Award for Best Story
The Kerala State Film Award for Best Story winners:-References:**...
. It has the distinction of being the first Malayalam film to run continuously for 40 weeks in a Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
theatre.
Plot
Julie is the eldest daughter of Morris, an Anglo-Indian engine-driver. Usha her close friend is from an orthodox HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Warrier family. At Usha's residence she (Julie) meets her brother Sasi who is studying at a different place. Julie soon falls in love with Sasi, and even Usha is aware of it. The relationship gets more cozy and Julie gets pregnant. Her alcoholic father Morris soon dies. Julie is taken to a remote place where here mother's aunt lives. There she gives birth to a boy.
Julie's mother who feels that England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
is their true motherland decided to migrate to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Soon Julie confesses about every thing to Usha. She also meets Sasi who is now ready to accept her. But Sasi's orthodox mother rejects her outright. Sasi's father Mr. Warrier questions him, and Sasi confesses about his role in ruining Julie's life.
Mr. Warrier then helps Julie's family in packing up and invites them to his home for a small farewell. Here he introduces his wife and also his daughter Usha. Usha comes out with a small baby in her arms, and Julie recognizes it as her kid. Mr. Warrier then says that he and his family has no hesitations in accepting Julie as their daughter-in-law and encourages the rest of the Morris family to stay back in India.
Writing and casting
Pamman's story was published in Jay Keralam a weekly published in Chennai. Producer M. O. Joseph bought the rights. He signed director K. S. SethumadhavanK. S. Sethumadhavan
K. S. Sethumadhavan is an Indian director of Malayalam films. He has also directed films in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Since the early 1960s he has directed over 60 movies...
, cinematographer Balu Mahendra
Balu Mahendra
Balanathan "Balu" Mahendran is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer widely regarded as part of the first in a wave of directors and screenwriters from the Chennai film industry who revitalised Tamil cinema...
and scriptwriter Thoppil Bhasi
Thoppil Bhasi
Thoppil Bhasi was a Malayalam playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He was associated with the communist movement in Kerala and his play Ningalenne Communistakki is considered to be a groundbreaking event in the history of Malayalam theatre.Thoppil Bhasi was born in Vallikunnam, a small...
for the film. The director suggested Laxmi as heroine and Mohan who had acted in P. N. Menon
P. N. Menon
P. N. Menon was an Indian film director and art director in Malayalam cinema.-Early life:Born in a poor family in a small town called Vadakkaanchery in Kerala, he completed his studies at Thrissur and from School of Art in Chennai. He came to Chennai when he was only 20 years old...
's art film as hero. Sukumari
Sukumari
Sukumari 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...
was Laxmi's mother in the film. Laxmi played an Anglo Indian girl who wore short skirts throughout the film, which made her a sex symbol as well. The sensuous songs and the youthful pair set the box office on fire.
The film's ending is different from that of the book. In the book the Hindu boy deserts his Anglo Indian girlfriend who is pregnant and never comes back but in the films, he comes back to accept her. Rahim, an admirer of Julie whom she had rejected, tries to influence her father by giving him booze and due to this the old man vomits blood and dies. In the film Rahim has no role in the death of the old man.
Filming
The film was shot at Shornur Junction a famous railway Junction in the Southern Railway especially during the steam era. Shornur had one of the largest steam locomotive workshops.Remakes
The Hindi remake became very famous in 1975. Laxmi repeated her role by playing the title role in JulieJulie (1975 film)
Julie is a 1975 Hindi film that stars Laxmi in the title role. It also stars Nadira, and Sridevi as a child star. The film became a box office hit....
(1975). She received the Filmfare Best Actress Award
Filmfare Best Actress Award
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
. The music composed by Rajesh Roshan
Rajesh Roshan
Rajesh Roshan is a Hindi cinema music composer.-Personal life:Rajesh Roshan is the son of Hindi film composer Roshan and younger brother of film director and actor Rakesh Roshan...
won him Filmfare Best Music Director Award
Filmfare Best Music Director Award
The Filmfare Best Music Director Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to the best composer/arranger of a soundtrack. This category was first presented in 1954. Naushad was the first recipient of this award for his song "Tu Ganga Ki Mauj"...
award, and his songs "Dil Kya Kare" and "My heart is beating" are still evergreen hits.
Nadira
Nadira (actress)
-References:* Rediff.com* -External links:* . Audio podcast by Eric Molinsky discussing Nadira and other Jewish women in Indian cinema...
won Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
The Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Awards is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role...
for playing Julie's mother. Future superstar Sridevi played Julie's younger sister.
Laxmi also starred in the Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
remake titled Miss Julie Prema Katha (1975).
The Kannada remake titled Julie (2006) had Ramya in the title role of Julie and Dino Morea
Dino Morea
Dino Morea is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films and a former model.-Early life:Dino Morea was born in Bangalore to an Italian father and an Anglo Indian mother. He is the second of three brothers. Nicolo Morea is his older brother, and Santino Morea is his younger brother. His family...
as her lover, but the film didn't do well.