City of God (2011 film)
Encyclopedia
City of God is a 2011 Indian
thriller film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery and written by Babu Janardhanan. The film tells the story of Tamil migrant workers and a team of land mafia criminals in the city of Kochi
. It stars Indrajith
, Prithviraj
, Rajeev Pillai, Rohini
, Parvathi
, Rima Kallingal
and Swetha Menon. The music is composed by Prashant Pillai
.
The film uses the hyperlink cinema
format as its narrative structure. Although the 2002 Brazilian film of the same name uses this format, along with many other films, it was first used by Satyajit Ray
in his film Kanchenjungha
(1962).
The film received favorable critical reviews, but it ended up being a disaster at the Kerala box office as it was pulled off from the theatres within one week of release.
The first story revolves around the life of Tamil migrants. One of the Tamil migrant Swarnavel (indrajith
) has a special affection towards another migrant marathakam (Parvathi Menon
). Marathakam, is already married and she ran away from her old husband in Pollachi
, due to his unbearable torture. Marathakam and swarnavel knows that they love each other, but they are not expressing it to each other. Because of some personal benefits, Lakshmi( Rohini) break their relationship and forces Marathakam to marry another migrant. But on the night of the marriage, marathakam came to know that her new husband was a thief and came to swarnavel. They realize their love and starts living together. But the second husband takes revenge by bringing the old husband (a rowdy) from Pollachi
. On the next day, swarnavel rescues marathakam from her old husband's hands and trying to escape in a moped and they met with an accident.
The next story deals with the life of business men Sony and his forehand Jyothi Lal (Prithviraj
). As per the instructions of sony, jyothi lal and his gangs kills a plot owner, who is the husband of Liji Punnose (Swetha Menon). Liji Punnosse identify her husband's murderer Jyothi lal and is associating with another businessman shamir to destroy sony and Jyothi lal. Liji promises to marry Shamir, if shamir can satisfy her wish of killing jyothi lal and sony by arranging another gang. The business man sony has an eye on the growing actress Surya prabha ( Rima Kallingal). Surya is leading an unpleasant married life with Mehaboob, who is a friend and later became a business partner of sony. Sony with the intention of collecting surya prabha cheated Mehaboob in the construction business and the police remanded mehaboob for the inadequate and unsafe construction practices, which caused the death of the Tamil migrant lakshmi. Sony demands and force surya for an illegal relation to get the papers that proves her husbands innocence from his hand. But jyothi lal rescues surya and later jyothi lal rescues surya from a suicide attempt too. Joyothi lal takes surya to sonys guest house to collect the papers and they picked sony on their way and their vehicle is also come across the same accident, which swarnavel and marathakam came across. Sony dies at the accident on the spot itself.
The gang arranged by shamir and Liji Punnakose arrives at the accident spot and tries to kill Jyothi lal. Jyothi lal escapes from the site with surya and they began to realize the importance of each other in their future life. Liji marries shamir and went to Dubai for their further business.
Swarnavel and marathakam married each other and settled in a village in the final scene.
Malayalam cinema
The Cinema of Kerala or Malayalam cinema refers to the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, which makes films in the Malayalam language. Malayalam movies typically portray social or family issues and are considered more realistic than films from other parts of India. Malayalam cinema has...
thriller film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery and written by Babu Janardhanan. The film tells the story of Tamil migrant workers and a team of land mafia criminals in the city of Kochi
Kochi
-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
. It stars Indrajith
Indrajith
Indrajith is an Indian film actor. He is the elder son of late Malayalam actor Sukumaran and actress Mallika. His brother Prithviraj is also an actor...
, Prithviraj
Prithviraj Sukumaran
Prithviraj Sukumaran credited mononymously as Prithviraj, is an Indian film actor and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema....
, Rajeev Pillai, Rohini
Rohini (actress)
Rohini is an actress in south Indian, notably Malayalam and Tamil, films. She started her career in 1976 as a child artist. She was married to actor late Raghuvaran from 1996 to 2003. She is also the most popular dubbing artist in Tamil industry. She lent her voice to actresses like Jyothika ,...
, Parvathi
Parvathi Menon
Parvathi Menon is an Indian film actress who hails from Kerala. She made her debut in the Malayalam film Out of Syllabus in 2006.- Early life :...
, Rima Kallingal
Rima Kallingal
Rima Kallingal is an Indian model and film actress, predominantly appearing Malayalam films. After being named First Runner Up in the Miss Kerala 2008 contest, she went to pursue a career in acting...
and Swetha Menon. The music is composed by Prashant Pillai
Prashant Pillai
Prashant Pillai is a music producer and composer from India. His music style has diverse influences and elements of jazz, electronica, funk, world music and more...
.
The film uses the hyperlink cinema
Hyperlink cinema
Hyperlink cinema is a term coined by author Alissa Quart, who used the term in her review of the film Happy Endings for the film journal Film Comment in 2005. Film critic Roger Ebert popularized the term when reviewing the film Syriana in 2005...
format as its narrative structure. Although the 2002 Brazilian film of the same name uses this format, along with many other films, it was first used by Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
in his film Kanchenjungha
Kanchenjungha
Kanchenjungha is a 1962 Bengali film by Bengali film director Satyajit Ray. It was Ray's first original screenplay and his first colour film....
(1962).
The film received favorable critical reviews, but it ended up being a disaster at the Kerala box office as it was pulled off from the theatres within one week of release.
Plot
The film starts with a road accident and the story traces the life of the four families, which are associated with the accident. Each family have a different perspective on the city of Cochin.The first story revolves around the life of Tamil migrants. One of the Tamil migrant Swarnavel (indrajith
Indrajith
Indrajith is an Indian film actor. He is the elder son of late Malayalam actor Sukumaran and actress Mallika. His brother Prithviraj is also an actor...
) has a special affection towards another migrant marathakam (Parvathi Menon
Parvathi Menon
Parvathi Menon is an Indian film actress who hails from Kerala. She made her debut in the Malayalam film Out of Syllabus in 2006.- Early life :...
). Marathakam, is already married and she ran away from her old husband in Pollachi
Pollachi
Pollachi is a taluk of Coimbatore Rural district of the Tamil Nadu state of India. It lies in the southern part of the Coimbatore city around 40 kilometres from downtown Coimbatore. This is the second largest town in the District after Corporation of Coimbatore. Owing to the proximity to the...
, due to his unbearable torture. Marathakam and swarnavel knows that they love each other, but they are not expressing it to each other. Because of some personal benefits, Lakshmi( Rohini) break their relationship and forces Marathakam to marry another migrant. But on the night of the marriage, marathakam came to know that her new husband was a thief and came to swarnavel. They realize their love and starts living together. But the second husband takes revenge by bringing the old husband (a rowdy) from Pollachi
Pollachi
Pollachi is a taluk of Coimbatore Rural district of the Tamil Nadu state of India. It lies in the southern part of the Coimbatore city around 40 kilometres from downtown Coimbatore. This is the second largest town in the District after Corporation of Coimbatore. Owing to the proximity to the...
. On the next day, swarnavel rescues marathakam from her old husband's hands and trying to escape in a moped and they met with an accident.
The next story deals with the life of business men Sony and his forehand Jyothi Lal (Prithviraj
Prithviraj
Prithviraj may refer to:* Prithviraj Chauhan , a king of the Chauhan dynasty* Prithviraj Kapoor, a famous Indian theatre and cinema personality best known for his work in Hindi cinema....
). As per the instructions of sony, jyothi lal and his gangs kills a plot owner, who is the husband of Liji Punnose (Swetha Menon). Liji Punnosse identify her husband's murderer Jyothi lal and is associating with another businessman shamir to destroy sony and Jyothi lal. Liji promises to marry Shamir, if shamir can satisfy her wish of killing jyothi lal and sony by arranging another gang. The business man sony has an eye on the growing actress Surya prabha ( Rima Kallingal). Surya is leading an unpleasant married life with Mehaboob, who is a friend and later became a business partner of sony. Sony with the intention of collecting surya prabha cheated Mehaboob in the construction business and the police remanded mehaboob for the inadequate and unsafe construction practices, which caused the death of the Tamil migrant lakshmi. Sony demands and force surya for an illegal relation to get the papers that proves her husbands innocence from his hand. But jyothi lal rescues surya and later jyothi lal rescues surya from a suicide attempt too. Joyothi lal takes surya to sonys guest house to collect the papers and they picked sony on their way and their vehicle is also come across the same accident, which swarnavel and marathakam came across. Sony dies at the accident on the spot itself.
The gang arranged by shamir and Liji Punnakose arrives at the accident spot and tries to kill Jyothi lal. Jyothi lal escapes from the site with surya and they began to realize the importance of each other in their future life. Liji marries shamir and went to Dubai for their further business.
Swarnavel and marathakam married each other and settled in a village in the final scene.
Cast
- IndrajithIndrajithIndrajith is an Indian film actor. He is the elder son of late Malayalam actor Sukumaran and actress Mallika. His brother Prithviraj is also an actor...
as Swarnavel, a migrant Tamilian construction worker who lives in Kochi. - PrithvirajPrithviraj SukumaranPrithviraj Sukumaran credited mononymously as Prithviraj, is an Indian film actor and producer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema....
as Jyotilal, a wealthy youth and the right-hand man of Sony. - Rajeev Govinda Pillai as Sony Vadayaatil, a wealthy business-man who has involvement in illegal activities.
- RohiniRohini (actress)Rohini is an actress in south Indian, notably Malayalam and Tamil, films. She started her career in 1976 as a child artist. She was married to actor late Raghuvaran from 1996 to 2003. She is also the most popular dubbing artist in Tamil industry. She lent her voice to actresses like Jyothika ,...
as Lakshmi, a Tamilian construction worker in Kochi and freind of Marathakam. - Parvathi MenonParvathi MenonParvathi Menon is an Indian film actress who hails from Kerala. She made her debut in the Malayalam film Out of Syllabus in 2006.- Early life :...
as Marathakam, a Tamil woman who flees her village to escape from her abusive husband. - Swetha Menon as Liji Punnose, a Dubai-based wealthy business woman who is forced to stay in Kerala after her husband gets murdered.
- Rima KallingalRima KallingalRima Kallingal is an Indian model and film actress, predominantly appearing Malayalam films. After being named First Runner Up in the Miss Kerala 2008 contest, she went to pursue a career in acting...
as Suryaprabha, an actress who is into some disturbed relationships. - Arun Narayan as Shameen, a land mafia party
- Rajesh HebbarRajesh HebbarK Rajesh Hebbar is an actor based in Palakkad, Kerala in India. He is married to Anitha and has three children Akash, Varsha and Raksha....
as Punnose, a business-man and husband of Liji. - JagadishJagadishP. V. Jagadish Kumar , popularly known as Jagadish, is a Malayalam film actor and script writer. He became popular through performances in films such as Mukhachitram, In Harihar Nagar, Godfather, Welcome to Kodaikanal, Thiruthalvaadi, Mantrikacheppu, and Hitler...
as Circle Inspector (C.I.) Pavamani. - Anil Murali as Podiyadi Soman
- Sreehari as Babychan
- Kishore Sathya as Mehboob
- Sudheer Karamana as Nachimuthu
Release and critical reception
The film had a delayed release on 23 April 2011. It received predominantly positive reviews from critics. Veeyen of Nowrunning.com said, "City of God is no City of Dreams. It's a raw and bleeding city that wails all night and day. A city where en eternal eclipse has cast a shadow over the rights and wrongs. A city where God has apparently deserted his illusory throne and vanished without a trace." The reviewer of Indiaglitz said, City of God is a movie with feelings and appeal for the proponents of differently made experimental cinema. Director Lijo, Anil Mathew and their crew needs to be applauded for the efforts in keeping away cliches and commercial thrusts on the narrative structure, though they may find it a little difficult to cruise in the box-office."External links
- Nagarajan, Saraswathy. "Three tales of a city." The HinduThe HinduThe Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
. 22 April 2011. - Mathrybhumi article (in Malayalam)
- Pravasivaartha article (in Malayalam)
- Janmabhumi article (in Malayalam)
- City of God Cast and Crew