Nellu (1974 film)
Encyclopedia
Nellu is a 1974 Malayalam film directed by Ramu Kariat
based on the award-winning novel of the same name by P. Valsala
. The film is about the tribal people of the Wayanad hills in the deep Kerala forests. It stars Prem Nazir
and Jayabharathi
in the lead roles. The film is noted for its aesthetic quality and is regarded as a landmark in the history of Malayalam cinema.
The film marks the debut of cinematographer Balu Mahendra
. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Photography
(Colour). Hrishikesh Mukherjee
and Appu won the award for Kerala State Film Award for Best Editing
.
The film portrays the life of "Adiyar" community, a tribe whose ways of life belongs to centuries ago. They live in the Wayanad hills in the deep Kerala forests. The film envelopes the passions, superstitions, religious practices and customes, the servility and exploitation the tribals put up with. The film is narrated through the observations of an outsider.
, S. L. Puram Sadanandan and Valsala to write separate scripts based on the novel and in the end, took certain portions from all the three and made the film. The film's production occurred at various villages near Sultan Battery in Wayanad. It was produced by N. P. Ali under the banner of Jammu Films International.
.
Ramu Kariat
Ramu Kariat was a Malayali Indian film director for almost three decades from the 1950s to the 1970s. He directed many acclaimed films in Malayalam...
based on the award-winning novel of the same name by P. Valsala
P. Valsala
P. Valsala is a Malayalam novelist, short story writer, social activist, and a retired Head Mistress from Kerala state, South India. She a recipient of Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel Nizhalurangunna Vazhikal...
. The film is about the tribal people of the Wayanad hills in the deep Kerala forests. It stars Prem Nazir
Prem Nazir
Abdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
and Jayabharathi
Jayabharathi
Jayabharathi is a popular Malayalam film actress who started her career in late 1960s. She is a two-time winner of the Kerala State Film Award for best actress....
in the lead roles. The film is noted for its aesthetic quality and is regarded as a landmark in the history of Malayalam cinema.
The film marks the debut of 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...
. He won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Photography
Kerala State Film Award for Best Photography
The Kerala State Film Award for Best Cinematographer winners:-References:**...
(Colour). Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee ) was a famous Indian film director known for a number of films, including Satyakam, Chupke Chupke, Anupama, Anand, Abhimaan, Guddi, Gol Maal, Aashirwad, Bawarchi, and Namak Haraam.Popularly known as Hrishi-da, he directed 42 films during his career spanning over four decades,...
and Appu won the award for Kerala State Film Award for Best Editing
Kerala State Film Award for Best Editor
The Kerala State Film Award for Best Editor winners:-References:**...
.
Plot
Produced by N.P Ali/Jamu PicturesThe film portrays the life of "Adiyar" community, a tribe whose ways of life belongs to centuries ago. They live in the Wayanad hills in the deep Kerala forests. The film envelopes the passions, superstitions, religious practices and customes, the servility and exploitation the tribals put up with. The film is narrated through the observations of an outsider.
Cast
- Prem NazirPrem NazirAbdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
as Raghavan Nair - Thikkurissy Sukumaran NairThikkurissy Sukumaran NairThikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a Malayali Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padmashri from the Government of India, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India....
as Perumal - SankaradiSankaradiSankaradi was an Indian actor. He was a veteran Malayalam comedian and character artiste, who had over 700 Malayalam films to his credit....
as Damoradara Varrier - Kottarakkara Sreedharan NairKottarakkara Sreedharan NairSreedharan Nair , popularly known as Kottarakkara and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, was an Indian film actor in Malayalam movies. He hailed from Kottarakkara in Kollam district of Kerala.Sreedharan Nair won two Kerala state film awards...
as Chundeli - Mohan as Mallan
- Adoor BhasiAdoor BhasiAdoor 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...
as Thapaal Nanu - BahadoorBahadoorBahadoor , born P. K. Kunjalu, was a Malayalam film comedian who, along with Adoor Bhasi, redefined the way in which comedy and funny scenes were perceived in Malayalam cinema. They made a significant contribution toward establishing comedy as the predominant genre of Malayalam cinema...
as Saidu - K. P. UmmerK. P. UmmerK. P. Ummer was a Malayalam cinema actor from Thekkepuram quarter of Kozhikode, Kerala, India. He was active in cinema from early sixties until late nineties. He was the most successful villains of his time. He played opposite Prem Nazir, who was the hero in many films, which the audience liked to...
as "Vedikkaran" Ouseph - Kedamangalam Ali as Baddamaran
- Shihab as Ezhuthappottan
- S. P. PillaiS. P. PillaiS. P. Pillai was an Indian film and stage actor, best known for his comic roles in Malayalam films.-Biography:S. P. Pillai was born in 1913 in Ettumanoor, Kottayam. His father Shankara Pillai, was a police constable. Pillai lost his parents at a young age itself...
as Vaattuvelu (guest appearance) - Prem Navas as Unnikrishnan
- J. A. R. Anand as Chathan
- JayabharathiJayabharathiJayabharathi is a popular Malayalam film actress who started her career in late 1960s. She is a two-time winner of the Kerala State Film Award for best actress....
as Mara - Kaviyoor PonnammaKaviyoor PonnammaKaviyoor Ponnamma is a Malayalam film actress. She won the Kerala State Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1994.Ponnamma was born in Kaviyoor village, near Tiruvalla to a conservative upper-class family...
as Savithri Varassyar - Kanakadurga as Kurumatti
- Adoor BhavaniAdoor BhavaniAdoor Bhavani was an Indian actress in Malayalam movies, best-known for her appearance in the National Award-winning film Chemmeen , directed by Ramu Kariat. She had acted in about 450 films, including Mudiyanaya Puthran, Thulabharam, Kallichellamma, and Anubhavangal Paalichakal. Her last film...
as Pembi - Rani ChandraRani ChandraRani Chandra was a Malayalam film actress and winner of the Miss Kerala Title. She died in a plane crash in 1976. She acted in several landmark films such as Nellu , Bhadrakali and Swapnadanam .-Career:Her first film, Anjusundarikal, was widely accepted by the audience...
as Javani - Sumithra as Safiya
- Chelavoor Krishnankutty
- Innocent
Production
P. Valsala wrote the novel after a rejuvenating experience in Wayanad. It was published in 1972 by Sahithya Pravarthaka Cooperative Society. It went on to become a bestseller and won the Kumkumam Award for Best Novel in 1973. Kariat approached Valsala for permission to adapt the novel, and when she agreed, he asked K. G. GeorgeK. G. George
Kulakkatil Geevarghese George is an Indian film director who work in Malayalam film. George is one of the most celebrated filmmakers of Kerala who modernized the Malayalam cinema in the seventies. He is the founder-chairman of MACTA, and continues to be an executive member...
, S. L. Puram Sadanandan and Valsala to write separate scripts based on the novel and in the end, took certain portions from all the three and made the film. The film's production occurred at various villages near Sultan Battery in Wayanad. It was produced by N. P. Ali under the banner of Jammu Films International.
Songs
The film features five songs composed by Salil Chowdhary and written by VayalarVayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma , often known as Vayalar, was a modern Malayalam poet and lyricist. His famous works include Sargasangeetham, Mulankaadu, Padamudrakal, Aayisha, Oru Judas janikkunnu.-Biography:...
.
- "Chemba Chemba" - Manna DeyManna DeyPrabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...
, JayachandranJayachandranPaliyath Jayachandran, popularly known as P. Jayachandran is an Indian playback singer. He has won one National Award, four Kerala State Awards and four Tamil Nadu State Awards. He has recorded songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi languages...
, Chorus - "Kadali Chenkadali" - Lata MangeshkarLata MangeshkarLata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...
- "Neela Ponmane" - Yesudas, P. MadhuriP. MadhuriP. Madhuri is a renowned South Indian playback singer. She has sung songs in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu. She has twice won Kerala State Film Award for best playback singer.-Early life:...
- "Kaadu Kuliranu" - P. SusheelaP. SusheelaPulapaka Susheela is an Indian playback singer. In a career spanning more than four decades, she has recorded songs in many Indian languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Tulu, Badaga and Sinhalese.-Personal life:She is the daughter of Pulapaka...
External links
- Nellu at Malayalam Movie Database