Heard almost all the praises for Lalettan on turning 60. Quite disgusted that nobody mentioned about Vanaprastham. It might not figure in Ettan fans list or those who think he is God's biggest gift to Cinema. The film , I think, in his 40 yrs career as actor and a producer and looking back on his 60th birthday can proudly pat himself on the back. Not just coz it got premiered in Cannes or got him the National award for best actor.
The depth of acting is something that you have to see to experience it. Shaji's direction and handling of the actor in MohanLal is amazing. Vanaprastham is not the first outing for Shaji at Cannes.
Let me share a few happenings. On one side the detractors of Shaji from art house club said the invited viewers walked out midway at Cannes. Some said that Shaji has finally managed to pull the shutters on Mohanlal distribution company Pranavam. Though the BO was not expected to be high, poor planning by Shaji led to phenomenal rise in costs and that too in foreign exchange, said the critics. Shaji wanted a Panavision camera and it costs $1000 per day and lenses with trained crew and cinematographer extra. The rental schedule could not be kept as Shaji had no proper planning of shots. The cameraman and crew fled after pocketing a huge amount. Santosh Sivan stepped in to salvage the film and so amid derisive laughter they said after all it is no first Panavision film. The basic idea was that Shaji had chewed more than he could. Mohanlal was taken for a ride.
Pranavam shut shop and so rest of the story had to be true. Doing art-house movies and for a pittance by sale able actor's is the norm. Mohanlal invested his own money and with a Euro American company as partner for what ? To show that he is an actor par excellence ? The answer to the question will give you the Complete personality of Mohanlal. At least one of the channel could have telecast Vanaprastham. The man at extreme left is Pierre Assouline
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