| Panchavadi Palam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | K. G. George |
| Screenplay by | K. G. George Yesudasan (dialogues) |
| Based on | Palam Apakadathil by Veloor Krishnankutty |
| Produced by | Gandhimati Balan |
| Starring | Bharath Gopi Nedumudi Venu Sukumari |
| Cinematography | Shaji N Karun |
| Edited by | M. N. Appu |
| Music by | M. B. Sreenivasan |
| Distributed by | Gandhimathi Films |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 140 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Panchavadi Palam (transl. Panchavadi bridge) is a 1984 Indian Malayalam-language political satire film written and directed by K. G. George, based on the story Palam Apakadathil (1981) by Veloor Krishnankutty. It stars Bharat Gopy, Nedumudi Venu, Sreenivasan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Sukumari, and Thilakan in the main roles. The film tries to caricature the political scenario in the state of Kerala and portrays the pitiful corruption by politicians.
Plot
A henpecked politician wants his name attached to a new bridge, even if that means destroying another perfectly serviceable bridge. The politician Dussasana Kuruppu is the president of the village. He, along with the other members, tries to demolish the bridge on the advice of his fellow party member, Sikhandi Pillai who is his right hand with crooked mind. The opposition leader Ishak Tharakan makes moves to thwart this and capture the position of the village presidency. As a compromise, both groups agree to relocate the bridge to a distant location, so that not only a new bridge but also a new road will be needed to reach the bridge.
The two tenders, one for a bridge and one for a road, are given to two local contractors. One of the contractors belongs to the ruling party while the other one is supported by the opposition. Ultimately, the bridge is built and opened to the public on the same day of the marriage of Dussasana Kurup's daughter and the bridge contractor. The marriage function is attended by many, including the minister of state for the public works department. Everyone who came for the wedding walks across the bridge, causing it to collapse and killing the crippled Kathavarayan. The film ends by showing the broken bridge in the background.
Cast
- Bharath Gopi as Dushasana Kuruppu
- Nedumudi Venu as Sikhandi Pillai
- Sreevidya as Mandodhari
- Thilakan as Ishak Tharakan
- Sukumari as Rahel
- Jagathy Sreekumar as Habel
- Venu Nagavalli as Jeemuthavahanan
- Sreenivasan as Kathavarayan
- Kalpana as Anarkali
- K. P. Ummer as Jahangir Thatha
- Alummodan as Yudaskunju
- Innocent as Barabas
- V. D. Rajappan as Avarachan Swami
- Shubha as Poothana
- Mohan Jose as Opposition Party Member
- G. V. Anickaden as Opposition Party Member
- N. P. Unnipilla as Jeemuthavahanan's father
- Krishna Prasad as Avarachan's disciple
- N. L. Balakrishnan as Bus Passenger
Soundtrack
The music was composed by M. B. Sreenivasan with lyrics by Chowalloor Krishnankutty.
| No. | Song | Singers | Lyrics | Length (m:ss) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Naanayam Kandal" | K. P. Brahmanandan, C. O. Anto | Chowalloor Krishnankutty | |
| 2 | "Viplavaveeryam" | Chorus, C. O. Anto | Chowalloor Krishnankutty |
Reception and in popular culture
The movie is considered one of the best-ever political satires in the history of the Malayalam film industry. It was also one of the first of its kind of movie in Mollywood. The Palarivattom Flyover Scam has close comparisons with Panchavadi Palam in Kerala's public sphere. The Kerala High Court later compared this incident with Panchavadi Palam.
References
- "'Panchavadi Palam': KG George's political satire that never gets old". The News Minute. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ Rajan, Silpa (24 December 2021). "#FilmyFriday: Panchavadi Palam: A timeless political satire, that speaks volumes, even today". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- "Nedumudi Venu: The day we waited to see a bridge collapse - Times of India". The Times of India. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- സിജു, വി എസ് (26 September 2019). "'മന്ത്രിമാരുടെ പ്രസംഗം കേള്ക്കുന്നത് എനിക്ക് ജീവന്ടോണ് കഴിക്കുന്നതുപോലെയാ...'". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- "പാലാരിവട്ടം പാലത്തെ ഓർമിപ്പിച്ച് പഞ്ചവടിപ്പാലത്തിന്റെ പോസ്റ്ററുകൾ". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- "Kerala HC compares Palarivattom flyover to film 'Panchavadi Palam', seeks report". The News Minute. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
External links
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