Ustad Hotel

Us tad Hotel (Malayalam: ഉസ്താദ് ഹോട്ടല്‍) is a 2012 Indian drama film written by Anjali Menon and directed by Anwar Rasheed. It stars Dulquer Salmaan, Nithya Menon and Thilakan in the lead roles while Siddique, Mamukkoya and Lena play prominent supporting roles. The film is about the strong bond between Karim, a Sufi Muslim, and his grandson Faizi.
Ustad Hotel is produced by Listin Stephen under the banner of Magic Frames and is distributed by Central Pictures. It features music composed by Gopi Sunder, whilst cinematography is handled by Lokanathan and is edited by Mahesh Narayanan. It released on 29 June 2012 to highly positive reviews from both critics and audience. Some critics have even called it one of the greatest Malayalam films ever made.

Story 

Ustad Hotel is a quaint place run by a foodie named Kareem, who is fondly called Ustad, on a beach in Kozhikode. He sells biriyani – not to make money but to ensure that his biriyani has his customers asking for more. It is the aroma of good food and the smile on his customers' faces that keep him going and not the tinkle of money. Kareem has been managing Ustad Hotel for the last 35 years.
Kareem's grandson Faizie, has been living with his rich dad Razaq (Siddique) and four sisters in the Gulf. As he grows up, his sisters are married off one by one. And then his father marries for a second time. Faizie hopes to be a chef, much against the aspirations of his dad. He goes to Switzerland to study hotel management and when he returns with much fanfare after the course, it is revealed that he has done a chef's course secretly and not hotel management. This shatters Razak's dream of opening a five-star hotel in his home town Kozhikode. Razaq virtually disowns Faizie and even takes away his passport and credit cards so that Faizie cannot go to London where he has already got a job. In anger, Faizie comes to Kozhikode to join his grandfather. Razaq wants him to marry a business tycoon's daughter Shahina (Nithya Menen) and they meet.
Faizie's stay in Kozhikode continues for a bit longer than what he had anticipated and during his stay with his grandfather, Faizie unearths a real world that exists beyond the sea and its shores. The film is about the bonding between Faizi and his grandfather and how a few days with his grandfather and Ustad Hotel changes his life for ever.

Hit Songs

• "Appangalembadum"
• "Vaathilil Aa Vaathilil"

BoxOffice Results

Ustad Hotel received positive reviews.

• Mutiny gave the movie stars, saying that Ustad Hotel is "an amazingly refreshing, gently touching and absolutely entertaining visual treat."
• Madhyamam and even went on to call Ustad Hotel one of the greatest Malayalam films ever made.
• Deccan Chronicle  gave the film a and commented that it is "an artful combine of old and new."
• Indiaglitz.com gave the movie 7.5/10 stars
•  Nowrunning.com gave the movie a rating of , concluding that "it is undoubtedly one of the finest films to have come out in Malayalam in recent times".
• The Times of India gave the movie stars, commenting that  " it is one of the best film in recent times".
• Malayalamnet gave the film a rating of stars, concluding that "'Ustad Hotel' have something special which is as sweet as a poem"

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Verdict: Hit.

Bachelor Party (2012 film)

Bachelor Party is a Malayalam spy action thriller directed, co-produced and filmed by Amal Neerad. The film stars Indrajith, Asif Ali,Nithya Menen, Rahman, Kalabhavan Mani and Vinayakan in the lead roles while Prithviraj, Padmapriya and Remya Nambeesan make guest appearances. The film's screenplay is by noted authors Unni. R and Santhosh Echikkanam. The original music and background score of the film are composed by Rahulraj. It was released on June 15, 2012, to mixed reviews. The film's plot is inspired from Exiled, a 2006 Hong Kong action movie.


Story


Bachelor Party is a travelogue of friendship. The whole story is happening during a time frame of three days. A group is into a journey, which turns out to be a crucial one. Geevarghese (Indrajith), Tony (Asif Ali), Neethu (Nithya Menen), Benny (Rahman), Ayyappan (Kalabhavan Mani) and Fakeer (Vinayakan) are the main characters. Prithviraj and Remya Nambeesan appear in brief but important roles in turning points in the story.


Hit Songs

   Not yet.

Boxoffice Result

• The film received a warm welcome,although the viewers wrote it off as another watchable entertainer. Watch for Stunning visuals spawning for 150min, get mixed reviews, mostly negative reviews.
• Actually the film was not upto the mark of the expectation.
• The film Bachelor party has got one of the worst script. It can really be categorized as a shaky script. According to the script, the film should only have duration of around 10-15 minutes. But the film is stretched to hours using the method of old fashioned slow motion. There is a scene in the movie where the rogue guys plans to assassin the enemy. But the enemy is out for shopping. This makes the viewers to wait for the movie audience to wait with the rogue gang.
• One of the point to be noticed is that the film is entirely filled with baudy words. This makes the film less watchable for the families. The film really depicts some awkward symbolism. Out of all actors, Rahman was exceptionally well.
• The film mainly tried to satisfy the viewers through the song sequence only. Nothing is done to script in order to satisfy the basic need of the viewers.
• Sify rated 2/5 and said that it is just a watchable movie.
• Metromatinee rated 2 out of 5 and said: "The script is nothing spectacular, the film is engrossing as long as you are washing it".
• Theator Balcony also rated 2/5 declared as a just watch movie.

Overall rating: 2/5

Verdict: Watchable

Spirit (2012 film)

Spirit is a 2012 Malayalam satirical film written and directed by Ranjith. The film primarily focuses on the increasing habits of alcoholism in Kerala but is altogether a take on all things contemporary with a satirical tint. It stars Mohanlal, Kaniha and Shankar Ramakrishnan in the lead roles while Lena, Nandu, Thilakan and Madhu play notable supporting roles. The film released on 14 June with positive results.
According to the director, "The movie does not, in any way, advocate or proscribe alcohol. Spirit discusses the subject and examines what happens when a person, however intelligent, falls prey to an addiction, any addiction for that matter.

Story

Raghunandan is an ex-Bank of England employee who resigned his lucrative job because he was bored with the rather sedentary nature of his work. Having lived in different parts of the world as a bank employee, he chose journalism as his next career and worked in different cities in India. He is now working on a TV news channel as an interviewer in a show named "Show the Spirit". In the mean time, he is writing an English novel too. He is essentially a loner but loves his pegs and has an expensive collection of vintage drinks at home.

It was his excessive drinking that resulted in his divorce some years back, but he shares a healthy friendship with his former wife Meera and her current husband Alexy. The couple has the custody of Raghunandan and Meera’s son Aditya aka Sunny, who can't speak or hear. Captain Nambiar is his next door friend. Raghunandan, however, is not really bothered about relationships and prefers to live life on his own terms. He rubs some of the mighty and powerful, who comes to his TV show, in the wrong way and never regrets it as well.

Raghunandan's fatal addiction towards alcohol takes a heavy toll on his personal and professional life. However, good sense dawns, albeit late, when he comes across a man who is worse than him because of his drinking problem. That is plumber Mani who is so drunk that he cannot distinguish between what is real and unreal. His character manifests all the worst characteristics of an alcoholic, including abusing his wife. Mani changes everything, bringing some meaning to Raghunandan's life.

Hit songs

   Not yet.

Boxoffice Results

The film was positively received by most critics. The movie was reportedly well received by the audiences who opined that it is a class affair with a fine script from the director. Most of them suggested that it gives a good message to the youth who is addicted to alcohol.

Nowrunning.com rated the film  and said, "Spirit is a turbulent watch that is bound to clamor for your attention. 

Malayalamnet.in gave the film a rating of  and said, "spirit is an advice to the community presented in a well manner".

The film received some negative review as well. 
Deccan Herald said, "There are too many characters and side stories, some of which are not relevant at all.Some ideas are introduced and left incomplete, which is a shame.

Sify.com said, "If you are not expecting a high voltage drama stuffed with the usual share of emotions, Spirit can turn out to be a nice experience.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Verdict: Hit

Thiruvambadi Thamban

Thiruvambadi Thamban (Malayalam: തിരുവമ്പാടി തമ്പാൻ) is a 2012 Malayalam film starring Jayaram and Haripriya in lead roles, directed by Padmakumar and written by S. Suresh Babu. It also marks the debut of Tamil actors Thambi Ramaiah and Kishore in Malayalam. It also has Kalabhavan Mani, Nedumudi Venu, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Jagathy Sreekumar in supporting roles. It is also a good budget film.

Release date: May 25, 2012

 (2012-05-25)

Budget : 12 crores

Story

Thiruvambadi Thamban (Jayaram) hails from a family that have been supplying elephants for temple processions for years. To add some romance to the story, Jayaram is given company by Haripriya who plays a Brahmin girl in the film. On the way back to Kerala from the Gajamela at Sonepur, Thiruvambadi Thamban (Jayaram) happens to confront Shaktivel (Kishore) in Tamil Nadu. Shaktivel is a cruel politician and landlord and the character of Jayaram fails to understand that he rules the place. Soon, in a fast tracked series of events, Shaktivel and his men go in search for Thamban and his people. Thiruvambadi Thamban follows a never ending travail of son trying to save his father from an extremely dangerous enemy.

Hit Songs

Not Yet

BoxOffice Result

The film, filled with emotions, actions, romance and comedy has nothing new to offer. In spite of great actors and a good budget, Thiruvambadi Thamban fails to create the impact that was expected, considering it has Jayaram in the lead. The script of Thiruvambadi Thamban is extremely shaky, and that is the biggest flaw in the film. Padmakumar takes us aimlessly around the narrative, especially in the first one hour. It ultimately leaves the audience wondering what the director is trying to convey! After the turbulent one hour, suddenly the narrative changes and you start expecting some big changes. However, the film cannot hold on its own.

India Glitz states that just watchable

Overal Rating: 2.5/5

Verdict: Average

Hero (2012 film)

Hero is a 2012 Malayalam Action thriller film directed by Diphan of Puthiya Mukham fame. It stars Prithviraj, Srikanth and Bollywood star Yami Gautam in lead roles.. The film is produced by Vijayakumar. The soundtrack is scored by Gopi Sunder along with lyrics by Anil Panachooran.
Release date(s) May 25, 2012.

Story

Devarajan master (Thalaivasal Vijay) is a famous stunt master who worked in many films and have alot of students. He was out from the field for a long time. Devarajan master needs some money for his daughters marrriage. So he visits one of his old student Aadhityan(Anoop Menon), who is one of the famous and top rated Directors in the film industry. Aadhityan gives chance to master. Master seeks help from his several students to assist him for the job, but no one helps him. He visits Tarzan Antony(Prithviraj) who was his favorite student who left him because of some issues. Tarzan agrees and joins the set. There he meets the hero of the film Premanand (Srikanth),who is the son of Home minister and Heroine Gowri Menon(Yami Gautam),who is one of the top actresses in the industry. Premanand is like a sinking ship and deserves a hit, so he joins his friend Aadhityan for the movie. Meanwhile Premanand likes Gowri and wants to marry her. He tries to impress her in several ways but she didnt mind him. Tarzan's dedication to his works and amazing stunts impress Gowri. The movie gets released and it becomes a grand hit. Audience who dont know the actual hero behind the screen appreciates Premanand for the action seqences while Gowri,Aadhityan and the whole crew appreciates Tarzan for his work. Gowri and Tarzan fall in love with each other. Premanand decides to destroy Tarzan who is a hindrence between him and Gowri. At that time Aadhityan announces his next project with same cast and crew. Premanand wants to remove Tarzan from the project.

Hit Songs

Not Yet

BoxOffice Results

The film was released on may 25 with negative reviews from both the critics and viewers calling it a logicless action film.

Overal Rating: 2/5

Verdict: Average

Mallu Singh

Mallu Singh (Malayalam: മല്ലൂസിംഗ്) is a 2012 Malayalam  film directed by Vyshakh, starring Unni Mukundan, Samvrutha Sunil and Kunchacko Boban. Release on May 4, 2012.
 Budget 6 crore (US$1.2 million) .

Story

Hari has been missing for more than seven years and Ani wanted to find him. Hari was Ani's friend from childhood; besides Ani's little sister Ashwathi's wedding was almost finalized with Hari, her cousin. So Ani sets forth to Punjab with great expectations of finding Hari. He was not sure why Hari had to disappear especially when you know the depth of his love to Ashwathi. He found his mother in tears most of the time and watching her, he decided that he must reach Hari somehow.
In Punjab, he arrives in Mallu Street and to his wonder, he locates Hari. But Hari's name is Harinder Singh, he courts a beard and turban and his attire is purely Punjabi. Even in his behavior, Harinder Singh alias Mallu Singh looks a typical Punjabi. Ani wanted to make sure about Hari's identity and so decides to stay put for a longer period. While contemplating the hurdles he has to overcome in a strange land to learn the truth, help arrives in the form of Karthi and Pappan. Together, the three go in search of proof to make sure that Mallu Singh is Hari. Somewhere along the line, Suseelan joins the threesome making the situation worse. Suseelan came to Punjab to start a hair cutting saloon but on finding that no one in Punjab cuts his hair, took up cycle repair as his occupation for survival. Their probes and inquiries lead them through many adventures and they are featured very humorously in Mallu Singh.

Hit Songs

• Cham Cham

• Kakkamalayile

BoxOffice Results


The film opened to mixed reviews with the critic.

• "Malayalam Net":- gave a rating of 2.25/5 and said that "Mallu Singh" is an average entertainer with very good direction which makes it watchable once..

• Times of India giving it a two stars out of five.

• Sify.com gave it an average rating and stated it had a weak script, with a failed attempt from Kunchacko Boban in protray his role and scriptwriter in his unrealistic story.

• Rediff.com gave a rating of 2/5, and stated that there was nothing original about Mallu Singh.

• Nowrunning.com gave a rating of 1.5/5, 'Mallu Singh' disappoints you on multiple levels; regarding the story, the script and above everything else in its failure to proffer its talented lead actor a challenging role that could have made a whole lot of a difference.

Overall Rating : 2.5/5


Verdict: Above Average

Diamond Necklace (film)

Diamond Necklace is a 2012 Malayalam film directed by Lal Jose, starring Fahad Fazil, Samvrutha Sunil, Gauthami Nair and Anusree in the lead roles. Released on May 4, the film received positive reviews from critics.

Story


It tells the story of a young high flying oncologist working in the Middle East. where we saw the low life of the working class in Dubai and here we see the razzle-dazzle of the rich that can starry-eyed youngsters.
Dr. Arun (Fahadh Faasil) lives off plastic money (he is shown carrying around a wallet full of credit cards), drives swanky cars and enjoys life to the hilt without worrying about the future. The risk of such a lifestyle comes into focus when we see his car being towed by the creditors. Next we get to see that his upmarket lifestyle is like a house of cards, as he is banned from leaving the country by his creditors, even to see his sick mother.
The focus is on his relationship with the people around him. There is Savithri Akka (Rohini), his boss in the hospital who, in a sense, spoils him with sisterly affection.
Lakshmi [Gautami Nair], a newly recruited Tamil nurse in his department may be the first girl Arun is seriously smitten by. Rajasree is played by débutante,Anusree with whom he is tricked into marriage.

Hit Songs

"Nilamalare"

BoxOffice Result

Diamond Necklace was released on 4 May to positive reviews by critics. The movie was profitable from day one. Close to 2 crore was recovered from Satelite, video, and overseas rights. Joy Alukkas group and Max Supermarket gave 80 Lakhs to market their name with this movie. The movie was Released in 24 theaters. 10 more theaters were added for the second week. Now successfully running in 34 theaters in Kerala.

• "Malayalam Net":- gave a good rating of 3/5 and said that "Diamond Necklace" is a Brilliant Movie.

• Rediff rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and concluded that "One can just end by saying that Lal Jose puts his might behind the change sweeping Malayalam Cinema of late and has come out with a Diamond Necklace that is not to be missed."

• Times of India gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and commented "it is a beautifully shot movie put together with some stirring moments and hearty one-liners by script writer Dr Iqbal Kuttipuram."

• A critic from oneindia.com gave the film a positive review by saying it is definitly worth watch and praised acting of Fahad Fazil by commenting "Fahad Fazil is outstanding as usual."

• Veeyen of Nowrunning.com rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and said "Diamond Necklace is a tender and hypnotically moving film, the serenity of which is quite deceptive. Underlying its silent sparkle is a fascinating tale, and the discerning viewer who can read between the lines, could unearth layers of meaning beneath its glint!".

• Metromatinee.com also given a positive review by commenting "Diamond Necklace Glitters", and praised the performance of Fahad Fazil and Samvrutha Sunil.

       Overall rating: 3/5


Verdict: Hit