<i>Karutha Pakshikal</i> Preview

By Staff

Published: Monday, August 13, 2007, 11:58 [IST]

Courtesy: Galatta
Monday, November 27, 2006
Karutha Pakshikal has Murugan (Mammooty) as a deglamourised poor person who came from Tirunelveli to Kerala in search of a livelihood, living as a single parent in a slum with his three children - Mayil, Azhakappan and Malli, who is blind. His wife (Padmapriya), died during her third childbirth leaving him to take care of his three small children.

He has no identity in Kerala -- no ration card or voter ID card. Nobody acknowledges his existence in the city but he is essential to all who live there. Murugan, who makes a living by ironing people's clothes, has one desire - that Malli will be able to see one day, taking her to every free eye-care camp that he can. His only support is Muthu Annan, an appalam-maker and his family.

With his meagre savings, Murugan buys a pushcart and moves around various housing colonies, ironing people's clothes. Every day he meets different kinds of people. Some show kindness, some show sympathy, some show arrogance and others who are downright insulting.

The people living in the slums earn their living doing odd jobs, picking rags, rummaging through waste heaps, begging, doing whatever is required to keep body and soul together.

A lonely lady, who is in the secondary stage of cancer, with an unhappy past, comes to stay in the same locality. Murugan presses her clothes, and she becomes attached to Malli, his blind daughter. She tells Murugan that when she dies, she wants to donate her eyes to Malli.

Cancer in the secondary stage is curable. So, does the lady get cured, or does she die? If she dies, does she donate the gift of sight to Malli? The end is surprising, and with a twist to be seen and experienced.

Mammootty's performance as Murugan in the film will be another milestone in his career, at par with his best performances in his earlier movies. Karutha Pakshikal, shot in Thrissur under G.V. Productions banner, will be released by Alwin Film Company and Thriveni Movies.

Cast - Mammootty, Padmapriya, Jagathy Sreekumar, Salim Kumar, T.G. Ravi, Harisree Ashokan, Dinesh, Rajesh, Sraya, Arya, Reshmi Gopal, Sreekala, Sruthi Balachandran, Baby Malavika, Baby Suhaila, Master Thejus.
Director - Kamal.
Producer - Vallabhan.
Music - Mohan Sithara.
Lyrics - Vayalar Sharatchandran Vamra.
Editing - K. Rajagopal.
Story - Kamal.