The reason we are asking this is because there is news of revival of Mohanlal’s Pranavam Arts banner. Pranavam Arts rekindles fond memories on all time classics like His Highness Abdullah,  Bharatham, Kamaladalam etc. More than that, this banner was synonymous with good movies, good acting, good music etc. It was also synonymous with Mohanlal the actor rather than Mohalal the Narasimham.

Last movie made by the banner was Vanaprastham, which got Mohanlal awards but was a huge debacle in the box office. We look forward to see more of Mohanlal the actor. Which brings up the question – what about the banner Aashirwaad cinemas – fronted by Mohanlal’s ex-driver Antony Perumbavoor. Would Pranavam be the premium brand – like Toyota-Lexus? Is the plan to have Aashirwaad produce run-of-the-mill movies and Pranavam to produce high profile movies? Or has Mohanlal dumped Ashirvad altogether? Or is it an attempt to win the best millennium actor award beating mammotty, muthu pattar and kaimal?

Now having a two star system is a problem for an award committee. If it is the state which is giving the award, then it can get away by giving it to Prithviraj or any non-M&M actor. But when a entertainment conglomerate like Asianet gives awards, they cannot do that. They have to give it to both of them. But then only one person can be the best actor. So what to do about the other one.

Asianet-Ujala solved this E=mc2 problem is a novel way. While Mohanlal was the best actor, Mammotty was the actor of the Millennium. Millennium as you know is 1000 years and so Asianet in its infinite wisdom realized that Mammotty is the best actor in the past 1000 years. I am sure Asianet would have compared his performance with other legends like Muthu Pattar (Best Actor in 1025 AD), Veera Pandi (Best Actor from 1200 – 1255 AD) and Kaimal Kaimal, who won the best actor award from none other than Emperor Akbar.

How will next years award look like? Mohanlal is the best actor in Milky Way? Mammotty is the best actor since Big Bang?

The Thilakan saga refuses to die down –  more and more celebrities, reel heroes, cultural heroes and some zeroes are jumping to the fire, some get burned, some come out unscathed. This post covers the controversy as it unfolded and we have made it a sticky post and will be constantly updated. Tell your grand children that you read all about it in VarnaChitram.

1. Here’s a brief history.
2. Thilakan out of Christian brothers and blames Mammootty for that.
3. Thilakan threatens Dharna(sit-in) at Christian Brother’s Shooting location.
4. Goondas Disrupt the shooting of Christian Brothers
5. Thilakan denies involvement.
6. Thilakan recieves a death threat for making a derogatory statements about Mammootty.
7. Thilakan says Mammootty not to blame for his ouster from Christian brothers, says its another superstar.
8. Director B.Unnikrishnan is a mimicry artist!
9. AMMA has delusions that it’s supreme court and serves a Show Cause notice to Thilakan.
10. Thilakan, a lifelong communist, asks CPI(M) to support
11. CPI(M), a party which runs capitalist businesses, says no
12. Thilakan expelled from AMMA and FEFKA.
13. Sukumar Azhikkode parachutes into the controversy.
14. Satyan Antikkad alleges that Azhikkode admitted that he never watched a movie.
15. Azhikkode abuses Mohanlal
16. Mohanlal says Azhikode is hallucinating.
17. Azhikode says Mammootty took 5.5 Cr for acting in Pazhassi Raja
18. Thilakan is planning to create a parallel universe by producing movies with Vinayan and acting in those movies.
19. Dr.Mammootty maintains a dignified silence.
20. Renjith mocks that Azhikode takes 5 lakhs per speech and is jealous of super stars.
21. Punathil Kunjabdullah says Mammootty and Mohanlal are nothing compared to Thilakan who is an international star.
22. People in Kazhakstan say they have never heard of Thilakan
23. A researcher came up with a study on the influence of Megastar Mohanlal on the cultural and historical scenario of the state during the last twenty five years – We are waiting for Thilakan’s and Mr.Azhikode’s comment on that.
24. Innocent suggests that Sukumar Azhikkode should spend rest of his time praying and watching good Malayalam movies.
25. It gets more bizarre, Sukumar Azhikode alleges that Mohanlal snatched  late brother’s property.  He also finds out that Antony Perumbavoor was Mohanlal’s driver.
26. Mohanlal erased Sukumar Azhikode from his mind.
27. Azhikode reads English dictionary: finds Innocent means Idiot.
28. Meanwhile Innocent reveals that he was also chucked out of Christian Brothers. We are stunned and speechless at this revelation.
29. Sify reports that superstars have become closer since this controversy, produces pictures as evidence.
30. Jobless youth attack Thilakan.
31. Mammootty attempts peace.
32. Vellapally Nadesan parachutes in, bit late for the party though.
33. Ambili offers a role for Sukumar Azhikode.
34. Thilakan: I  lost  the Hollywood role due to FEFKA’s efforts.
35. Sukumar Azhikode and Mohanlal to sue each other.
36. Tension inside AMMA: Mammootty accused of one_upmanship. And here’s a neat analysis by Berly.
37. Thilakan comments that Mammootty as uninvited mediator – likens to a joker.
38. Supreme court of AMMA temporarily suspends Thilakan from AMMA.
39. This video clip is awesome.
40. Mohanlal to  act in advertisements for Khadi clothes – that too for free!  Take that Mr.Azhikode.
41. Thilakan out of ‘Hollywood movie’ DAM 999 – as FEFKA threatend to pull out all the technicians from this Hollywood movie.
42. Sukumar Azhikode calls Supreme court justice V.R. Krishna Iyer an old man!
43. Making Mohanlal goodwill Ambassador of Khadi is bigger crime than murder of Gandhiji – Sukumar Azhikkode.
44. Shaji.N.Karun ready to cast Thilakan in his movies if needed.
45. Stink spreads, K.G.George blames star system for his inactivity.
46. Thilakan ready to give explanation to AMMA.
47. Rajat Kapoor replaces Thilakan in Dam 999, the hollywood movie.
48. While everyone is getting weary of this off screen drama, Thilakan submits a 5 page written explanation to AMMA.

Watch this space more updates …

Image courtesy: mathrubhoomi.com

2. AMMA: Instead of holding conclaves to act like the Supreme Court of Malayalam Film Industry, please hold conclaves for script writers and directors to make better movies.  Shoot for 11 hit movies this year.

3. Sukumar Azhikode: So what if Mammootty gets paid 5 crore. So what if Mohanlal models for Jeweley shops. So what if his romantic scenes look obscene? We love it. We will even watch a movie in which he just stands still for two and half hours.

He decided to get into the fight between a King Khan and a Paper Tiger. When someone tries to parachute into a high profile fight then there can be two possible outcomes – You would get some publicity without almost no investment or you would be swatted aside as if you are a fly, getting reminded in the process that this is a game for adults. Kerala’s own Priyadarshan got the latter treatment, when he tried to inject himself into My Name is Khan controversy.

My Name is Khan had all the ingredients of a Bollywood pot boiler – it had communal problem, international problem, cricket problem, violence etc. So in that charged up climate, Priyan’s comment – that it’s all publicity hype – was not recieved kindly by Bollywood shenanigans. This is a season for apology(for example Jayaram offering apology or AMMA demanding apology from Thilakan) and Priyan wasted no time in genuflecting.

Now, to give Priyan due credit, let us look what happened to My Name is Khan post release. Movie matched 3 idiot’s opening collection of 90 crores and sank after that. To sum it up, publicity did help the movie initially.

Guess who is having the last laugh?

At this moment we should pause and say Jayaram is an insensitive idiot. When asked if he was attracted to his maid, he replied, “My maid is a dark, fat buffalo — like Tamil woman. How can I be attracted to her?”. Sure. It is not funny. It is insensitive, derogatory and highly offensive. Just think if this is what someone told about Parvati.