| Mazha | |
| Director: | Lenin Rajendran |
| Producer: | G. Harikumar |
| Based On: | Nashtappetta Neelambari by Madhavikkutty |
| Starring: | Biju Menon Samyuktha Varma Lal Thilakan |
| Music: | Ravindran |
| Cinematography: | S. Kumar |
| Editing: | Beena Paul B. Ajithkumar |
| Studio: | Millenium Cinema Productions |
| Distributor: | Murali Films Aakash Films Thanoof Films |
| Country: | India |
| Language: | Malayalam |
Mazha is a 2000 Indian Malayalam-language drama film written and directed by Lenin Rajendran based on the short story Nashtappetta Neelambari by Madhavikkutty. It stars Biju Menon, Samyuktha Varma, and Lal. The music was composed by Ravindran. The film won five Kerala State Film Awards, a National Film Award, and a South Filmfare Award.[1] [2] [3]
Mazha tells the love story of Bhadra (Samyuktha Varma) and her music teacher, Sastrigal (Biju Menon). The film begins with teenager Bhadra coming to learn music under Sastrigal and getting infatuated with him and his singing in Sivapuram. The story describes her character and behavior in a nice mood. In her teenage years, Madhura is a beautiful village inhabited by Tamil Brahmins, including the shasthrikal. She falls in love with her music teacher (shasthrikal) because of her young age and curiosity towards his music.
The story runs in the surroundings of the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple in Tamil Nadu. Bhadra's creative talents for poetry start to flourish under his influence. Sastrigal is not much aware of Bhadra's love and considers her only as his talented student. Coming to know about Bhadra's infatuation, her parents take her with them, and Sastrigal is obliged to marry his fiancée(Sindhu).
Bhadra becomes a doctor (like her father) and is married to Chandran (Lal) who is a computer engineer. Chandran happens to see her diary one day and the relationship goes for a toss. Of course, there are no names in the diary. So he goes on to doubt every male in her life – including the elderly senior doctor Thilakan. He becomes a victim of his drinking and dies of a related illness.
In the end, Bhadra sets out in search of Sastrigal to Madurai where she discovers that Sastrigal also has lost much – his wife is a mental patient. The final shock is when she finds out that Sastrigal has lost his beautiful voice due to cancer.
The film's soundtrack contains nine songs composed by Ravindran. The lyrics were by Bharathiyar, Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, O. V. Usha, Yusuf Ali Kecheri, and K. Jayakumar.
| Title | Singer(s) | Raga(s) | Lyricist | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Ithramel Manamulla" | ||||
| 2 | "Manjinte" | K. Jayakumar | |||
| 3 | "Geyam Harinaamadheyam" | Yusuf Ali Kecheri | |||
| 4 | "Himashaila" | K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra, Arundhathi | Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri | ||
| 5 | "Vaarmukile" | K. S. Chitra | Yusuf Ali Kecheri | ||
| 6 | "Aashaadham" | K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra | K. Jayakumar | ||
| 7 | "Paarukkulle Nalla Naadu" | Bharathiyar | |||
| 8 | "Aaraadyam" | O. V. Usha | |||
| 9 | "Himashaila" | K. J. Yesudas | Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri |
Despite positive reviews, the film was a commercial failure.[4] [5]
According to Arun of The Indian Express, "it's due to the phenomenal success of Narasimham. Its massive success cast a gigantic shadow that devoured the entire Malayalam film industry. Well almost "The Narasimham hangover is terrifically strong and it has, at least for the moment, killed the prospects of good films. I don't see any other reason for the failure of well made female-oriented films like Mazha and Madhuranombarakkattu."[6]