''Kamaladalam'' () is a 1992 Indian

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

-language musical

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film written by

A. K. Lohithadas Ambazhathil Karunakaran Lohithadas (10 May 1955 – 28 June 2009) was an Indian screenwriter, playwright, film maker, and producer who worked in the Malayalam film industry. In a career spanning over two decades, his films have won a National ...

and directed by

Sibi Malayil Sibi ( Sindhi: سيوي ur, ) is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name. Etymology The origin of the town's name is attributed to Rani Sewi, a Hindu la ...

, starring

Mohanlal Mohanlal Viswanathan (born 21 May 1960), known mononymously as Mohanlal, is an Indian actor, film producer, playback singer, film distributor, and director who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema besides also having sporadically app ...

, Murali,

Vineeth Vineeth Radhakrishnan (born 23 August 1969) is an Indian actor, classical dancer, voice artist and choreographer who primarily works in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu language films. He has also starred in a few Kannada and Bollywood films. He h ...

Nedumudi Venu Kesavan Venugopal (22 May 1948 – 11 October 2021), better known by his stage name Nedumudi Venu, was an Indian actor and screenwriter from Kerala, who predominantly worked in Malayalam cinema. He acted in more than 500 films, primarily in Ma ...

Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair (16 October 191611 March 1997) was an Indian poet, playwright, script writer, lyricist, orator, film director and actor, though he is best known as an actor in Malayalam cinema. He is the recipient of Padma Shri fr ...

Monisha Monisha Unni (24 January 1970 – 5 December 1992) was an Indian actress, known for her works in Malayalam, Tamil cinema. Monisha was 16 when she became the youngest actress ever to receive the National Film Award for Best Actress for ''N ...

Parvathy Jayaram Ashwathy Kurup (born 7 April 1970), better known by her stage name Parvathy and married name Parvathy Jayaram (Aswathi Jayaram) , is a former Indian actress, costume designer and classical dancer, who appeared in Malayalam films. Parvathy was ...

and Sukumari. The film was produced by Mohanlal through his company

Pranavam Arts Pranavam Arts International (formerly Pranavam Arts or Pranavams International) was an Indian film production and distribution company based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, founded in 1990 by Indian actor Mohanlal. Since then the company has pro ...

and features original songs composed by

Raveendran Madhavan Raveendran ( ml, മാധവൻ രവീന്ദ്രൻ ), (born Kulathupuzha, Kollam, 9 November 1943 – died Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 3 March 2005), fondly known as ''Raveendran Master'', was a popular South Indian music composer an ...

with a background score by

Johnson Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

. The story was inspired by the Telugu film ''

Sagara Sangamam ''Sagara Sangamam'' () is a 1983 Indian Telugu-language dance film written and directed by K. Viswanath and produced by Edida Nageswara Rao. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Jaya Prada, Sarath Babu, S. P. Sailaja and Chakri Toleti. Upon release, ...

'' directed by

K. Viswanath Kasinadhuni Viswanath (born 19 February 1930) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actor, known for his works primarily in Telugu cinema. He is recipient of five National Film Awards, seven state Nandi Awards, ten Filmfare Awards South ...

Plot

Nandagopan is a respected dance teacher at the Kerala Kala Mandiram (alluding to the famed

Kerala Kalamandalam Kerala Kalamandalam, deemed to be University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major center for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the Southern states of India, with the special emphasis on K ...

repertory, which performs Kerala's temple arts). However, his life turned upside down when his wife Sumangala committed suicide as a result of a heated spat between them, during which Nandagopan challenged Sumangala that he wouldn't care if she died and that he would be much relieved if she were dead. A broken-hearted Sumangala taking his words seriously, alighted herself on fire. Nandagopan's efforts to save her were in vain. Sumangala had once before marriage also attempted suicide. The reason being Nandagopan, unaware of her feelings for him, was preparing to marry someone else. She left a suicide note in which she had written that she was in love with Nandagopan but did not have the courage to reveal her feelings to him and that she can't bear to see him married to another lady. Fortunately she was saved on time, the first time, and Nandagopan married her. In the film, Sumangala's death is only revealed later to Malavika (Monisha). People start thinking he killed his own wife. Saddened with grief, he becomes alcoholic. He comes every day to Kalamandalam and creates chaos. On one such occasion when he did this the police took him away as the new secretary of the institute, Velayudhan (Nedmudi Venu) wants him to be sacked, but his former reputation gives him a reprieve. Once when he commented on Malavika's dance, she feels very bad and started thinking bad on him. Meanwhile, Soman (Vineeth) is in love with Malavika. A few days later, the institution decides Malavika's Arangettam is to be performed. On the day of the performance, Nandagopan decides to test her focus and creates chaos, she immediately stops and the whole Arangettam is gone. Later, when the students strike, when he debates and apologises, they are satisfied. One day when Malavika asks him to stop drinking, he tells her his story, he had specially composed Sita Ramayana for his wife and now she is dead. Determined, Malavika decides to perform it. Meanwhile, while the closeness of the guru and Shishya increases, there are many rumours. Soman tries to kill at first but he fails. On the day Malavika's program he mixes pesticide powder in a drink and is shocked when his brother tells there is nothing wrong between guru and Shishya and they have blessed him. He is filled with grief and confesses the truth to his brother. They both are literally frightened and see the drink bottle in principal, Malavika and Nandagopan's hands. Initially, it reaches to Nandagopan. And during the last scene his mouth is full of blood and everyone is horrified, but he compels the program to be completed. Soon the program is completed and he falls down into the arms of Soman and Malavika and he dies, imagining Sumangala calling him to her.

Cast

as Nandagopan, a respected dance teacher at the Kerala Kala Mandiram *

as Malavika Nangyar, A talented dance student at the Kerala Kala Mandiram *

as Sumangala, Nandagopan's wife *

as Somashekharanunni, Malavika's lover * Murali as Madhavanunni, Somashekharanunni's elder brother *

Oduvil Unnikrishnan Oduvil Unnikrishnan (13 February 1943 – 27 May 2006) was an Indian actor who worked in Malayalam cinema. He has portrayed supporting roles in both dramatic and comedic roles.The HindMalayalam film actor Oduvil Unnikrishnan dead He is a four- ...

as Ravunni Nambeesan Aasan, Malavika's father and Principal of Kerala Kala Mandiram *

as Velayudhan, Secretary of Kerala Kala Mandiram *

as Director of Kerala Kala Mandiram (as Himself) * Sukumari as Dance Teacher at Kerala Kala Mandiram *

Bindu Panicker Bindu Panicker is an Indian actress who has more than 200 films to her credit. She has played both comedy and character roles in Malayalam cinema. She won the Kerala State Film Award for the best supporting actress in 2001 for Soothradharan. Sh ...

as Madhavanunni's wife *

Mamukoya Mamukkoya (born 5 July 1946) is an Indian actor known for his work in Malayalam cinema, and has also appeared in French film ''Flammens of Paradise''. He has mostly appeared in comedic roles. His unique usage of the Mappila dialect and style mar ...

as Kala Mandiram Hydrose, Nandagopan's friend *

Kozhikode Shantha Devi Damayanthi (1927 – 20 November 2010), better known by her stage name Kozhikode Santha Devi, was an Indian Malayalam film and stage actress. In a career spanning about sixty years, she acted in more than 1000 plays and about 480 films. Biog ...

as Nandagopan's mother *

Santhakumari Santha Kumari (born Vellaala Subbamma; 17 May 1920 – 16 January 2006) was an Indian musical artist and actress. She was married to the Telugu film director and producer P. Pullayya. Early years Vellaala Subbamma was born in Proddatur town, ...

as Malavika's mother *

Kozhikode Narayanan Nair Kozhikode Narayanan Nair is an Indian actor in Malayalam cinema, who has acted in more than 300 films. He entered the "Malayalam" movie industry (Mollywood) through a drama troupe. His first film was ''Aabhijathyam'' (1970), and he is also rem ...

as Nadagopan's uncle *

Valsala Menon Valsala Menon (born 1945) is an Indian actress who works in Malayalam films. She has acted in over 200+ films. Currently she is active in Malayalam television serials. Early life Valsala Menon was born in 1945 to Raman Menon and Devakiyamma in ...

as Dance Teacher at Kerala Kala Mandiram *

Bobby Kottarakkara Bobby Kottarakkara (11 March 1952 – 3 December 2000) was an Indian actor who acted in Malayalam films. He was born to Pareedkunju Ravuthar in Kottarakkara. He began his acting career on stage. He made his film debut with Mucheettukalikkaara ...

as Mridangam Teacher at Kerala Kala Mandiram *

Kunchan Kunchan is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Kunchan Nambiar Kunchan Nambiar was a prominent Malayalam poet of the 18th century (1705-1770). Apart from being a prolific poet, Nambiar is also famous as the originator of the da ...

as Sankaran, a staff at Kerala Kala Mandiram *

Alummoodan Alummoodan (15 March 1933 3 May 1992) was an Indian actor who worked in Malayalam films. He had acted in more than 100 films and mainly did comedy roles. Background Alummoodan was born to Alummoottil Joseph and Rosamma in Changanassery, Changa ...

as Theatrical troupe owner *

Nandhu Nandalal Krishnamoorthy better known by his stage name Nandu is an Indian actor primarily working in Malayalam films. Although he has been in the industry for more than 30 years, he is acclaimed for his performance in Mohanlal' s '' Spirit'', di ...

as student at kala mandiram * Yadu Krishnan * Suma Jayaram as Maya, cameo role in Nandagopan's "Pennukanal"

Soundtrack

The acclaimed soundtrack of this movie was composed by

, for which the acclaimed lyrics were penned by

Kaithapram Padma Shri Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, popularly known as Kaithapram, is a Malayalam lyricist, poet, music director, actor, singer, screenwriter, music therapist and performer of Carnatic music. He debuted with the movie Ennennum K ...

and ''Alaipayuthey'' by Oothukkadu Venkatasubba Iyer.

Release

Reception

The film was a critical and commercial success. The film had a 150-day run in Kerala. The performances of

, Parvathy,

and

were well received. It was one of the last films acted by

before her death. This film was one of the biggest hits in Parvathy's career.

Awards

; Kerala Film Chamber Award * Best Music Director -

* Best Male Playback Singer - K. J. Yesudas

References

External links

*
Kamaladalam at BizHat
{{A. K. Lohithadas 1992 films Films scored by Raveendran 1990s Malayalam-language films Indian musical drama films Films shot in Thrissur Pranavam Arts International films Films directed by Sibi Malayil Films with screenplays by A. K. Lohithadas