'' Ottaal'' (English: ''The Trap'') is a 2015 Indian

Malayalam film Malayalam cinema is an Indian cinema, Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, ...

directed by

Jayaraj Jayarajan Rajasekharan Nair, professionally credited as Jayaraj, is an Indian filmmaker, who predominantly works in Malayalam film industry. He has won many awards, including Crystal Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Golden ...

, an adaptation of the short story "Vanka" by Russian author

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

. This film stars Ashanth K Sha and Kumarakom Vasudevan, as well as actors

Shine Tom Chacko Shine Tom Chacko (born 15 September 1983) is an Indian actor and former assistant director who works in Malayalam cinema. After working as an assistant to director Kamal for about 9 years, he forayed into acting through the film. '' Gaddama'' ...

, Sabitha Jayaraj and Thomas G. Kannampuzha. It became the first movie in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

to be released online on the same day as its theatrical release. The film made history, becoming the first ever Malayalam movie to have swept all the top awards in the 20-year history of the

International Film Festival of Kerala The International Film Festival of Kerala (abbreviated as IFFK) is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. This film festival started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy ...

. The film was one of four

Malayalam films Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, ''Elippathayam' ...

selected to be a part of the ''Indian Panorama'' at the

International Film Festival of India The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually, currently in the state of Goa, on the western coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common pla ...

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

in November 2015.

Plot

This film tells the story of a young boy (Ashanth K Sha) and his relationship with his grandfather (Kumarakom Vasudevan), his only living relative in the world. Actor Kumarakom Vasudevan is a fisherman in real life, whom Director Jayaraj found during his hunt for actors to play the role. Shine Tom Chacko’s character, Mesthri, also has a pivotal role in the story. ''Ottaal'' is an adaptation of one of Anton Chekhov’s timeless works, Vanka. A story of the 18th century, but one that has travelled the time and space to be retold in the present day at a small village in the South of India.

Cast

* Master Ashanth K Sha as Kuttappai * Kumarakaom Vasudevan as Vallyappachayi *

as Mesthri * Thomas J Kannampuzha as Betty * Sabitha Jayaraj as Moly * Master Hafis Muhammed as Tinku * Vavachan as Outha

Soundtrack

The film has one song, "Aa Manathilirrunnu", composed by Padma Bhushan

Kavalam Narayana Panicker Kavalam Narayana Panicker (1 May 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, notably Kalidasa's ''Vikramorvasiy ...

. The background score composed by

Sreevalsan J. Menon Sreevalsan J. Menon is an Indian Carnatic vocalist and a music composer from Kerala. Biography After initial training under Rajalakshmi Krishnan (disciple of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar) and violinist T.V. Ramani at Thrissur, Menon had mu ...

was praised by the jury when the film won the

Crystal Bear The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

at the

Berlinale The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

2016.

Release and reception

The film was released in theaters in

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

on 6 November 2015 and online on the same day through

Reelmonk Reelmonk is a Kochi-based online film distribution platform offering primarily Malayalam films aimed at the non-residential Indian audience. Launched in July 2015, it was created by Vivek Paul, Gautham Vyas, and Blaise Crowly of Xincoz Labs. Reel ...

, making it the first Indian film to be released simultaneously in theaters and on the internet.

Accolades

References

External links

* {{Jayaraj 2015 films Films directed by Jayaraj Films scored by Kavalam Narayana Panicker Films whose writer won the Best Adapted Screenplay National Film Award Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation National Film Award winners Films about child labour 2010s Malayalam-language films