''Piravi'' ( en, italic=yes, The Birth) is a 1989 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
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
directed by
Shaji N. Karun
Shaji Neelakantan Karun (born 1 January 1952) is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film '' Piravi'' (1988) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the premiere chairman of the Keral ...
. It stars
Premji
Mullamangalath Parameshwaran Bhattathiripad (23 September 1908 – 10 August 1998), commonly known as M. P. Bhatathirippad or Premji, was a social reformer, cultural leader and actor from Kerala state, India. Premji joined Yogakshema Sabha ...
,
Archana and Lakshmi Krishnamurthy. The film is based on the life of professor
T. V. Eachara Warrier, whose son, a student in
Regional Engineering College, Calicut, was
killed in police custody during the
National Emergency Period of 1976. The film's music was composed by
G. Aravindan
Govindan Aravindan (23 January 1935 – 15 March 1991) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, musician, cartoonist, and painter. He was one of the pioneers of parallel cinema in Malayalam. He was known for his unorthodox way of filmma ...
and
Mohan Sithara
Mohan Sithara is an Indian music composer. He received the Kerala State Film Award for the Best Music Director (2009) for the songs in Priyanandan's ''Soofi Paranja Kadha''. Since 1986 he has been an active musician in the Malayalam film industr ...
. ''Piravi'' received widespread critical acclaim upon release. The film was screened and very well received at many film festivals and won at least 31 awards, including the
Caméra d'Or — Mention Spéciale at the
1989 Cannes Film Festival
The 42nd Cannes Film Festival was held from 11 to 23 May 1989. The Palme d'Or went to ''Sex, Lies, and Videotape'' by Steven Soderbergh.
The festival opened with ''New York Stories'', anthology film directed by Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, ...
.
It also won the
National Film Award for Best Feature Film
The National Award for Best Feature Film is one of the categories in the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India. It is one of sev ...
at the Indian
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...
in 1989.
Plot
Raghu is one of two children born to Raghava Chakyar (Premji) and his wife. Born quite late in his parents' marriage, Raghu is brought up with immense devotion and love until adulthood.
Now studying in an engineering college far from home, Raghu must return home for the engagement ceremony of his sister (Archana), but fails to turn up. His father Raghavan waits endlessly for his son to return. Raghavan takes daily trips to the local bus stop, waiting all day in the hope that Raghu will eventually come home. Soon it emerges, and the family come to know through newspapers, that Raghu has been taken into custody by the police for political reasons.
Raghavan sets out to try to find his son, and he eventually reaches police headquarters. However the police pretend not to know about Raghu, or his whereabouts, and furthermore, deny the fact that Raghu was taken into custody. Raghu's sister eventually comes to the realization that her brother has probably died as a result of police torture, but hasn't the heart to tell her father. Raghavan slowly begins to lose grip of reality and starts to dream of his family reuniting once more.
Cast
*
Premji
Mullamangalath Parameshwaran Bhattathiripad (23 September 1908 – 10 August 1998), commonly known as M. P. Bhatathirippad or Premji, was a social reformer, cultural leader and actor from Kerala state, India. Premji joined Yogakshema Sabha ...
as Professor Raghava Chakyar
*
Archana as Chakyar's daughter
*M. Chandran Nair
*
Mullanezhi
Mullanezhi Neelakandan Namboothiri (1948–2011), popularly known as Mullanezhi, was a Malayalam poet, playwright, lyricist and actor from Thrissur in Kerala state of India. He was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award twice: in 1995 for t ...
*Surendran
*
V. K. Sreeraman
Vettiyattil Krishnan Sreeraman (born 6 February 1953) is an Indian actor, writer, TV anchor and social worker.
Personal life and education
He was born into a middle-class family at Cheruvathani village near Kunnamkulam, situated in Thrissur di ...
*K Gopalakrishnan
*Kottara Gopalakrishnan Nair
*Lakshmi Amma
*Lakshmi Krishnamoorthy
*Shantha Ramachandran
*Leela
*Rahul Laxman as Chakyar's son
*Ammini
Awards
The film was nominated for or won the following awards:
1989 Cannes Film Festival
The 42nd Cannes Film Festival was held from 11 to 23 May 1989. The Palme d'Or went to ''Sex, Lies, and Videotape'' by Steven Soderbergh.
The festival opened with ''New York Stories'', anthology film directed by Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, ...
(France)
* Won -
Caméra d'Or
The Caméra d'Or ("''Golden Camera''") is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections (Official Selection, Directors' Fortnight or International Critics' Week
The International ...
-
Mention d'honneur -
Shaji N. Karun
Shaji Neelakantan Karun (born 1 January 1952) is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film '' Piravi'' (1988) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the premiere chairman of the Keral ...
1989
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is a film festival that runs for two weeks in June each year. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival. EIFF presents both UK and international films (all ti ...
(UK)
* Won - Sir Charles Chaplin Award - Piravi - Shaji N. Karun
1989
Locarno International Film Festival
The Locarno Film Festival is an annual film festival, held every August in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narrative, documentary, sh ...
(Switzerland)
* Won - Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention - Shaji N. Karun
* Won - Silver Leopard - Shaji N. Karun
* Nominated - Golden Leopard - Shaji N. Karun
1989
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...
(India)
* Won - Golden Lotus Award -
National Film Award for Best Feature Film
The National Award for Best Feature Film is one of the categories in the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India. It is one of sev ...
-
Shaji N. Karun
Shaji Neelakantan Karun (born 1 January 1952) is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film '' Piravi'' (1988) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the premiere chairman of the Keral ...
* Won - Golden Lotus Award -
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to:
Film awards
* AACTA Award for Best Direction
* Academy Award for Best Director
* BA ...
-
Shaji N. Karun
Shaji Neelakantan Karun (born 1 January 1952) is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film '' Piravi'' (1988) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the premiere chairman of the Keral ...
* Won - Silver Lotus Award -
Best Actor
Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play.
The term most often refers to th ...
-
Premji
Mullamangalath Parameshwaran Bhattathiripad (23 September 1908 – 10 August 1998), commonly known as M. P. Bhatathirippad or Premji, was a social reformer, cultural leader and actor from Kerala state, India. Premji joined Yogakshema Sabha ...
* Won - Silver Lotus Award -
Best Audiography - T. Krishnanunni
1989
Kerala State Film Awards
The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...
(India)
* Won -
Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor
The Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor is an honour, begun in 1969, presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to an actor for best performance in a Malayalam film. Until 1997, the awards were managed directly by the Depar ...
- Premji
* Won -
Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film
The Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film is an award presented annually at the Kerala State Film Awards of India to the second best film in Malayalam cinema. The awards are managed directly by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy under ...
1989
Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by the Filmfare magazine of The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Indian film industry encompassing ...
* Won -
Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Malayalam
The Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Malayalam is an award instituted in 1972, presently annually at the Filmfare Awards South to an actor via a jury. This given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for performers ...
-''
Premji
Mullamangalath Parameshwaran Bhattathiripad (23 September 1908 – 10 August 1998), commonly known as M. P. Bhatathirippad or Premji, was a social reformer, cultural leader and actor from Kerala state, India. Premji joined Yogakshema Sabha ...
''
* Won -
Filmfare Award for Best Director - Malayalam
''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of Indian most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, an ...
- ''
Shaji N Karun
Shaji Neelakantan Karun (born 1 January 1952) is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film ''Piravi'' (1988) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the premiere chairman of the Kerala ...
''
1989
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawai'i International Film Festival (HIFF) is an annual film festival held in the United States state of Hawaii.
HIFF has a focus on Asian-Pacific cinema, education, and the work of new and emerging filmmakers. HIFF’s primary festival is h ...
(United States)
* Won - Best Feature Film - Piravi - Shaji N. Karun
1989
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...
(United States)
* Won - Silver Hugo - Piravi - Shaji N. Karun
1990 Bergamo Film Meeting (Italy)
* Won - Bronze Rosa Camuna -
Shaji N. Karun
Shaji Neelakantan Karun (born 1 January 1952) is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film '' Piravi'' (1988) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the premiere chairman of the Keral ...
1990 Fribourg International Film Festival (Switzerland)
* Won - Distribution Help Award - Shaji N. Karun
1991
Fajr Film Festival
Iran's annual Fajr International Film Festival ( fa, جشنواره بینالمللی فیلم فجر), or Fajr Film Festival (little: FIFF; fa, جشنواره فیلم فجر), has been held every February and April in Tehran since 1982. T ...
(
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
)
* Won - Crystal Simorgh - International Competition: Superb Film - Piravi - Shaji N. Karun
References
External links
30 Must see Indian Films selected by Critic Utpal Datta
*
30 Must see Indian film selected by Critic Utpal Datta
{{NationalFilmAwardBestFeatureFilm
1989 films
1989 drama films
1980s Malayalam-language films
Films shot in Kozhikode
Films directed by Shaji N. Karun
Films featuring a Best Actor National Award-winning performance
Films whose director won the Best Director National Film Award
Best Feature Film National Film Award winners
Films that won the Best Audiography National Film Award
1989 directorial debut films