Raavanaprabhu


Raavanaprabhu is a 2001 Indian Malayalam-language action drama film written and directed by Ranjith in his directorial debut. It is a sequel to the 1993 film Devaasuram written by Ranjith. The film stars Mohanlal in the dual role of Mangalassery Neelakandan and M. N. Karthikeyan, father and son. Napoleon reprises the role of Neelakandan's archenemy Mundackal Shekharan. It also features Vasundhara Das, Innocent, Siddique, Revathi, Vijayaraghavan, and Saikumar. The plot follows M. N. Karthikeyan, Neelakandan's son and his attempts to reclaim their ancestral home Mangalassery tharavadu.
The film features original songs composed by Suresh Peters and background score by C. Rajamani. Raavanaprabhu was released on 31 August 2001 during the time of Onam in Kerala. The film performed well at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year. It won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value and Best Male Playback Singer for K. J. Yesudas, and also won Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Malayalam for Peters.

Plot

The story begins with Mangalassery Neelakandan's son Karthikeyan, as he ventures out to make money which ultimately makes him a liquor baron as now Neelakandan has lost his wealth. The relationship between Neelan and Karthikeyan deteriorates, as the father does not approve of his son's money-making methods.
Mundakkal Shekaran Nambiar comes into the picture again after spending a 9 year term in prison for killing one of Neelakandan's friends: Kunjananthan, decades ago on Neelakandan's and Bhanumathi's marriage day. He still carries the vengeance against Neelan for severing the former's right-hand years ago. Shekaran decides to finish the Mangalassery family by taking over the chairmanship of a debt-ridden Bank for confiscating the house which was kept as mortgage to the bank for the medical treatment of Bhanumathi: Neelan's wife and Karthikeyan's mother.
Bhanumathi seeks treatment at Shekaran's Hospital. Even though Dr. Janaki: Shekaran's daughter, offers her the treatment she requires, Shekaran throws her out of the hospital, but Neelan reaches on time and issues a strong warning to Shekaran. Neelan tries to find her treatment elsewhere, but Bhanumathi passes away in her sleep. He is shattered. Karthikeyan is not able to reach on time to set her pyre on fire and he's now bent on taking revenge on Shekaran. He vandalises the hospital as his revenge.
Neelan loses his home and Karthikeyan ventures out in an attempt to reclaim his ancestral home - where Bhanumathi was cremated and her eternal urn stands on the Mangalassery soil. He tries to acquire the house legally from an auction with the assistance of the State Home Minister and MLA Sivadasan, but Shekaran and his cunning nephew Mundakkal Rajendran, along with Rajendran's evil accomplice Maniyampra Purushothaman acquire it back using a faux concealed tender. As a last resort, Karthikeyan abducts Janaki in an attempt to blackmail Shekaran, and harbours her in his friend – Sakhtivel Gounder's house in Pollachi, where the Gounder family takes great care of her as their own daughter. It is during this period, Karthikeyan and Janaki fall in love with each other.
Karthikeyan gets the Mangalassery House back when Shekaran strikes a compromise without the knowledge of Rajendran and Janaki's fiancé, Sreenivasan Nambiar IPS. Janaki is subsequently released. As a result of arguments between Janaki and Sreenivasan about her chastity while being in the custody of Karthikeyan, and she not giving a written statement to the police against him because of her liking towards Karthikeyan, the fixed marriage is called off by Janaki.
Rajendran makes a last attempt to kill Karthikeyan, but instead kills Neelakandan by lighting him on fire, and gets killed by Neelan after a perfect knife throw, which decapitates Rajendran. Karthikeyan, now infuriated, goes to kill Shekaran by burning him. But the elderly Warrier stops him and brings him back. Shekaran realizes his mistakes, as well as the kindness of and the influence of Warrier on both Neelan and Karthikeyan. Karthikeyan becomes the head of his home, the soil where both his parents now sleep peacefully in eternity, and the IPS officer gives Janaki back to him, thus parting ways with the would-be couple on a happy note. Karthikeyan and Janaki are happily married with everyone's blessings.

Cast

Raavanaprabhu marks the directorial debut of Ranjith and acts as a sequel to the 1993 film Devaasuram written by Ranjith. The plot follows M. N. Karthikeyan, a new character, the son of Mangalasserry Neelakandan. Vasundhara Das played the female lead role, who debuted in Malayalam with the film. She started by filming the song "Pottukuthedi" which was shot in five days. Shammy Thilakan dubbed the voice for Nepolean in the film. Kanal Kannan was the action choreographer of the film. The Karthikeyan vs. SP Sreenivasan fight scene featuring Mohanlal and Siddique was choreographed by Peter Hein, who then worked as a second assistant in the film. Raavanaprabhu marks the debut work of Hein in Malayalam cinema.

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack includes five songs composed by Suresh Peters and written by Gireesh Puthenchery. "Vandemukunda Hare" was taken from the prequel Devaasuram originally sung and composed by M. G. Radhakrishnan. The soundtrack album was released on 31 December 2000 by the label East Coast Audio Entertainments. The songs became chartbusters. The film's background score was composed by C. Rajamani.

Reception

Raavanaprabhu was released as an Onam festival release on 31 August 2001. The film was a commercial success at the box office and went on to become the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year. Mohanlal's frequently used punchline Savari Giri Giri became a popular catchphrase.

Awards

;Kerala State Film Awards
;Filmfare Awards South
;Asianet Film Awards