''Varnakkazchchakal'' () is a 2000 Indian

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

-language

comedy drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

film directed by

Sundar Das Sundar Das is an Indian film director in Malayalam movies. He directed more than 10 Malayalam films including ''Sallapam'', Kuberan (2002 film), ''Kuberan'' and Sammanam (1997 film), ''Sammanam''. The Malayalam actress Manju Warrier debuted with ...

. The film stars

Dileep Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, better known by his stage name Dileep, is an Indian actor, producer, comedian and entrepreneur who predominantly works in the Malayalam film industry. He has also acted in Tamil, Hindi, and Kannada films. He has ...

, Poornima Indrajith, and

Jagathy Sreekumar Sreekumar Achary (born 5 January 1951), better known by his stage name Jagathy Sreekumar or simply Jagathy, is an Indian actor, director and playback singer, who has appeared in over 1500 Malayalam films in a career spanning almost four deca ...

in lead roles. It has a musical score by

Mohan Sithara Mohan Sithara (born 30 May 1959) 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 Mal ...

Plot

The story deals with an aristocratic family and its filial defects. Kunju is the youngest member of the aristocratic family and has an elder brother, Sudhakaran Menon, whom everyone respects and fears. Kunju's sister-in-law is led by greed and halts any marriage proposals coming to Kunju to avoid sharing family wealth. Kunju's brother also follows his wife's lead in this matter. However, the elder brother's business deals result in losses which puts the family's livelihood at stake. His pride makes him fall further into debt. Kunju suffers from

schizophreniform disorder Schizophreniform disorder is a mental disorder diagnosed when symptoms of schizophrenia are present for a significant portion of time (at least a month), but signs of disturbance are not present for the full six months required for the diagnosis ...

after witnessing the death of his girlfriend, Malavika, during his college days in Palakkad. He falls in love with a lower-class woman, Sridevi, despite the objections of his family. Sudhakaran Menon gets cheated by his lawyer and their clay factory is confiscated through illegal means. This disturbs Kunju and he attacks the new owners in a psychotic fit and kills those who cheated them. Sudhakaran Menon asks Kunju for forgiveness for his misdoings. The court absolves Kunju from his actions citing his mental disorder. Eventually, Kunju unites with Sridevi.

Cast

as Kunju *

Poornima Mohan Poornima Indrajith (née Poornima Mohan) is an Indian actress and film producer who works predominantly in Malayalam films. She debuted as child artist with the Malayalam film '' Onnu Muthal Poojaym Vare'' in 1986. Her last film before marriag ...

as Sreedevi/Cheeru *Sishwa as Malavika *

Sangeetha Sangeeta may refer to: Song and music * Sangita or Sangeeta, music-related performance arts in the ancient and medieval era Indian texts * '' Sangita Makarandha'', an ancient work on Indian classical music Sangeet Sangeeta *Sangeeta Bijlani ( ...

as Susan *

as Kaimal *

Kalabhavan Mani Kunnisseri Veettil Raman Mani (1 January 1971 – 6 March 2016), better known by his stage name Kalabhavan Mani, was an Indian actor and singer. Mani started his career as a Impersonator, mimicry artist with the Kalabhavan comedy troupe. He had ...

as Kunjandi *

KPAC Lalitha Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K. P. A. C. Lalitha (10 March 1947 – 22 February 2022), was an Indian film and stage actress who worked primarily in the Malayalam film industry. Considered one of the greatest actresses in the ...

as Kunju's mother * Ambika as Bhagyalakshmi *

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. Critically acclaimed for her performance in 2001 for Soothradharan. She was a member of the Asso ...

as Saumini *KPAC Premachandran as Haridas, Renuka's father *

K. T. S. Padannayil Kochuparambil Thai Subramanian Padannayil (1933 – 22 July 2021) was an Indian theatre artist and film actor who worked predominantly in Malayalam film industry. He began his acting career at the age of 21 as a theatre artist and made his film ...

as Jayaraman, Damu's relative *

Lena Lena or LENA may refer to: Places * Léna Department, a department of Houet Province in Burkina Faso * Lena, Manitoba, an unincorporated community located in Killarney-Turtle Mountain municipality in Manitoba, Canada * Lena, Norway, a village in ...

as Renuka *

Mala Aravindan Mala Aravindan (15 January 1939 – 28 January 2015) was an Indian actor. He was best known for his work as a comedian and character artist in Malayalam films. He has acted in over 500 films. Early life Aravindan was born at Vadavucode in th ...

as Chathutti *Manka Mahesh as Renuka's mother * N. F. Varghese as Sudhakaran Menon *

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 Pothuval *

Ponnamma Babu Ponnamma Babu is an Indian actress best known for her work in Malayalam cinema. She has acted in more than 300 films, TV serials and comedy shows. She made her debut in ''Padanayakan'' in 1996. Personal life Ponnamma was born to Mathai and ...

as Subadra *

Ravi Menon Chalappurathu Raveendranatha Menon (1950 – 24 November 2007), popularly known as Ravi Menon, was a veteran Indian film actor who worked in Malayalam cinema. He was born in Sreekrishnapuram, Palakkad in 1950. He graduated from the Film and T ...

as Shankarankutty, Subadra's husband * Risabava as Thomachan *

Sreenath Sreenath Thoppil Inchora (26 August 1956 – 23 April 2010) was an Indian film and television actor. He has acted in many Malayalam films, including '' Shalini Ente Koottukari'', '' Ithu Njangalude Katha'', '' Sarvakalashala'', '' Oru CBI Diar ...

as Advocate Satheesh *

Jagannatha Varma K. N. Jagannatha Varma (1 May 1939 – 20 December 2016) was an Indian actor who worked in Malayalam film and television industry. He was also a Kathakali artist. His son Manu Varma is also an artist and his son-in-law Viji Thampi is a film d ...

as Bhageerathan, Malavika's father *

Sruthi Lakshmi Sruthi Jose (born 8 September 1990), better known by her screen name Sruthi Lakshmi, is an Indian actress acting mainly in Malayalam films and television serials. She is also a trained classical dancer. She received a Kerala state television a ...

as Child artist *Chandrika *Kozhikode Sarada as Kali *Nandu Pothuval as Peon *Sreehari as Damu

Soundtrack

The music was composed by

and the lyrics were written by

Yusufali Kechery Yusufali Kechery (Yūsaphali Kēccēri; 16 May 1934 – 21 March 2015) was a poet, film lyricist, film producer and director from Kerala, India. He wrote during the modern era of Malayalam poetry and won the Odakkuzhal Award, the Kerala Sahi ...

Reception

A critic from ''indiainfo.com'' wrote, " Sunderdas has, through ''Varnakaazhchakal'', made a film that reiterates that family subjects don’t easily lose their charm as far as Malayalam cinema is concerned".

References

External links

* 2000 films Indian comedy-drama films Films shot in Palakkad 2000s Malayalam-language films Films scored by Mohan Sithara Films directed by Sundar Das {{2000s-Malayalam-film-stub