Underplayed Gems

Nirmalyam (1973)

Nirmalyam poster
Original title
നിര്‍മ്മാല്യം
Directed by
M. T. Vasudevan Nair
Genre
drama film
Country
India
Runtime
2h 14m
Rated
U
Rating
7.8 of 10 from 5 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A man serves as an oracle in a Hindu temple, a role that brings him status but also ties him to poverty and tradition. His struggles with faith and survival unfold against a backdrop of rural life in Kerala.

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What happens

Nirmalyam (transl. "Remains" or "Yesterday's Offerings") is a 1973 Indian Malayalam-language film written and directed by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, and stars P. J. Antony, Sumithra, and Ravi Menon. P. J. Antony won the National Film Award for Best Actor in 1974 for his performance as a velichappadu (an oracle or a medium between the Goddess and the worshipper in a Hindu temple) in this movie. The film received the National Film Award for Best Feature Film and Kerala State Film Award for Best Film in 1974. It is one of the classics in Malayalam cinema. The film was based on M. T. Vasudevan Nair's short story Pallivaalum Kaalchilambum. The film marked the debut of M. T. Vasudevan Nair as director and also, Sukumaran and Sumithra as actors. It is the second movie of Ravi Menon who acted earlier in a Hindi movie. This movie was a breakthrough in Ravi Menon's acting career. The movie is an adaptation of the short story "Pallivalum Kalchilambum" by M. T. Vasudevan Nair. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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