‘Sarvam Thaalam Mayam’ a beautiful musical drama

By Mythily Ramachandran

Is music the privilege of a select few?

Rajiv Menon’s musical drama ‘Sarva Thaalam Mayam’ while raising this valid question takes viewers through the life of Peter Johnson-son of a Dalit mridangam maker-who aspires to learn music from none other but the renowned percussionist Palakkad Vembu Iyer.

Inspired by the life of Carnatic mridangam vidwan Umayalpuram K Shivaraman, STM is beautifully narrated and complemented by spectacular performances, especially by the two lead actors-music director cum actor-GV Prakash and the Malayalam veteran Nedumudi Venu.

Peter (GV Prakash) is a crazy fan of Tamil actor Vijay. This easy going young man prefers skipping his examination so that he can play the drums during the release of a new Vijay film. His father Johnson (Kumaravel) is probably the last in the family to continue with the profession of making a mridangam. Peter is certainly not keen on following the mridangam, but is fascinated by its beats. When he delivers a mridangam to Vembu Iyer (Nedumudi Venu) for a concert, he happens to watch the live show from close quarters and from then on, his  heart beats for the mridangam. He is adamant about learning mridangam under Vembu Iyer. Will Vembu Iyer accept a Dalit as his student?

Rajiv Menon- known for his earlier two romantic dramas, ‘Minsara Kanavu’ and ‘Kandukondein Kandukondein’-found the spark for this story while making ‘Overtone’ –a documentary on the life of mridangam artiste U.K. Sivaraman.

GV Prakash training in mridangam under Sivaraman for a year prior to shooting has clearly paid. Prakash just lets himself go onscreen as he brings out Peter’s passion for beats and his perseverance to learn mridangam. It’s a delight watching him match every step with the spontaneous actor Nedumudi Venu.

A romantic angle is woven into the tale with Malayalam actress Aparna Balamurali as Sarah, a Malayali nurse who attends to Peter’s injury following a scuffle. 

‘Sarva Thaala Mayam’ a feel good entertainer that without making a loud noise makes a social statement-Music is a universal language that crosses boundaries of sect, religion, culture and language.

‘Sapthamashree Tashkaraha’ a heist film that keeps you chuckling

Anil Radhakrishnan is back with a heist story in ‘Sapthamashree Tashkaraha.’
What begins as a confession by a petty thief Martin soon takes viewers to a prison where seven jail inmates bond together over a plan to rob rich bad man Pious Mathew (Joy Mathew). This scheming businessman has amassed wealth at the expense of others. One of the affected is Nobel (Nedumudi Venu) a former financier, now reduced to penury. Nobel has an axe to grind and he puts forth the idea to rob Pious. Krishnan Unni, also a victim of Pious’ mean ways joins hands. For the other five inmates, the promise of money lures them into this project.
So, when they are released from prison, they get into action with their plan.
Shuttling between the confession box at the church where the interactions between Martin and the priest are laced with humour and then to the jail confines, Radhakrishnan, gradually lets his characters grow upon the viewers. He has lovingly carved each one of them in great detail and they are hard to leave your minds. Be it Narayana kutty, (Neeraj Madhav) the mechanic with a brilliant mind or Shabab, the tough guy, (a cool looking Asif Ali) whom everyone fears, the characters are distinct from one another.
While this is not a racy thriller, it’s the presentation of the story that gets you hooked. The script written by Radhakrishnan is the hero and the dialogues keep you chuckling.
Justifying Radhakrishnan’s casting are the actors who have slipped on their character’s garb with great ease. Veteran actor, Nedumudi Venu is so perfect. Prithviraj as Krishan Unni is seen in a subtle role, sans his macho image. I won’t blame you if you wished for a priest like the one in the story portrayed well by  Lijo Jose Pellisery. Confession would be much easier! Joy Mathews as the bad guy fits in well. Dubai’s Renu Mathews does justice to her role as Krishnan Unni’s wife and so does Sanusha as Noble’s daughter, who becomes an accomplice in the mission to rob Pious. Mongolian circus artiste Flower Battsetseg surprises you with her antics. The comedy here is clean and although it does get to toilet humour towards the climax, it does not stink. You can’t just help laughing. The Puli Kali scene was hilarious.

But it’s the director who has the last laugh. Radhakrishnan has attempted a different genre from his earlier film, ’24 North Kaatham,’ and once again he scores with the audience.
Just don’t miss this clean entertainer. Go for ‘Sapthamasree Tashkaraha.’