Kasthooriman

2003 Indian film

4 April 2003 (2003-04-04)

CountryIndiaLanguageMalayalam

Kasthooriman (transl. Musk deer) is a 2003 Indian Malayalam-language romantic drama film written and directed by A. K. Lohithadas. Lohithadas remade the film in Tamil under the same title, with Meera reprising her role.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Plot

Sajan Joseph Alukka is a soft-spoken and studious young man, while his junior Priyamvada is smart and outgoing. Her close friend is in love with Sajan, but he avoids her by saying that his only ambition in life is to study hard and become an IAS officer.

However, Priya follows him and digs out the truth that though he hails from a rich family, his father has gone bankrupt and has no money even to pay the exam fee. On hearing this, her friend ditches him. Slowly, Priya starts having a soft corner for him. She even pays his fees while Sajan tries to avoid her and treats this as an insult.

Sajan and Priya fall in love, and she supports him during his preparation for the IAS exam. She is over the moon when Sajan gets his IAS. However, things take a turn when Priya murders her abusive brother-in-law in self-defense and is sent to prison. Sajan waits for her return, and the two are reunited after Priya's prison term is completed.

Cast

Kunchacko Boban as Sajan Joseph Alukka IAS, Assistant Collector
Meera Jasmine as Priyamvada
Shammi Thilakan as Rajendran
Kalasala Babu as Lonappan
Lishoy as Joseph Alukka, father of Sajan
Cochin Haneefa as Younis, House Owner
Sandra Amy as Sheela Paul
Bindu Murali as Alice
Ambika Mohan as Vanaja, mother of Priyamvada & Raji
Sona Nair as Raji, sister of Priyamvada
Kulappulli Leela as Raji's mother-in-law
Suma Jayaram as House owner
Devi Chandana as Nancy, Sajan's sister
Sadiq as Jacob, Sajan's brother-in-law
Rema Devi as College lecturer
Nandakishore
Nivedya as Police officer

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack contains eight songs, all composed by Ouseppachan, with lyrics by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.

#	Title	Singer(s)
1	"Azhake"	P. Jayachandran, Sujatha Mohan
2	"Karkuzhali"	Sujatha Mohan
3	"One Plus One"	M. G. Sreekumar, Jyotsna
4	"Raakkuyil [D]"	K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra, Chorus
5	"Raakkuyil"	K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra
6	"Maarivil Thooval"	Santhosh Kesav

Reception

A critic from Nowrunning wrote that "The film is worth a watch in the theatres, thanks to an engaging directorial style of Lohithadas who believes in simple and straightforward way of story telling".^[4]

Box office

The film became a commercial success at the box office.^[5]

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards 2003

Best Actress - Meera Jasmine

Filmfare Awards South

Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Malayalam - Meera Jasmine

References

^ "Looking back at Malayalam writer-director AK Lohithadas and his women characters". The News Minute. 27 June 2020.
^ "Remake season down south!".
^ "Lohitadas: My conscience is clear".
^ "Kasthooriman Review | Kasthooriman Malayalam Movie Review by K. T. Thomas". Nowrunning. 10 April 2003.
^ Poornima (28 June 2003). "Mammootty succeeds, Mohanlal falters". Rediff.com.