Ennu Ninte Moideen () is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language biographical romantic drama film written and directed by R. S. Vimal, based on the real-life story of Kanchanamala and B. P. Moideen, which took place in the 1960s in Mukkam, Kozhikode."Ennu Ninte Moideen unfolds in the first person account of Kanchanamala" . The Times of India (17 July 2014). Retrieved on 27 September 2015. Prithviraj Sukumaran and Parvathy Thiruvothu play the title characters of Moideen and Kanchanamala while Tovino Thomas, Bala, Sai Kumar, Sashi Kumar and Lena appear in supporting roles."Prithviraj Coming Up with 3 Big Malayalam Films" . International Business Times (26 June 2014). Retrieved 27 September 2015."I don't mind playing supporting roles: Parvathy" . The Times of India (10 July 2014). Retrieved 27 September 2015.
Music was composed by M. Jayachandran and Ramesh Narayan,"M Jayachandran feels honoured to work with Shreya Ghoshal". The Times of India (25 June 2014). Retrieved 27 September 2015. while background score was composed by Gopi Sunder. The cinematography was by Jomon T. John.Navamy Sudhish (15 July 2014) "In Love with his Lens" . The New Indian Express. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Upon release, it received a positive critical response and was a commercial success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time, grossing over 56 crore at the box office.Mythily Ramachandran (21 October 2015). "‘Ennu Ninte Moideen’ is an immortal love story". Gulf News. Retrieved 22 October 2015. It is widely regarded as one of the best movies of the Malayalam New Wave movement.
Plot Set in the 1960s and 70's in Mukkam, Kerala, the film tells the tragic love story of Moideen who belongs to a renowned Muslim family and Kanchanamala who is from an affluent thiyya Hindu family. Since inter-religious marriages were considered a taboo then, the couple had to part ways as their families objected to their love affair.
Moideen shifted ground to being a socio-political activist and Kanchanamala lived in her house under strict restrictions for 22 years. Both communicated through letters and a language they had developed. Eventually Kanchanmala was caught and beaten mercilessly by her conservative relatives. Balyambra Pottattu Unni Moideen Sahib, Moideen's father, stabs him since Moideen does not agree to part ways with Kanchanamala but he miraculously escapes. Moideen reveals to the judge and police that it was an accident and his father was not responsible. This confession transforms Balyambra Pottattu Unni Moideen Sahib's attitude towards his son; however, he dies immediately afterwards due to a heart attack. Eventually, Moideen and Kanchana decide to elope but when Moideen was returning after collecting their passports, the boat he was traveling on gets caught in a whirlpool. Although he managed to save his fellow boat-mates, he gets caught in the whirlpool and dies. His body is found 3 days later. Upon hearing about his death, Kanchana decides to commit suicide but is stopped by Moideen's mother. In the end, Kanchana leaves home to live in Moideen's house, as Moideen's unmarried widow.
Cast
Prithviraj Sukumaran as Balyambra Pottattu Moideen Parvathy Thiruvothu as Kottatil Kanchanamala Emine Salman as young Kanchanamala Tovino Thomas as Panakkaparambil Appu Bala as Kottatil Sethu Madhavan, Kanchana's brother Saikumar as Balyambra Pottattu Unni Moideen Sahib Sashi Kumar as Kottatil Madhavan Lena as Pathumma Sudheer Karamana as Mukkam Bhasi Shivaji Guruvayoor as Kunjammavan Sudheesh as Kottattil Ramachandran Kalaranjini as Janaki Surabhi Lakshmi as Maaniyamma, servant in Kanchana's house Indrans as Nottan Vaidyar Disney James as Krishnankuttym Prabhavathi's Husband Kozhikode Narayanan Nair as Sathyanath, Appu's father Majeed as Ullatil Sahib George Tharakan K. J. as Sub-inspector Gafoor Balaji Sarma as Mukkam Narayanan Vijayan Karanthoor as Soofi haji Krishna Namboothiri Jayashankar Karimuttam Aneesh G. Menon Nandan Unni Master Roshan as Kochappi Sija Rose as Ameena Devi Ajith as Moideen's aunt Roslin as Appu's mother Sneha Raj as Ramadevi Charutha Baiju as Leela Jaya Noushad as Singer in drama Swathi Noushad as Indrani, Kanchana's sister Shilpa Raj as Marina Vaigha Rose Deepika Mohan Kozhikode Saradha Kozhikode Ramadevi Preetha Pradeep Tinu Thomas Kannur Jija Surendran Nila Noushad Badri Krishna as Velayudhan
Production The film is based on the real life love story of Moideen and Kanchanamala, which happened in the 1960s in the backdrops of river Iruvanjippuzha and Mukkam village. Vimal first made the story into a documentary film and then developed it into a full-length feature film. In October 2014, Kanchanamala had accused Vimal of "tweaking their story", stating that several incidents had not been shown correctly in the film."Prithviraj starrer Ennu Ninte Moideen faces trouble" . Rediff.com (13 October 2014). Retrieved 27 September 2015.
Prithviraj was chosen to play Moideen upon the insistence of real-life Kanchanamala, as she felt that he had a resemblance to Moideen.Parvathy Nambidi (3 July 2014) "A Labour of Undying Love" . The New Indian Express. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Tovino Thomas was signed to play Appuettan (Kanjanamala's cousin), who said that Prithviraj suggested him for the role."It was Prithviraj who invited me to act in Ennu Ninte Moideen: Tovino" . The Times of India (13 July 2014). Retrieved 27 September 2015.
The film was launched at Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram on 9 July 2014."Prithviraj Starrer 'Ennu Ninte Moideen' Launched" . International Business Times (11 July 2014). Retrieved 27 September 2015. The shoot was supposed to begin in the first week of August 2014 but was postponed due to rain."Ennu Ninte Moideen shoot postponed to 14th" . The Times of India (5 August 2014). Retrieved 27 September 2015. Though set entirely in Mukkam, the film was not shot there; it was shot mostly in Shoranur and nearby areas.
Soundtrack
The background music for the film was composed by Gopi Sunder, who also composed a song. Other songs were composed by M. Jayachandran and Ramesh Narayan. Rafeeq Ahamed penned the lyrics. A poem by renowned poet Changampuzha Krishna Pillai was used in the film.
The song "Mukkathe Penne" was composed within five minutes. Gopi Sunder says, "We were doing the background music when director requested us to create a background song for the movie. Mohammed Maqbool Mansoor, a singer who helps me with the Sufi notes, was there during that time. I hummed this tune to him for which he wrote lyrics. He crooned it and thus the song was born." For the song "Kathirunnu", M. Jayachandran won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the first time in his career.Elizabeth Thomas (3 October 2015). "Five-minute composition gets 10 lakh hits" .Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
Release The film was released on September 19, 2015, in Kerala and outside Kerala on October 2, 2015. The television satellite rights of Ennu Ninte Moideen was purchased for an amount of 7 crore by Asianet, which was the highest satellite purchasing amount for any Malayalam film.
Film festival screening The film was among the seven films selected to be screened in the Malayalam Cinema Today section of the 20th edition of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).Press Trust of India (13 October 2015). "Nine Malayalam movies to be screened in IFFK" . Business Standard. Retrieved 15 October 2015. However, director R. S. Vimal decided to withdraw the film from the festival as it was not included in the Competition Section.Asha Prakash (13 October 2015). "Ennu Ninte Moideen backs out of IFFK" . The Times of India. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
Critical response
The Hindu wrote "the film presents a classic case of how a compelling real life incident can be adapted for the screen without compromising on the aesthetics of the medium."M. P. Praveen, S. R. Praveen (26 September 2015). " When real life meets reel life" . The Hindu. Retrieved 27 September 2015. Baradwaj Rangan wrote, " Even with flatly written characters and plodding narration, the film strikes a chord."Baradwaj Rangan (31 October 2015). "In love with love stories" . The Hindu. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
Veeyen of Nowrunning.com rated 3/5 and opined that "a slow-burner that invites its viewers to soak themselves in a compelling romantic tale that is prudently drawn from real life. A pithy, well-acted and remarkably crafted film, this devastating narrative of love, comes across as a true celebration of the tender, expectant spirit that lies deep within it."Veeyen (20 September 2015). "Ennu Ninte Moideen Movie Review" . Nowrunning.com Retrieved 20 September 2015. Hailing the film as "probably the best love story to have graced the screens in the last decade in Malayalam Cinema," Rejath RG of Kerala Kaumudi described it as " a masterful piece of cinema that is sure to leave a long lasting impression in the hearts of moviegoers. R S Vimal has made a gem of a movie, an unforgettable love story of epic proportions."Rejath RG (21 September 2015). "Ennu Ninte Moideen is truly epic" . Kerala Kaumudi. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
G. Ragesh of Malayala Manorama rated the film 3.5/5 and described "Apart from being an inquiry into the unknown realms of human emotions such as love, revenge and envy the film has a smooth narrative which offers a glimpse into the socio-political milieu of the time."G. Rajesh (19 September 2015) "Moideen: A love saga at its ethereal best" . Malayala Manorama. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
Akhila Menon of Filmibeat.com gave a rating of 4/5 and wrote, "It is wonderful to watch the classic form of romance back on the screen, in its complete glory. A well-written script plays the backbone for the film" and "the only minus factor [of the film] is, Kanchanamala gets over-shadowed by Moideen certain points."Akhila Menon (20 September 2015). "Ennu Ninte Moideen Movie Review: An Eternal Love Saga!" . Retrieved 20 September 2015. Sethumadhavan of Bangalore Mirror rated the film 4/5 and said, "Despite the story being so old, the screenplay is powerful enough to hook the audience and make one ignore a few loose ends. Whenever and wherever cinematic liberty has been taken, it does not come across as jarring."Sethumadhavan N "FILM REVIEW:ENNU NINTE MOIDEEN" . Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 22 October 2015. Shyamlee Ahmed of The American Bazaar noted that the "powerful story is a far cry from the modern day puppy love stories coming out of Bollywood" and that the film "will be here to stay in our hearts "ennum" (forever), for its effervescent one of a kind eternal love."Shyamlee Ahmed (14 October 2015). "‘Ennu Ninte Moideen’ review: mind boggling saga of true love" . Retrieved 22 October 2015.
Box office