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Balettan
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Wikipedia article
'Balettan' is a 2003 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film directed by V. M. Vinu and written by T. A. Shahid. It stars Mohanlal, Devayani, Harisree Ashokan, Riyaz Khan, Nedumudi Venu, and Jagathy Sreekumar. The film was released on 28 August 2003. It won the Kerala Film Critics Association Awards for the Best Popular Film of the year. 'Balettan' was the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year at the box office. The film was remade in Telugu as 'Rajababu' with Rajasekhar.
Plot
Athaniparampil Balachandran (Balan) is an ordinary family man, living with his wife Radhika, two children, his younger brother and father, a locally respected retired postmaster. Balan struggles to balance his professional life amidst his multiple interests, which includes amateur theater and a penchant for helping others, including strangers. Nevertheless, he leads a cheerful life, with the support of his loving family, and has earned the status of being a major figure in the local society, earning the pet name "Balettan" (Balan the elder brother).
However, his good-samaritanism, amateur interests and carelessness leads to circumstances that leave him deep in debt and he even gets arrested for cheating. His father bails him out of the problems with his pension savings, and expects Balan to become more responsible towards his family. An unexpected cardiac arrest leaves Balan's father in the hospital, and right before his death, he confides in Balan about having another wife and daughter, and asks him to take care of them, without letting the rest of his accepted family or villagers knowing about the matter.
After his father's death, Balachandran tries to realign his life between the two families and struggles in it. His family starts suspecting him of having an affair, as he is spotted with his half-sister. Amid the chaos, a stranger named Bhadran comes into Balan's life with sinister intentions, and blackmails him, with an eye on his half-sister. The rest of the story tells how Balan manages to solve his problems, including Bhadran's threats and getting his second family accepted in the society.
Cast
* Mohanlal as Athaniparambil Balachandran (Balettan)
* Devayani as Radhika, Balachandran's wife
* Nedumudi Venu as Balachandran's father
* Sudha as Balachandran's mother
* Sudheesh as Sudhi, Balachandran's younger brother
* Riyaz Khan as Bhadran
* Jagathy Sreekumar as K. K. Pisharadi
* Harisree Ashokan as Manikandan
* Nithya Das as Devaki
* Innocent as Achumama
* Kalabhavan Mani as Musthafa (cameo appearance)
* Indrans as Koya
* Nandhu as Sukumaran
* Kalasala Babu as Radhika's father
* Bhavani as Balachandran's father's second wife
* Salu Kuttanadu as Neelandan
* Vimal Raj as Basheer
* Gopika Anil as elder daughter of Balachandran
* Keerthana Anil as younger daughter of Balachandran
Soundtrack
The film features songs composed by M. Jayachandran with lyrics by Gireesh Puthenchery.
The title track "Cholakkiliyae (Balettaa...)" is allegedly inspired by Boney M's "Rasputin"
Box office
The film was released on 28 August 2003. 'Balettan' was a commercial success at the box office and the film gave box office success to leading actor Mohanlal after the gap of the two years, and became the highest grossing Malayalam film of the year.
Awards
References
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