malayalam film producer Dinesh PanikOne of the producers of the iconic film ‘Kireedam’ looks back at ‘Chenkol’, the sequel to the much-loved classic film.While appreciating the film’s success, he admitted that some aspects of the sequel have bothered him over the years.In an interview with Cineworld Media, Dinesh recalled that when discussions about making Chenkol first began, he expressed his concerns.“It’s ‘Kireedam’ that gives all of us our identity. When Unni told me that they decided to make ‘Chenkol’, I expressed my dissent. I felt I deserved proper recognition as a part of making ‘Kireedam’. I wasn’t asking for money. I just wanted at least a ‘thank you’ card in the end credits.” But I never got it. I even had a little disagreement with him on the matter. Even so, I’m really happy with Chenkol’s success.“
Producers say sequel lacks original’s emotional energy
Though Dinesh enjoyed watching “Chenkol”, he felt that the sequel could not recreate the emotional impact of “Kireedam”. He recalled watching the film with his family on opening day and feeling the difference between the two films.He said the script of “Kireedam” has a unique emotional power that is difficult to replicate. He also noted that many viewers felt the sequel had some shortcomings compared to the original classic.“My family and I watched the movie on the first day. I liked ‘Chenkol’ very much, but I felt that the positive energy in the script of ‘Kireedam’ was missing in the sequel. There was no flaw to point out in ‘Kireedam’. But public opinion said that ‘Chenkol’ had many shortcomings.”
Dinesh Panik comments Tilakan character arc
The producer also shared his thoughts on how the character of Tilakan should be portrayed in the sequel. He said that the character, who was admired for his toughness in “Kireedam”, looked noticeably weaker in “Chenkol” and this caught the attention of many viewers.Dinesh believes that this change has become one of the points of discussion among audiences after the film was released.“Thilakan Chettan’s character, who stood strong against huge odds and family problems in the first film, becomes very weak in the second film. Audiences said this was one of the film’s biggest disappointments.Another creative decision that Dinesh went on to make was the climax of “Chenkol.” He revealed he never agreed with the decision to end MohanlalThe journey of the characters in the film.According to him, keeping the character alive could allow the story to continue in another sequel if the makers choose to revisit the series.“As much as I loved the movie as a whole, I still felt that Mohanlal’s character should not have been killed off in the end. If that hadn’t happened, Unni could have even made a third installment if he wanted to. “
‘Kireedam’ remains a landmark of Malayalam cinema
Directed by Sibimaleil and written by AK Lohithadas, “Kireedam” is widely considered to be one of the classics of Malayalam cinema. The film was recently re-released.Although the second part, “Chenkol,” received positive reviews from critics, some viewers had mixed feelings about Tilakan’s character arc, ending, and several other factors.
