Ore Kadal


Ore Kadal is a 2007 Malayalam film written and directed by Shyamaprasad. The film examines the extra-marital relationship between an intellectual economist and a housewife. It stars Mammootty, Meera Jasmine, Narain and Ramya Krishnan.
Ore Kadal was chosen as the inaugural film of the Indian Panorama section at the International Film Festival of India. Ouseppachan won the National Award for the Best Music Director for Ore Kadal.

Plot

The film is based on Sunil Gangopadhyay’s novel Hirak Deepthi. Dr. S.R. Nathan is a world-renowned rich professor of economics. A theorist to the core, he always harps on his pet topics of poverty and developmental issues that concern the developing world. He is a loner who is a drunkard, who drinks up to 10 bottles of liquor a day. He is also a chain smoker and a womanizer. Sometimes he's close with pornography, one-night stands, masturbation and even hires female prostitutes to come to his house to have sex during stress. He also uses different types of illegal drugs. Sometimes he would faint in the corridor due to heavy drinking and he regularly goes to the hospital.
His close friend Bela is more practical. She tries to identify herself with some of the stark realities of life.
Deepti is a housewife who stays in the same apartment complex with her husband and son. Her husband is on the lookout for a job. On his persuasion, Deepti approaches Nathan.
Their chance encounter ends up in a complex relationship. But Nathan is unperturbed and quite unmindful of his ways. While Deepthi gets a feeling of guilt, Nathan just shoos it away. In fact, he is working on a book on middle-class attitudes and notions. Yet, when confronted with real questions, Nathan loses ground — a reference to the pseudo-intellectual image.
Here, the director closely examines the disturbing relationship between two individuals. Deepthi is not able to pull herself away from Nathan.
The undercurrents in the minds of Deepti and Nathan, their tormented souls as turbulent as the sea, are captured on frame dexterously by Alagappan, the cameraman. Though the film does not give any direct message, it does hint at what makes or breaks a relationship.

Cast

The soundtrack features five songs composed by Ouseppachan and lyrics penned by Gireesh Puthenchery. All songs and background music is composed in the Carnatic raga Shubhapantuvarali. Syamaprasad told Ouseppachan that this movie's mood is serious. So he composed the music in that raga. The soundtrack earned Ouseppachan the National Film Award for Best Music Direction.

Film festival participation

National Film Awards
Kerala State Awards 2007
Filmfare Awards South
Dubai Amma Awards 2007
IFFK 2007 Awards
Asianet Film Award 2007
Film Critics Award 2007
Vanitha Film Award 2007
FOKANA Film Award 2007
Sify Award 2007
Amrita Film Awards 2007
Others