Shaji Kailas is a director who has brought a new wave of action to the Malayalam film scene. Shaji Kailash’s unique style of mass action thrillers was quickly adopted by audiences. The editing, the way of portraying the hero and the villain, the different camera angles, the background music… the freshness that Shaji Kailas brought to the storytelling had a not inconsiderable impact on commercial Malayalam cinema. In 1990s, Kerala box office star director started to stumble from early 2000s. Shaji Kailas tried many times to make his comeback with blockbuster films but failed to maintain the streak. Shaji Kailas in 2022 indicates that the “throne” that he could not recover in two decades has been secured this time.
Shaji Kailas made his directorial debut with the film ‘The News’ in 1989. The film starring Suresh Gopi was above average success. Later, with the film ‘Doctor Pashupati’, he proved that even comedy can give way. Released in 1993 with the screenplay by Ranji Panicker, ‘Ekalavyan’ also reflected on the society with politics, religion, underworld and crime. ‘Commissioner’ (1994) is still remembered as a fiery crime thriller. Mammootty’s “The King” (1995) introduced audiences to a conflict-ready IAS officer with mass dialogue.
Ranji Panicker has released many collaborative films. Many of them turned out to be all-time greatest hits in Malayalam cinema. ‘Aaram Tampuran’ gave Shaji Kailash and Mohanlal new stardom. Suresh Gopi’s comeback in ‘FIR’ was a narrative with a different pace and dynamism. The all time hit Malayalam film ‘Narasimham’ was released soon after. Mohanlal’s breakthrough was in the movie ‘Narasimham’. Throughout the film, there are hit dialogues which Malayali won’t forget. The dialogue ‘Nee Po Mone Dinesha’ is also used by children.
From the early 2000s, criticisms began to arise that Shaji Kaila’s films had lost their freshness. The public has started seeing superhero heroes in the normal background like Illam, Tharavad, Temple etc. like repetitive boredom. ‘Thandavam’ which had high expectations failed at the box office. ‘Natur Raja’ delivered a consolation victory. Though ‘Chinthamani Kolakase’ became a big hit, the later films did not get as much success as expected.
After the failure of Mammootty’s ‘Drona 2010’ in which he played double roles, Shaji Kailas was predicted to never come back. With the advent of social media where the politics of films were being discussed and criticized, filmmakers including Shaji Kailas started to be prosecuted. Many pointed out that Shaji Kailash’s films celebrated upper caste, heritage, masculinity and Hindutva ideals.
There was even a character trolling Shaji Kailas in Ashiq Abu’s film ‘Salt and Pepper’ released in 2011. Dileesh Pothan played the role of director who says he will set Varikassery Mana when he knows he won’t be able to shoot it. Dileesh appeared in the film with a beard and stubble in similar attire as Shaji Kailas.
After a decade, Shaji Kailas has found his stability again with Dileesh Pothan himself in the lead role. The multi-starrer film ‘Kappa’ continues to roll in crowded theaters. The general audience response is that Kappa is an action-packed thriller with all the makings of a gangster movie.
Shaji Kailas-Prithvi duo became the best hit combo of the year. After much controversy, ‘Tiger’ also gave Prithviraj a break. Audiences again said that Shaji Kailas’ action scenes are different. “Kappa” reviews also say that Shaji Kailas is making a comeback knowing the pulse of the new young audience. When Jomon T John was brought in as the cinematographer of ‘Kappa’, there were comments that Shaji Kailas switched tracks. After a gap of years, ‘Alone’ with Mohanlal is ready for release.
The reality is that no Malayalam director has managed to remain infallible at the box office for a long period of time after Ivy Sasi. Top action directors Joshi, CB Malail and K Madhu are trying to reclaim their old niche. From Lal Jose, Sathyan Anthikad to Shafie, Rafi McCartin and Jonny Antony, they are looking for success. K Madhu’s 5th installment of ‘CBI’ released this year fell short of expectations. Joshi’s ‘Pappan’ was a hit but also met with criticism. Jayaram and Santhyan Anthikad’s film ‘Makal’ was a flop. Lal Jose’s ‘Solomon’s Bee’ also failed at the box office. “Meow” received an average rating. Shafi’s Christmas release ‘Anandam Paramanandam’ continues to roll in theatres. Shaji Kailash’s double success comes at a time when the old giants are struggling to find consistency.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS: Shaji Kailas returns to action in 2022
