| Iruttinte Athmavu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | P. Bhaskaran |
| Written by | M. T. Vasudevan Nair |
| Produced by | P. I. Muhammed Kasim |
| Starring | Prem Nazir, Sharada, Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, P. J. Antony, Ushakumari/Vennira Aadai Nirmala, Kozhikode Shantha Devi, Baby Rajani |
| Cinematography | E. N. Balakrishnan |
| Edited by | G. Venkitaraman, Das |
| Music by | M. S. Baburaj |
Production company | Sony Pictures |
| Distributed by | Bharath Pictures |
Release date |
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| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Iruttinte Athmavu (transl. The soul of Darkness) is a 1967 IndianMalayalam-language film directed byP. Bhaskaran and written byM. T. Vasudevan Nair based on his own short story of the same name.[1] It starsPrem Nazir andSharada in lead roles withThikkurissy Sukumaran Nair,P. J. Antony, Ushakumari,Kozhikode Shantha Devi and Baby Rajani in supporting roles. The film is about a mentally unstable youth born into a matriarchal family who is forced to live as a mad man in chains and who is misunderstood and ill-treated by everyone except his uncle's daughter.[2] The film features music byM. S. Baburaj, cinematography by E. N. Balakrishnan and editing by G. Venkitaraman and Das.
Prem Nazir played the mentally challenged Bhranthan Velayudhan, widely considered to be one of the finest performances of Prem Nazir's career.[3][4][5] Nazir himself rated his role of Velayudhan inIruttinte Athmavu and as the swashbuckling folk hero Thampan inPadayottam as his best.[6] Also, its script is regarded as one of the finest byM. T. Vasudevan Nair. A landmark film in Malayalam cinema, the film provided Malayalam cinema with a new direction; that of the low-budget film. The film has earned a dedicatedcult following. It won theNational Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.[7][8] It missed theBest Film andBest Actor (Prem Nazir) award only narrowly.[9] Despite all the acclaim, the film was a box office failure.[10]
The film was part of MT's trilogy of political melodramas – the other two beingMurappennu (1965) andAsuravithu (1968), both directed byA. Vincent.[11] Major indoor parts of the film were shot in Satya Studios inMadras and outdoor parts from the premises ofBharathapuzha atShoranur.
The music was composed byM. S. Baburaj and the lyrics were written byP. Bhaskaran.[15][16] All songs in the film were sung byS. Janaki, which is a landmark.
| No. | Song | Singers | Lyrics | Length (m:ss) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Ambaadikannanu Mampazham" | S. Janaki | P. Bhaskaran | |
| 2 | "Eeranuduthukondambaram" | S. Janaki | P. Bhaskaran | |
| 3 | "Irukanneerthullikal" | S. Janaki | P. Bhaskaran | |
| 4 | "Vaakachaarthu Kazhinjoru" | S. Janaki | P. Bhaskaran |
The film is scripted byM. T. Vasudevan Nair based on his own a short story with the same name. The screenplay is regarded as one of the finest by the noted writer.[17] A part of the screenplay ofIruttinte Athmavu is being taught in school classes while the complete screenplay is being taught at degree level.[18][19]
The film is considered one of the best Malayalam films ever made, it is still critically acclaimed even 50 years after its release.[20] The film remains one of the most influential films in Malayalam film history.[17]