Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu

Plot

Kunjoonjamma Thomas (Padmini) is a widow living in the village all by herself. People always make fun of her because she is grumpy and depressed due to the deaths of her husband and her only child. Children irritate her by ringing her door bell and running away. One day, her granddaughter Girly (Nadhiya Moidu), who she had never met, visits her. Initially, Kunjoonjamma does not like Girly, but they soon become close to each other. Kunjoonjamma takes down the door bell, saying to Girly that its only purpose was for Girly's return. Now that Girly is with her, she does not need it.

Kunjoonjamma's neighbor, Sreekumar (Mohanlal), falls in love with Girly. One day, Sreekumar's friend, Alexi (Fazil), comes to his house and sees Girly. He identifies her as a girl missing from Delhi, and immediately informs her father (K. P. Ummer) about her whereabouts.

Girly had run away from Delhi because she had a brain disease and does not have much time to live. She wanted to enjoy the rest of her life. When her father comes to take her back to Delhi for an urgent operation, she refuses to go, claiming that even the doctors are not sure whether the operation will be successful. Her grandmother mixes sleeping pills in soup and gives it to Girly, and her father takes her to Delhi while she is unconscious.

The movie ends with the ambulance slowly fading away into the darkness. Sreekumar watches it leave, and when he turns away he sees Kunjoonjamma refixing the door bell with the hope that Girly will return one day.

Cast

Production

Some portions of the film was shot at the Udaya Studios in Alappuzha, such as the dance sequences of the song "Lathiri Poothiri Punthiri Cheppo" and a Christmas scene. During that scene, Nadhiya Moidu's hand was burnt with a sparkler from a fellow dancer, which left a scar on her hand since then. Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu was the debut film of Nadhiya and the comeback film of yesteryear actress Padmini onscreen. It is also the acting debut and the only film appearance of Fazil as of 2017, who did a minor role. Nadhiya's voice was dubbed by Bhagyalakshmi. This film marked the film debut of director duo Siddique-Lal, who worked as assistant directors to Fazil.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Jerry Amaldev and lyrics was written by Bichu Thirumala. The songs sung by K. S. Chithra in the film gave her first break in her career.

Reception

The film was one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of the year at the box office. It received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value; Bodhichitra (Ouseppachan, Khayas, Kurian) and Fazil received the award. Fazil once planned to make a sequel for the film, which did not materialised.

Remake

A Tamil remake was made by Fazil himself as Poove Poochooda Vaa, in which Nadia Moidu and Padmini reprises their roles. Mohanlal's role was done by S. V. Shekhar. The film was a commercial success. It was also remade in Telugu as Muddula Manavaraalu (1986), directed by Jandhyala Subramanya Sastry.