M & M

[Pics Courtesy Sify]

Mammootty is going to don the role of Sethurama Iyer, the CBI officer, for the fourth time as the actor's Oru CBI Diary Kurippu is going to have its 3rd sequel. Though I had a seen a couple of Mammootty's films before, I consider CBI Diary Kurippu to be my real introduction to the actor. I saw the film at Safire theater in Madras, where it had a record run and singlehandedly spawned a whole new market for Malayalam films. The actor played the role of the betel-chewing, Tamil-speaking Palghat Brahmin so casually and coolly that I became an immediate fan. I have since seen the film several times and it still works as a fast-paced, intelligent thriller with sharp dialogs and great background music. I just wish they would release it on DVD. Which reminds me... I need to check if the third installment, Sethurama Iyer CBI, is out on video yet.

Mohanlal, after playing a 73-year old man in Udayon, is going for another appearance change in his next film. In Naran, he is playing a villager with curly hair, light eyes, twirled moustache, a stubble, bullet pendant around his neck, sleeveless vest and a crumbled dhoti. The character is supposed to have a few shades of grey too.

So its gonna be Sethurama Iyer vs Naran for Onam 2005 in Kerala!