News

ReviewPregnancy is a time of tumultuous change in a woman’s life, and the film acknowledges this; yet, there appears to be a hesitation to really get into the frustrating and ugly challenges that women face.Sowmya RajendranA still from Wonder Women: Instagram/ Sony Liv IndiaAll through the pandemic, as Ott platforms released anthology films on the experiences of people in lockdown, I waited for at least one filmmaker to make a movie about mothers and their struggle to manage home and work with schools closed for two long years. We had films about lovers, the elderly, married couples with problems – but not a single story representing how women coped with young children during those uncertain, depressing days. This isn’t a contradiction in a country that glorifies pregnancy and motherhood; it is because we’re so fond of glorifying both that we don’t want to acknowledge any narrative...

Cinema 'Wonder Women' will be available for streaming on over-the-top (Ott) platform SonyLIV from November 18.Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTube- Sony LIVThe makers of slice-of-life film Wonder Women, directed by Anjali Menon, announced on Thursday, November 3, that it will be available for streaming on over-the-top (Ott) platform SonyLIV from November 18.The makers also unveiled the trailer of the film on Thursday. The trailer introduces pregnant women from different walks of life. They meet at the centre run by Nadiya Moidu’s character in the film, where antenatal classes are held. The 2 minutes and 16 second long video shows how women from different regions and linguistic backgrounds who met at the classes, befriend one another. The film is based on the theme of sisterhood. According to a press release issued by the streaming service, the movie narrates the story of six pregnant women, who arrive at a prenatal class with beliefs, confusion, and questions regarding pregnancy and childbirth.

Actresses Nithya Menen, Parvathy Thiruvothu and Amruta Subhash are set to star in the upcoming film ‘Wonder Women’, the trailer of which was unveiled on Thursday. It takes the viewers through a special prenatal class for expecting mothers called ‘Sumana’ which welcomes them as they embark on the journey of of motherhood together and gives a glimpse of what a safe haven for expecting mothers is like.

Nithya Menen, Parvathy and Amruta along with Padmapriya Janakiraman, Sayonara Philip and Archana Padmini portray expecting mothers from different walks of life. The story portrays a warm bond between these women, their way of dealing with life and how the pregnancy and their new found friendships push them to grow together.

The film has been written and directed by the ‘Bangalore Days’ sensation – Anjali Menon, who has returned to the director’s chair after 4 years.

Talking about the film and concept, Anjali said...

MollywoodActors Parvathy Thiruvothu and Nithya Menen have teamed up earlier for the 2014 Malayalam film 'Bangalore Days' which was helmed by filmmaker Anjali Menon.Tnm StaffInstagram/ Nithya Menen, Parvathy Thiruvothu Actors Parvathy Thiruvothu and Nithya Menen’s latest social media posts took fans by surprise. Parvathy and Nithya had shared an image of a positive pregnancy test on Instagram, along with the caption “So. . The wonder begins,” which left followers intrigued. Many celebrities from the film industry including actors Swara Bhaskar, Rima Kallingal, producer Guneeth Monga, singer Chinmayi Sripada, and stylist Eka Lakhani among others had posted comments, while others who were stunned by the announcement, questioned if they are pregnant. It was only when other actors including Padmapriya, Archana Padmini, Sayanora Philip and Amrutha Subash shared the same photo of a pregnancy test, that it finally dawned on many that the social media posts were shared to promote an upcoming...

MollywoodBarring exceptions like Manju Warrier and Nayanthara, women actors in Malayalam cinema hardly see any fan-led celebrations like the kind enjoyed by their male counterparts.CrisAmong all the folks that Malayalam movie makers like to thank at the beginning of a film are groups after groups of fan associations. Promptly, applause – ranging from loud to feeble depending on the strength of each group – breaks out in the theatre. If you screw your eyes and read through the names of these associations, chances are that you will be quite impressed. For you’ll very likely find a fan club for the newest male actor on the block, whom you hardly recall. Naturally, if you’re in the habit of introspecting, you’ll wonder where all the groups for women actors are. Surely, if the little known chap has one, the much senior women actors would have a few, you think. To that,...

Film FestivalArchana Padmini, the curator of the festival, explains why she chose these nine short films by women, and the space they have in Kerala today.CrisIndira Zen, who had for two decades nursed a dream to make a feature film, died without making one. But the short fiction she made, Catharsis, about the victim of a political attack meeting his assaulter, got picked up at festivals and won awards. She would be the absent filmmaker among eight others, at a curiously titled film festival called ‘9 Pen Cinemakal’, which has been touring many cities since last August. Archana Padmini, the curator of the festival that’s just had a hosting in Bengaluru, with the help of actor-producer Prakash Bare, quietly picked nine Malayalam short films made by women and had a screening in Kozhikode on August 15 last year. “I have been working with film societies for years. And through that work,...

Protest The strongly worded statement says the attitude of Amma is clear from their decision to bring back Dileep.Tnm StaffIn yet another strong move from the Women in Cinema Collective, 15 of its members have come out with a statement explaining why they had never become part of Amma (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists). The statement signed by 15 female actors including Amala Akkineni, Ranjini Pierre, Sajitha Madambil and Kani Kusruti, says they realised Amma as an organisation cannot be trusted from the way it approached the sexual assault on their colleague in February 2017. In a strongly worded statement shared on Wcc's Facebook page, the female actors cited eight reasons why they chose to abstain from the most powerful body of the Malayalam film industry. The reasons are as follows: 1. In an industry where there is not even a concept of equal pay, the act of imposing Rs 1 lakh as membership fee is neither pro people nor democratic. 2. The way Amma approached the issue of sexual assault of one of our colleagues, shows that their decisions cannot be trusted. 3. The silence that the organisation (Amma) generally maintains towards the founding members of Wcc, and the issues they raise, are precarious and irresponsible. There is no other option but to reject an organisation which is not capable of a healthy and ideological debate. 4. The attitude of the organisation towards women was clearly portrayed in the retrogressive skit which was presented in the recent celebration of Amma, and in their move to take back an actor accused in a case of sexual violence. 5. The history of the organisation; which has been scripted together by fans associations and star centered power coteries, has convinced us that there is no possibility of a democratic system paving way for a debate in the near future. 6. We also understand that star personalities who head the body are not capable of reconstructing it in a way which would incorporate women with self-esteem, and to respect their work place. 7. Other than using women as show pieces, the organisation has not attempted to ensure their participation in its responsibilities and decision making. 8. We firmly declare that we don’t want to be part of an organisation that is anti-human. "We are committed to open all the needed ways for the coming generation to create timely art which is beyond caste, religion, gender and factionalism through movies, a medium Malayalis immensely love," the statement further said. The statement has been issued by actors Abhija Sivakala, Amala Akkineni, Archana Padmini, Darsana Rajendran, Divya Gopinath, Divya Prabha, Jolly Chirayath, Kani Kusruti, Sajitha Madathil, Ranjini Pierre, Samyuktha Nambiar, Santhy Balachandran, Shylaja Ambu and Sujatha Jannnethri. The ultimate aim, the statement says, is to create a space to approach movies as a medium and an art with more care, respect and trust. Read ‘Your decision is anti-women’: Wcc lashes out at Amma for reinstating Dileep...