Punjabi House
Punjabi House is a 1998 Indian Malayalam-language comedy-drama film written and directed by Rafi Mecartin. It stars Dileep, Cochin Hanifa, Harisree Asokan and Mohini, Lal, Neena Kurup, Janardanan, Thilakan, Jomol, N. F. Varghese, Indrans and Kunchan. The music was composed by Suresh Peters and S. P. Venkatesh, the former composing the songs, making his debut as a film composer and the latter composing the score. The film was released as an Onam release on 4 September 1998.The film was a major commercial success even though it clashed with Mammootty-Mohanlal starrer Harikrishnans. Many dialogues from the film turned into popular catchphrases.The film established Dileep as a leading star and catapulted him to stardom.
| Punjabi House | |
|---|---|
 VCD cover | |
| Directed by | Rafi Mecartin |
| Written by | Rafi Mecartin |
| Starring | Dileep Mohini Jomol Lal Cochin Hanifa Harisree Asokan Janardanan |
| Music by | Songs: Suresh Peters Score: S. P. Venkatesh |
| Cinematography | Anandakuttan |
| Edited by | Harihara Puthran |
Production company | New Saga Films |
| Distributed by | New Saga Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 150 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
The film was remade by Priyadarshan in Bollywood as Chup Chup Ke in 2006, starring Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Neha Dhupia, and Sunil Shetty. It was remade again in Kannada with the same title, Punjabi House (2002) and in Telugu as Maa Balaji (1999).
Plot
Unni (Dileep) is an unsuccessful entrepreneur, who is in deep debt and in no situation to repay them. Due to torment from his many creditors and lack of solace from his family, he decides to commit suicide (faking it as an accident) so that his debts can be repaid with the insurance money. He jump off the pier into the sea only to be rescued by fishermen from a distant coast, named Gangadharan (Cochin Haneefa) and his employee Ramanan (Harisree Ashokan). Unni pretends to be deaf and mute in front of them, so as to not reveal the truth. Back at home, his family is denied insurance, stating unconfirmed death (owing to lack of body), putting them in a difficult situation on repaying the debt.
Gangadharan has a debt of his own, to a Punjabi family of moneylenders who are settled in Kerala. The situation demands Unni and Ramanan to work at their home, until he can repay the sum. There he meets a Punjabi girl named Pooja (Mohini), who is mute. She finds out that he is not deaf or mute and considers him to be a fraudster, but later sympathises with him after learning his situation. She pays off his debt through Ramanan, without revealing to his family about their living son. The couple eventually fall in love and decide to get married. Her family agrees to their marriage on the condition that he will never desert her, as she had a traumatic failed marriage proposition in the past.
From Ramanan, by a slip of the tongue, Unni's family comes to know about his survival. They find him and demand him to come back, as Sujatha (Jomol) who was in love with him, still waits for him living as his widow. He is shocked with the news, but decides not to return, because he does not want to put Pooja through more agony. During the marriage ceremony the next day, the family intervenes, but when Sujatha sees Pooja and the pain that she is going to inflict on her family, she finally decides to let go of him.
Cast
- Dileep... As Unnikrishnan
- Mohini... as Pooja
- Jomol... As Sujatha (Voice dubbed by Sreeja Ravi)
- Lal... As Sikkandar Singh
- Cochin Haneefa... As Gangadharan
- Harisree Asokan...as Ramanan
- Janardhanan... Manninder Singh
- Thilakan... Kaimal Master
- Neena Kurup... Karishma Manninder (Pooja's Cousin)
- Indrans... Uthaman
- N. F. Varghese... Sujatha's father
- Manka Mahesh... Unnikrishnan's Mother
- Kunchan... Thommichan
- Machan Varghese... Panthalukaran Lawrence
- Reena
- Praseetha Menon as cook
- Gayathri
- Vijayalakshmi (uncredited role)
Soundtrack
All lyrics are written by s Ramesan nair; all music is composed by Suresh Peters.
| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Balla Balla" | Swarnalatha, Mano, Choir | |
| 2. | "Ellam Marakkam" | M. G. Sreekumar, Sujatha Mohan | |
| 3. | "Eriyunna Karalinte" | M. G. Sreekumar | |
| 4. | "Sona Re Sona Re" | M. G. Sreekumar | |
| 5. | "Udicha Chandirante" | Mano, M. G. Sreekumar, Choir |
Release
This film was released on 4 September 1998, as an Onam release along with six other major releases,becoming the 2nd highest grossing movie of the year.
Remakes
- Punjabi House was remade in Hindi as Chup Chup Ke, directed by Priyadarshan.
- Punjabi House was remade in Telugu as Maa Balaji, directed by Kodi Ramakrishna.
- Punjabi House was remade in Kannada in the same name.