Matinee (2012 film)

Matinee
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Aneesh Upasana
Written by	Anil Narayanan
Produced by	AOPL Entertainment
Starring	Maqbool Salmaan Mythili
Cinematography	Pappinu
Edited by	Nikhil Venu
Music by	Gopi Sundar
Production company	AOPL Entertainment
Distributed by	AOPL Entertainment Release
Release date	13 December 2012 (2012-12-13)
Running time	114 minutes
Country	India
Language	Malayalam

Matinee is a 2012

show.

The film's lead role is played by Maqbool Salmaan who had earlier appeared in a short role in A. K. Saajan's Asuravithu. Maqbool is the nephew of noted actor Mammootty. He is the son of Ibrahimkutty, the younger brother of Mammootty who had been a popular star in the miniscreen. The film is produced by AOPL Entertainment which also launched Mammootty's son Dulquer Salmaan earlier the year through Second Show.^[1]

Matinee released on 13 December to positive reviews from critics and audiences. The film was appreciated for its realistic approach and the performances by lead actors.

Plot

The plot of this film revolves around two people who come from different backgrounds but are united by fate. Najeeb is a youngster from an orthodox background who wishes to be a film star while Savithri is a motherless girl from an economically backward family who lands up in the film industry to escape her abusive father. The duo get a chance to be the lead pair in a film that appears to be an ordinary love story but turns out to be an

movie phenom, which also comes with its share of controversy from moral pundits, while pushing her into her spiral of depression, which is in direct contrast to Najeeb who meanwhile have become unable to land a movie role, much less a lead, the first step toward his aspiration as a megastar. During one moment, Savithri bursts out, disillusioned by the state of cinema industry that they had heretofore seen with rose tinted lenses, now showing its ugly teeth, spitting them out, after using her for its success of sleaze fest films, and she passes out after ingesting a bottle of liquor, in the bathroom. Najeeb, starts falling in love with Savithri. Najeeb, later out of frustration seeing what his life has become, attempts suicide. Savithri soon thereafter bears Najeeb's daughter, staying within the cinema industry as an extra, after he had become paralysed waist down, caring for him for the rest of their life, peacefully married.

Cast

Release

The film's release was delayed by several weeks with a decision from the Kerala Film Exhibitors Association, who resisted the release of the film in their theatres. It was widely reported that an unofficial ban from the exhibitors came in the wake of AOPL-owned Carnival Cinemas, Angamaly not participating in a theatre strike organised by the Association. But AOPL maintained that the ban was based on a technical error as AOPL Entertainment is a separate private limited company and Carnival belongs to another company though both have some common investors. The ban was lifted after a discussion between AOPL and the Association and the film released on 13 December 2012.^[2]

Reception

The film opened to mostly positive reviews from critics. Paresh C. Palicha of Rediff.com rated the film and said that the film "tackles a dark subject with much conviction." He concluded the review saying, "Matinee shows that there are many interesting avenues to explore if you want to tell the story of the film industry other than lampooning the superstars, Sreenivasan style."^[3] Dalton L. of Deccan Chronicle rated the film while appreciating the performances by the lead, editing, cinematography and music. The critic stated: "One occasionally stumbles upon a rotten canvas with strokes of a genius or a great canvas tarnished by splashes of awkwardness. Matinee is neither of the extremes; it simply appears to have been created either by two different painters or one with opposing moods / sensibilities."^[4]

Rating the film , Veeyen of Nowrunning.com said, "Matinee is a dark parable that splendidly traces the ever changing contours of human lives. It reaffirms that the human power of endurance is immense and that as individuals we wobble along alleys of hope, fear, distress, anger and regret before turning around and walking down the hope street all over again."

Controversies

The film courted considerable controversy with the

Music

The film features songs composed by

has lent her voice to the song "Maunamayi Manassil" which was also well received among music critics.

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Length
1.	"Ayalathe veettile"	Resmi Sateesh	3:58
2.	"Malabarin thalamai"	Thulasi	3:50
3.	"Maunamayi manassil"	Kavya Madhavan	3:54

References