Yoddha (1992 film): Difference between revisions

Yodha
CD cover
Directed by	Sangeeth Sivan
Written by	Sangeeth Sivan
Screenplay by	Sasidharan Arattuvazhy
Produced by	Saga Films
Starring	Mohanlal Madhoo Master Siddhartha Jagathy Sreekumar Puneet Issar Urvashi
Cinematography	Santosh Sivan
Edited by	A. Sreekar Prasad
Music by	A. R. Rahman
Production company	Prasad Film Laboratories
Distributed by	Saga Films
Release date	1992
Running time	149 mins.
Country	Template:Film India
Language	Malayalam

Yodha (theatrical release name: Yoddha;

In an unknown location in the Nepalese Himalayas, a young monk (played by Siddhartha) is about to be crowned the Rimpoche of the monastery, when a gang of black magicians led by an unnamed character (played by Puneet Issar) kidnap him. It is revealed that the leader of the black magicians wishes to make a human sacrifice of the Rimpoche in order to attain invincibility. The other monks in the monastery also understand that the Rimpoche's saviour will arrive from across the Himalayas to rescue him from the clutches of the black magicians. In the meantime, the young Rimpoche manages to escape from the clutches of the black magicians and runs away to Kathmandu.

At the other end of the subcontinent, in a small village in

When an astrologer predicts to Ashokan's mother, Sumathi (played by Sukumari), that Ashokan is likely to commit a murder if he remains in Kerala, Ashokan is bundled away to Nepal to stay with his uncle Captain (retired) Krishnankutty Menon (M. S. Thripunithura), whom he hasn't met since childhood. Unbeknownst to Ashokan, Appukuttan flies into Nepal beforehand and establishes himself in Krishanankutty Menon (Kutty Mama)'s house, masquerading as Ashokan. Ashokan is cast out onto the streets of Kathmandu, where he meets the Rimpoche and forms a friendship with the young lad.

Appukuttan attempts to connive his way into marrying Kutty Mama's daughter, Ashwati (Madhoo) - a researcher into Nepalese traditions and black magic at a university in Kathmandu. But Ashokan, with the Rimpoche's assistance, manages to cast doubt into the mind of Kutty Mama and win over Ashwati.

Ashokan and Ashwati then witness one of the black magician's minions kidnapping the Rimpoche. Upon following the kidnapper, they end up confronting the black magician himself. In the ensuing melee, the black magician grievously wounds Ashwati and blinds Ashokan, and leaves the two of them to their deaths in the forest. Both of them are rescued by the adivasi tribe tasked with protecting the Rimpoche's monastery. Ashokan is then told of how he is the Chosen One, and is trained by an adivasi teacher to overcome his blindness and become a warrior tasked with rescuing the Rimpoche.

In the meantime, the jealous and suspicious Appukuttan follows Ashwati and Ashokan into the forest and is captured by a tribe of adivasis who torture him.

Ashokan then ventures into the black magician's hideout, rescues the Rimpoche, and brings him back to the monastery. The Rimpoche then, aided by an ailing old monk, restores Ashokan's eyesight. As the solar eclipse nears, the monks begin the coronation of the Rimpoche. The black magician rushes to the monastery to kill the Rimpoche before he is crowned. But Ashokan stands in the black magician's way, and in the climactic fight, kills the latter.

Ashokan then discovers that Ashwati is not dead as he had previously feared. Appukuttan makes a final appearance, trained as a warrior by the adivasis who captured and tortured him previously. In the comical fight that ensues, Appukuttan is beaten up by Ashokan.

Cast

• Mohanlal as Ashokan
• Master Siddhartha as
  Rimpoche
• Madhoo as Aswathi
• Jagathy Sreekumar as Appukuttan
• Urvashi as Damayanthi
• Puneet Issar as the (unnamed) black magician
• M. S. Thripunithura as Captain (retired) Krishnankutty Menon
• Oduvil Unnikrishnan as Appukuttans father
• Jagannatha Varma as Ashokan's father
• Sukumari as Sumathi
• Meena as Vasumathi
• Beena Antony as Ashokan's sister

Box office

The movie was a box office hit of the onam releases of 1992 and now have a major cult following.

Soundtrack

The original score and songs were composed by A. R. Rahman; the lyrics for the songs were penned by Bichu Thirumala. Though Rahman did this film soon after completing his debut film Roja, Yodha was the movie that got released first. This is the only Malayalam movie for which Rahman has composed the music so far. But, he will be returning to the Malayalam film industry to do the sequel of this film, Yodha 2.

The soundtrack was also released in Tamil (as Asokan), Hindi (as Dharam Yoddha) and Telugu (as Yoddha). The respective soundtracks featured versions of all songs except "Mamboove" which was not featured in the film. "Mamboove" was later reused for the Tamil movie