This article is about the 1966 Indian film. For the novel on which the film is based on, see Chemmeen (novel).
1966 Indian film
Chemmeen
Poster
Directed by
Ramu Kariat
Screenplay by
S. L. Puram Sadanandan
Based on
Chemmeen by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai
Produced by
Babu Ismail Sait (Kanmani Babu)
Starring
Sathyan Sheela Madhu Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair
Cinematography
Marcus Bartley U. Rajagopal
Edited by
Hrishikesh Mukherjee K. D. George
Music by
Salil Chowdhury
Production company
Kanmani Films
Release date
19 August 1966 (1966-08-19)
Country
India
Language
Malayalam
Budget
₹8 lakhs[1]
Box office
₹40 lakhs [1]
Chemmeen (lit.'The Prawn') is a 1966 Indian Malayalam-language romance film, based on the novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. It was adapted into a screenplay by S. L. Puram Sadanandan, directed by Ramu Kariat, and produced by Babu Ismail Sait under the banner Kanmani Films. The film stars Sheela as Karuthamma, Sathyan as Palani, Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair as Chembankunju, and Madhu as Pareekutty. The film tells the story of a pre-marital and later extra-marital relationship between Karuthamma, the daughter of an ambitious fisherman, and Pareekutty, the son of an affluent trader.
The theme of the film is a popular legend among the fishermen communities along the coastal Kerala State in southern India regarding chastity. If a married fisher woman is faithless when her husband is out in the sea, the Sea Goddess (Kadalamma literally meaning the Mother Sea) would consume him. It has cinematography by Marcus Bartley and U. Rajagopal, and editing by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and K. D. George. The original score and songs were composed by Salil Chowdhury, with lyrics by Vayalar, and songs featuring the voices of K. J. Yesudas, P. Leela, Manna Dey and Santha P. Nair.
The film was sensored in late 1965 and got released on 19 August 1966. It received strongly positive critical reviews and was recognised as a technically and artistically brilliant film. This movie was a blockbuster and broke many records. It is usually cited as the first notable creative film in South India and is one of the popular cult classics in Malayalam cinema.[2][3] It was also the first South Indian film to win the Indian President's Gold Medal for the Best Film, which it did so in 1965. It was screened at various international film festivals and won awards at the Cannes and Chicago festivals. The film was included in the list of 100 greatest Indian films by IBN Live.[4]Chemmeen was dubbed and released in Hindi as Chemmeen Lahren and in English as The Anger of the Sea. A sequel, Thirakalkkappuram, was released in 1998.[5]
^ abPradeep, K (13 August 2015). "Behind the scenes of Chemmeen". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 April 2017.
^Venkiteswaran, C. S. (13 August 2015). "Chemmeen: 50 Years of a Classic". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
^Gupta 1980, Chemmeen (1965), by Ramu Kariat in Kerala, is usually cited as the first notable creative film in the South.
^Cite error: The named reference IBN2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Chemmeen (lit. 'The Prawn') is a 1966 Indian Malayalam-language romance film, based on the novel of the same name by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. It was...
oppressed classes. Known for his works such as Kayar (Coir, 1978) and Chemmeen (Prawns, 1956), Pillai was a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the third...
(1961). After directing Moodupadam (1963), he went on to direct Chemmeen (1965). Chemmeen is considered as the turning point in Malayalam cinema.[by whom...
remembered for his role as Chempankunju in the national award winning film Chemmeen directed by Ramu Kariat. Other impressive performances were in the films...
Bhairavi (1951), Missamma (1955), Maya Bazaar (1957), Gundamma Katha (1962), Chemmeen (1965), Ram Aur Shyam (1967). He won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography...
the Academy Awards. Other films which achieved global acclaim include Chemmeen (1965), which received a Certificate of Merit at the Chicago International...
ആക്കുന്നതെന്തിന് ? ബാലതാരമായി വന്ന് നായികയായി മനം കവർന്ന മാനസ- മാതൃഭൂമി I watched Chemmeen to play Ummukhulsu : Manasa Radhakrishnan "Manasa Radhakrishnan is the...
Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and Urdu. Her popular films are Chemmeen, Kallichellamma, Velutha Kathreena Akale, Oru Penninte Kadha, Sarsaiya...
cinema, best known for her appearance in the National Award-winning film Chemmeen (1965), directed by Ramu Kariat. She had acted in about 450 films, including...
the Malayalam film industry and, in 1964, composed music for the movie Chemmeen. He went on to compose music for films in 13 languages. This includes over...
David. The film is produced by Sukumar Thekkepat under the banner of Chemmeen Cinema. The music is composed by Jassie Gift and Kolkata-based band Mrittika...
Hamzakkoya Sukumari as Saraswati Kunchan as Mathai Alleppey Ashraf as Chemmeen Varghese N. F. Varghese as a Hindustan Chemicals staff member Harisree...
of Purakkad, which got into fame through the celebrated film and novel Chemmeen, is adjacent to Thottappally. Thottappally, is known for its fishing harbour...
Kottayile Sultan (1991) Ee Kanni Koodi (1990) Ramji Rao Speaking (1989) as Chemmeen Varghese Ethirppukal (1984) as Raghu's uncle Vanitha Police (1984) as Director...
[citation needed] This phenomenon is demonstrated in the Malayalam film Chemmeen. It is greeted, celebrated, and described in the song "Puththan Valakkare...
"Weaving a soulful love story". The New Indian Express. 9 January 2017. "'Chemmeen' writer's grandson set for film debut". The Hindu. 18 January 2010. "SBS...
Pillai turned away from party politics and produced a moving romance in Chemmeen (Shrimps) in 1956. For S. K. Pottekkatt and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, who...
was later adapted by him into the Malayalam song "Puthan Valakkare" in Chemmeen (1966). "Baag Mein Kali Khili" – Asha Bhosle "Jhanan Jhanan" – Lata Mangeshkar...
original on 28 April 1999. Retrieved 8 March 2024. "Film Reviews: Thalaivaa/Chemmeen/TC 2000/Lost in Space/Dance with Me". The Hindu. 25 December 1998. p. 28...
made by a group of students, was the first neo-realistic Malayalam film. Chemmeen (1965, Ramu Kariat), based on a story by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, became...
chingri or honye chingri in India, ginger prawn in South Africa and choodan chemmeen in Malayalam. Metapenaeus monoceros is native to the Indo-West Pacific...