Masterpiece (2017 film)


Masterpiece is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language action crime thriller film directed by Ajai Vasudev and written by Uday Krishna. It stars Mammootty, Unni Mukundan, Mukesh,Santhosh Pandit, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Poonam Bajwa, Maqbool Salmaan, Gokul Suresh, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Santhosh Pandit, Anjali Nair, Divya Pillai and Mahima Nambiar. The principal photography began on 17 April 2017 at the Fatima Mata National College, Kollam and was completed by the end of November in Kochi. Deepak Dev composed the Music of the film. The film was released on 21 December 2017.

Plot

The movie is set in Travancore college in Kerala, where two student groups named Real Fighters and Royal Warriors always quarrel over various issues. Simultaneously, a danseuse Vedika is introduced to the college and the groups war over who will win her love. When Vedika says she is in a relation with Unnikrishnan, who is meek and introvert, Real Fighters make Unni a member of the group and asks him to reciprocate to Vedika. But one night, Vedika is murdered and simultaneously Unni is caught by police for drinking and driving, although released later without any charges. As Vedika's dead body is found behind the men's hostel of the college, her father Shivanandan who is a politician urges the police to find the killer at any cost. The police under ACP John Thekkan IPS start the investigation. Later it leads to Unnikrishnan who received the last phone call from Vedika before her death. John Thekan arrests Unni forcefully and questions him. Later Unni is found dead inside the police lock up. This leads to a quarrel between the police and students, in which John gets seriously injured and hospitalised. In his absence, the investigation is handed over to ACP Bhavani. At the same time, a new English professor named Edward Livingston joins the college. The ACP orders to arrest Roshan, who is the leader of Royal Warriors. This is because according to an evidence the murderer is observed to be nearly 6 feet tall, and Roshan has a similar physique. This leads to yet another dispute between the police and the campus, and the police is prevented by the home minister from entering the campus. Later, Professor Cherian who is the college vice principal and also the father of Roshan, talks to Edward about his life as a divorcee. He tells Eddy that Roshan is innocent as he was at his mother's house at the night the murder happened. In a meeting between the police and campus, Eddy talks to the officials that the students are not responsible for the murder and also that the police is responsible for Unnikrishnan's death. After few days, Vedika's father sends his goons to the college so that the suspected students can be handed over to police. But Eddy intervenes and fights the goons. He also unites the two students' groups and fights the baddies together. Later, new men are appointed in the college as security guards, plumbers and electricians. Eddy closely watches the body language of these men and understands that they are police officers. He warns the students not to leave the campus at any cost. Despite his warning, Roshan and his friends go out to attend a wedding reception, wherein they are spotted by the police. John Thekkan who is back in duty apprehends them and gets hold of Roshan, while his friends escape. Roshan is taken to a hideout but Eddy and team tracks it and saves Roshan. Eddy and the students promise to the police and media that they will find out the murderers of Vedika and Unnikrishnan within ten days. He later asks Roshan to reunite his parents who have been separated, which he does. Roshan's friend Mahesh tells the team that his girlfriend Ramlath is being forced by her family for an alliance which she doesn't like. He goes to meet Ramlath. But he is arrested by police, and Ramlath is taken to custody by SI Ramachandran, who is John Thekkan's close friend. Ramlath is forcefully taken to his guest house where Eddy saves her by beating up Ramachandran. Eddy finds out through Ramachandran that it was none other than ACP John Thekkan who murdered Vedika, and later instructed Ramachandran to murder Unnikrishnan. John had a grudge against Vedika as she along with her friend discovered John Thekkan's illegal relationship with Minister Seethalakshmi, who is the wife of a deceased politician Krishnadas. It is revealed that Das was murdered by Thekkan and Ramachandran when he found out his wife's extramarital relation with Thekkan, who was raised by him.
Ramlath who understood all these informed Vedika about the same, and Vedika who wanted to inform Unni about this was kidnapped and killed by Thekkan and Ramachandran. Unnikrishnan was arrested on purpose and killed as Thekkan understood Unni had known certain facts about Vedika's death.
After Ramachandran reveals all these to the public, he is shot and killed by Thekkan who tries to escape. But Eddy overpowers and kills Thekkan with his gun, after a long fight.
In the end, Edward Livingston is himself revealed to be a police officer named Anto Antony, and also that the police officers disguised as workers in the college, were actually his teammates.

Cast

Development

In October 2016, Uday Krishna stated that his next screenplay, features Mammootty as a lecturer and would be directed by Ajai Vasudev, and it would be set at the backdrop of a college campus. The film was announced in February 2017 at a ceremony held in Dubai by producer C. H. Muhammed as his debut production venture. In July 2017, film's title was confirmed as Masterpiece. According to Ajay Vasudev, the plot is "something happens in the college and that's what Masterpiece is all about."

Casting

By February 2017, actors Mukesh, Maqbool Salmaan, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Arjun Nandhakumar, Kailash, and John Kaipallil were confirmed to be in cast, while Unni Mukundan was roped in by Ajai Vasudev to an important role, though he had not officially signed at the time. Mukesh was reported to appear in a role of vice principal at the college, while Unni Mukundan's character was confirmed to be not a student. Regarding the character of Mammootty, Ajai Vasudev said, "He plays a strict college professor who doesn't mollycoddle his students, a rough and tough character with a short temper. The characterisation is very much on the lines of the larger-than-life roles." After the character was just described by Ajai to Mammootty, he liked it very much and himself chose the appearance and developed the characteristics.
In April 2017, Gokul Suresh Maqbool Salmaan, John Kaippallil and Santhosh Pandit were confirmed in prominent roles. Pandit allotted one month date. In the same month, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Poonam Bajwa and Mahima Nambiar was confirmed in the female leads. According to Ajai Vasudev, "All three actresses have important roles in the film." Uday Krishna revealed that Varalaxmi would play an IPS officer Bhavani Durga and Poonam Bajwa a lecturer. None of the actresses is as a love interest for the hero, as the plot lacks such a thread. Captain Raju also plays a role.

Filming

The principal photography was commenced on 17 April 2017. Unni Mukundan joined on that day. The films's action was coordinated by 6 stunt coordinatorsKanal Kannan, Jolly Bastian, Stunt Silva, Sirthai Ganesh, and Mafia Sasi, to minimize the similar pattern of stunts in the film. Set in Kollam city, film's first schedule was shot at the Fatima Mata National College. Mammootty joined on 10 May. Fight scenes were filmed at the college in 12 days. Poonam Bajwa was part of the college scenes. Second schedule began in early July, shot mainly at a location in Calicut. Mammootty rode a Harley-Davidson Street motorcycle for a scene that was shot on a day in late August. Final schedule of filming began in November and Mammootty's action scenes were shot in Kochi in three days. Then the team moved again to Kollam where a five days filming was planned. Filming concluded in November end in Kochi, with some crucial scenes in the movie shot there in final days. Filming took place in more than 100 days.

Release

The film was released on 21 December 2017. In May 2020, director announced that the film would be dubbed in Russian language for the first time in Malayalam.

Reception

rated the movie 2.5/5 and concluded that the film falls flat at many areas and fails as a festive commercial release. Sify rated the film as a masala entertainer.
The Hindu cited that the film is an excuse for hero worship. Indian Express went on to say that the film is yet another wrong decision by Mammootty.

Music

  1. "Master of the Masses" - Jack Styles
  2. "Madhu Mozhi" - Madhu Balakrishnan
  3. "Mylanchi" - Jassie Gift, Chorus
  4. "Wake Up" - Jyotsna, Haricharan
  5. "Dinam Dinam" - Rony Philip
  6. "Kaalam Poyeettum" - Jassie Gift
  7. "Mele " - P. M. Shan