Charlie (2015) and Aravindan’s Esthappan (1980) – Review of Malayalam film Charlie (2015)
To make a distinction between inspiration and imitation is almost impossible. Therefore critiquing films that share some connection with their plots is a difficult thing. Many films have been regarded by us as poor imitations, as good works that are loyal to their source films and as those that excel better compared to their source films. Films like Charlie come somewhere among these categories. It is, in my view a film that took its source material from first class art films like Esthappan and tried to present something the makers thought suited the new times. Though there are many places in this film (Charlie) which become just simulations and misreads, the film still is a commendable work of art that deserves attention. Charlie , thus is a work of art that is capable of exhorting its spectators to first class art pieces like Esthappan. Scenes from Esthappan and Charlie We know from the very beginning of the two f...