Passenger (2009 film)

Passenger is a 2009 Indian Malayalam-language thriller film written and directed by debutant Ranjith Sankar and starring Sreenivasan, Dileep, Mamta Mohandas, Jagathy Sreekumar and Nedumudi Venu in major roles. It was well appreciated for its novelty and was declared as a hit.[2] Owing to its critical and commercial success, Passenger is being remade into Tamil as Muriyadi.[3]

Passenger
Theaterical poster
Directed byRanjith Sankar
Produced byS. C. Pillai
Written byRanjith Sankar
StarringSreenivasan
Dileep
Mamta Mohandas
Jagathy Sreekumar
Nedumudi Venu
Music byBijibal
CinematographyP. Sukumar
Edited byRanjan Abraham
Distributed byCentral Pictures
Release date
  • 7 May 2009 (2009-05-07)
Running time
118 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam
Budget₹1.6 crore[1]

Plot

Passenger is based on two characters, who have never had anything to do with each other, and the impact they cause on each other's lives. The movie shows the events that follow.

Sathyanathan (Sreenivasan), who works in a private company, is a simple man who lives an orderly and uncomplicated life. He travels from his native town to Kochi (where he works) by train. The moment the train crosses the Chalakudy bridge he dozes off and wakes up at another station. All this happens with utmost precision, as if programmed by someone. He is someone who fights for social justices for the benefit of everyone and shirks from any publicity gained by it.

Nandhan Menon (Dileep), who is an advocate, stands for truth and justice. He respects the law and always thinks of the welfare of the people around him. His wife Anuradha (Mamta Mohandas) is a bold reporter who works for private news channel Right TV.

Maranchara is a small coastal village. A private company has been awarded rights to mine nuclear fuel from the coast in Maranchara by Home Minister Thomas Chacko (Jagathy Sreekumar). There is a political sex scandal and a legal battle within which Minister Chacko, Nandhan Menon, Anuradha Nandan and Thankamma (a local leader) are involved. The plot takes a turn when Anuradha obtains a video clip of the minister collaborating with police and corporates. They plan to kill innocent people who are occupying land with potential mineral resources. Nandhan is kidnapped by gangsters working for the minister to lure Anuradha into returning the video.

By sheer coincidence, Sathyanathan gets involved. Unlike normal bystanders, he and Driver Nair (Nedumudi Venu) decide to join the couple in the fight to save the people of Maranchara, Nandhan Menon and Anuradha. They team up and decide to show the video clip to the Chairman (Madhu) of Right TV, where Anuradha is working. When it is telecasted via their channel, all the play and decision of Minister fails and he is dismissed. Nandhan sends an SMS to Anuradha where he is held hostage. But Anuradha has already gone to her office with her co-workers, sent by the chairman. Sathyanathan gets the SMS sent to Anuradha's phone (she forgets the phone in backseat of taxi). As informed by Nandhan in SMS, driver drops Sathyanathan to Aluva railway station and without buying any charges, the driver leaves. Sathyanathan catches the passenger train and reaches the location, pulls the chain and gets down and seen Nandhan and takes him to the hospital. With no other word said or heard, he leaves the hospital. Later that night, he reaches home and switches on the TV in which he see the interview with Mr. and Mrs Nandhan Menon thanking him, the person unknown to them. The next morning, Sathyanathan resumes with his daily life.

Cast

Major characters

Minor characters
  • Sivaji Guruvayoor as Station Master
  • Manikandan Pattambi as Minister's assistant
  • Anandkumar as Alex Koshy
  • Valsala Menon as Sathyanathan's mother
  • Lipoy as D.G.P.
  • Saju. V. J. as Circle Inspector
  • Jobi Moothedathu as Sivan
  • Pala Aravindan as M.D.
  • Sibi Kuruvila as Sajan
  • Master Vineet Vinayaka as Sathyanathan's son
  • Nilambur Ayisha as Nasibu Umma
  • Shandy as Journalist
  • Revathy as Sathyanathan's daughter
  • Krishna Praba as receptionist

Awards
Lohithadas Puraskaram for Best Screenplay

The film won the first Lohithadas Puraskaram for Best Screenplay, an award to commemorize screenwriter A.K. Lohithadas.

Dubai AMMA Awards
Asianet Film Awards
Kerala Film Critics Award
Vanitha Nippon Awards
Mathrubhumi Amritha Awards
World Malayali Council - Kairali Awards
Surya TV Awards
V. Santharam Awards
  • Best Debut director (Nomination)
Filmfare Awards
  • Best Director (Nomination)
  • Best Actress (Nomination)
Jaihind Awards

Best Villain - Jagathy Sreekumar

SouthScope Awards
  • Best Director (Nomination)
  • Best Actress (Nomination)

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of Passenger, features one song which is the theme song of the movie, is composed by Bijibal and sung by Vineeth Sreenivasan

SL No.SongPerformer
1Ormathirivil kandu marannoruVineeth Sreenivasan

Box office

The film was commercial success.[4]

References
  1. "KBO- Summer Box- Office ( May 1 to June 11)". Sify. 24 June 2009.
  2. Arya Aiyappan. "Dileep turns journalist again". One India. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  3. "'Passenger' turns 'Muriyadi'". Indiaglitz. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  4. Moviebuzz (2 January 2010). "2009- A Flashback!". Sify.
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