Korak Rides In (OUTLOOK on “Second Show”)
Second Show isn’t a film for the squeamish. Its strength is its raw, gritty feel, digging deep into the innards of the underworld. Devoid of frills and the usual choreographed set-pieces, much of it is shot with a hand-held camera. It’s no dream role too—petty thug with awkward gait who doesn’t even get the girl. Hardly blockbuster material, you’d say. It’s the sort of grungy, new wave film where you might encounter a 25-year-old newcomer. But wait, what if he happens to be the son of Malayalam cinema’s evergreen superstar Mammootty? Well, Dulquar Salman has chosen just this small and inventive film for his big screen baptism. Made by a crew of newcomers, with popular band Avial’s music and helmed by 26-year-old Srinath Rajendran, Second Show released last month and could well be Mollywood’s first sleeper hit of 2012.
The complete article is available HERE.
SATYAMSHOT 
March 7, 2012 at 10:12 AM
I’d heard this was released and read some middling reviews but didn’t realize it was doing well enough to qualify as a sleeper hit. Will have to try and catch it.
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March 7, 2012 at 10:36 AM
Yeah, looking forward to this. Dulquar is helped by his strong resemblance to his father. One doesn’t exactly want Mammootty redux (one should be so lucky!) but it would of course be a boon to his cinema if the kid had some of his father’s other gifts..
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March 7, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Given that Avial did the soundtrack, I’ll have to try and find that as well to see how it sounds. I liked the song they did for Salt N Pepper (this is also quite an interesting small movie- which is saying a lot in Malayalam films these days)
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March 7, 2012 at 2:48 PM
On a different note, how do I pronounce this guy’s first name?
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March 7, 2012 at 2:58 PM
dhul-kar. Kind of like the “dulkar” part of Sachin Tendulkar’s name.
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March 8, 2012 at 2:02 AM
Ah, thanks!
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March 7, 2012 at 10:28 AM
Second Show became hit because of its low budget. Dulquar has got the looks and a great voice from the youtube bits I have seen so far.
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March 8, 2012 at 9:19 AM
not sure if this has been covered–
First look of Shootout at Wadala–http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZA42Yfss-NI#!
Am glad to see Bombay being mentioned as in 90s in here…
Rest as usual is SG’s and EK’s OTT styling..
Do delete this if its posted else,
Andy
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April 27, 2012 at 3:36 PM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/others/news-interviews/Dulqar-to-play-Mohanlals-son-in-Priyadarshans-next/articleshow/12897355.cms
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April 27, 2012 at 3:43 PM
Remarkable.. all the symbolic cross-currents.. Mammootty’s son becomes Mohanlal’s! I love these narratives (in case you couldn’t tell)!
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April 27, 2012 at 11:08 PM
Yeah it’s really quite an interesting development if it pans out.
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July 5, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Dulqaar’s second movie doing really well
http://www.sify.com/movies/ustad-hotel-super-opening-news-malayalam-mhekURdcejc.html
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July 5, 2012 at 10:48 AM
I just caught this movie in Kerala and it’s quite a charmer. Dulqaar is definitely quite promising- the best of the newcomers, for sure. More than anything else though, it was quite a pleasure to see Thilakan in a meaty role again.
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July 5, 2012 at 10:51 AM
This is terrific news, CG! I’ll make sure to grab it on this end whenever it releases on video. Ironically it has taken Mammootty’s son to finally get a promising newcomer in Kerala cinema’s “Post-Ms” age!
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July 5, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Here’s a positiive review from rediff:
http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-ustad-hotel-offers-a-delicious-meal/20120702.htm
The TOI review is thumbs up on it as well. From the sound of it, the film seems to be the middle of the road stuff that defined the 80s.
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July 5, 2012 at 11:50 AM
sounds very interesting..
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July 5, 2012 at 11:53 AM
It’s closer to the multiplex-era Hindi cinema than anything from the 80s but it’s still quite well made and very rooted in the modern Kozhikode Muslim milieu- which is saying a lot, given recent Malayalam movie standards.
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July 5, 2012 at 12:01 PM
The basic storyline (at least on the merit of what’s been described here) of a complicated return-to-home(land) seems close to something like Varavelppu. Which is not to compare this to Anthikkad’s sublime accomplishment, of course. But just to say that this is the kind of narrative one doesn’t see these days or at least not with much thought and nuance, which judging by some of the reviews and your own note about the milieu here, seems to be the case. I’m not expecting the 80s here of course – just hopeful that there’s something more meaningful than what we’ve been subjected to in recent times.
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July 5, 2012 at 12:07 PM
“It’s closer to the multiplex-era Hindi cinema than anything from the 80s”
Alas.. the common disease..
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July 5, 2012 at 12:12 PM
Looking for anything like Varavelpu in this is definitely expecting too much. It’s more of a coming of age story than anything else- a Malabari Wake Up Sid, perhaps.
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July 5, 2012 at 12:16 PM
“…a Malabari Wake Up Sid, perhaps”
I think you’ve now adequately tamped down my expectations.
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July 5, 2012 at 12:17 PM
LOL!
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July 5, 2012 at 12:17 PM
There’s a charming little love story here though with a protagonist that’s all too rare in Indian cinema- a modern, feisty, Muslim girl. Nitya Menon owned this one thoroughly.
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September 4, 2012 at 2:37 PM
Saw Second Show and it’s quite easily one of the most distinctively directed Malayalam films I’ve seen in ages. Sreenath Rajendran’s film isn’t flawless by any means but compared to the uneven and sometimes downright amateurish stuff we’ve seen from younger Malayalam filmmakers in recent times it’s in a different league. As in other modern day gangster films from across India there’s a Tarantino hangover here that’s difficult to shake and that feels a bit played out, even if it’s done with some thought to place and dialogue. Moreover, the tension between the high art flourishes and the more masala-ish stylization (speaking mainly of the fight scenes here) is sometimes unevenly negotiated. Finally while the first half feels refreshingly different and playful in its tone, there’s a sense that the story becomes a bit pointless after some time, even if the structure and the performances make the film feel more significant than it is.
But the relative weaknesses here are minor compared to the overall achievement. The music by the band Avial and Nikhil Rajan represents the only album and background score from a Malayalam film that I’m actually interested in revisiting in the last several years, aiding the film immeasurably by lending it a freshness in tone and a robust, unique energy. The mostly handheld camerawork is gritty and sometimes rather striking – in terms of lighting, this may be the darkest Malayalam film I’ve ever seen, which is another way in which it stands in contrast to the work of other young directors coming out of Kerala. And as much as this film owes to Tarantino it’s also a film that is aware of The New Tamil cinema and one might find that it is something of a response to movies like Subramaniyapuram, (incidentally I would take Second Show over that overrated work) particularly in its love for the 80s cinema–here concentrating on Lal movies (two of them are quoted visually and verbally) and marked by Lohitadas-like moments of high tragedy.
Finally the film benefits greatly from the presence of Dulqar Salman, who has a very compelling debut moment here–far and away the best newcomer in at least the past decade. He doesn’t come out of the gate without hiccups, (there’s a boyishness about him, and a blankness that sometimes benefits but sometimes detracts from the character he plays here) but he has a natural, assured approach to the material that is quite appealing. It of course helps that this film is steeped in references to Malayalam cinema’s golden age and Dulquar strongly resembles his father who it goes without saying is one of the two central titans of that great period. It makes sense that his first film is about a young man trying to make it in the world in fits and starts–because given the promise of his debut, especially as it occurs under the cloud of the dire state of his cinema, where this actor goes from here on seems as essentially and mutually tied to the fate of his film culture as was the case when his father was at his peak.
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September 4, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Wow, I must catch this — GF did you watch it on a subtitled DVD by any chance?
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September 4, 2012 at 5:16 PM
Saw it on a burned copy of an official release DVD that did have subtitles, yes. So should definitely be out there…
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October 8, 2012 at 4:03 AM
Just got my subtitled DVD of this today — very psyched!
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October 8, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Looking forward to your response Q. As I mentioned it’s not some great masterwork but I sense it is a step in the right direction for Malayalam cinema, and if not that, certainly a unique direction for the industry.
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September 4, 2012 at 3:40 PM
GF, thanks for posting your thoughts, this is good to hear. I’ll definitely plan on catching this one
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September 4, 2012 at 3:49 PM
Would be great to hear what you thought when you catch it, CG.
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September 4, 2012 at 4:12 PM
By the way I finally caught Indian Rupee over the weekend and really enjoyed it. I’ve really liked Ranjith’s recent run of movies from Thirakatha through Pranchiyettan and now Indian Rupee- great characters and very rooted. This has me looking forward to Spirit which I hear had an impressive Lal performance.
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September 4, 2012 at 5:08 PM
I’ve wanted to see Pranchiyettan the most. Must get around to it at some point. Have to say lately the “impressive” Lal performances haven’t really rocked my world. But I’ll certainly look out for Spirit.
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September 4, 2012 at 5:41 PM
I’ve highly recommended Pranchiyettan here before so I’d definitely be interested in hearing what you think when you do watch it. Agree on recent Lal performances- watching Priyan’s Arabiyum Ottakavum.. was excruciating.
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September 4, 2012 at 6:22 PM
Not sure if you’ve seen Grandmaster but if you’re a Netflix user this is on Instant Watch. The first Malayalam film they’ve uploaded actually. I saw it and it’s a very by-the-books sort of thriller. A bit silly actually. And Lal can do this sort of role in his sleep.
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