Katha Parayumbol (2007)

Katha Parayumpol (Malayalam: കഥ പറയുമ്പോള്‍ ) (English: As the Story is Told) is a 2007 Malayalam film directed by M. Mohanan, co-produced and written by Sreenivasan, and starring Sreenivasan and Meena in lead roles, while Mammootty appears in an extended cameo role.

The film revolves around a villager, who had shared a strong friendship with a popular cinema actor in their youth. However due to their different pursuit in careers they eventually are forced to part ways, one becoming a national figure, the other, a village barber. Decades later, the actor returns to the village to participate in his film's shooting. Whilst the entire village become excited about the prospect of seeing the actor, the barber fears that his old friend would have forgotten him and would neglect him. The story explores the pressures of friendship.

It was remade in three languages: in Tamil as Kuselan (2008), in Telugu as Kathanayakudu (2008), and in Hindi as Billu (2009). Katha Parayumpol was a critical success and was one of the biggest hits of the year.

Synopsis

The story revolves around the life of a barber named Balan (Sreenivasan) in a small village called Melukavu in Kerala. The barber is financially constrained and has to raise a family with three children. His wife Sridevi (Meena) is beautiful and belongs to a high caste who had eloped with him. He is not able to cope with the competition from a new air-conditioned beauty salon/parlor opened by Sarasan (Jagadeesh), opposite his shop. He does not get a license or a loan for the salon. He is in debt and is ridiculed by everyone in the village. Life is tough for him – he does not have money for a full square meal, leave alone for his children's school fees

Actors