Overview
Premam is a 2015 Indian Malayalam-language coming-of-age romantic comedy film written and directed by Alphonse Puthren. The film stars Nivin Pauly in the lead role, with Sai Pallavi, Madonna Sebastian and Anupama Parameswaran in significant roles. Produced by Anwar Rasheed under the banner of Anwar Rasheed Entertainment, Premam follows the romantic experiences of a young man named George David through three distinct phases of his life.
Released on 29 May 2015, the film became a major cultural phenomenon in Kerala and emerged as one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films at the time of its release. It is widely credited with redefining the romantic genre in Malayalam cinema and propelling several of its lead actors to nationwide fame.
Key Facts
| Title | Premam |
|---|---|
| Language | Malayalam |
| Director | Alphonse Puthren |
| Writer | Alphonse Puthren |
| Producer | Anwar Rasheed |
| Production company | Anwar Rasheed Entertainment |
| Lead cast | Nivin Pauly, Sai Pallavi, Madonna Sebastian, Anupama Parameswaran |
| Music | Rajesh Murugesan |
| Cinematography | Anend C. Chandran |
| Editor | Alphonse Puthren |
| Release date | 29 May 2015 |
| Genre | Romantic comedy, coming-of-age |
| Country | India |
Plot
The film is structured in three chapters that depict the protagonist George David's romantic life across different stages. The first part follows his teenage infatuation with a schoolgirl named Mary. The second part tracks his college years at an engineering institution, where he and his close friends fall for their malayalam lecturer, Malar. The final part centres on his adult life as the owner of a bakery, where he meets Celin, leading to the resolution of his romantic journey.
Cast
- Nivin Pauly as George David
- Sai Pallavi as Malar
- Madonna Sebastian as Celin
- Anupama Parameswaran as Mary
- Shabareesh Varma as Shambu
- Krishna Shankar as Koya
- Siju Wilson as Vimal
- Soubin Shahir as Aishwarya / Cycle Shop Aliyettan
- Vinay Forrt as Vimal Sir
Production
Premam was Alphonse Puthren's second feature film, following his 2012 debut Neram. The film was shot largely in and around Aluva and Angamaly in Ernakulam district, Kerala, with the engineering college portions filmed at Union Christian College in Aluva. The cinematography was handled by Anend C. Chandran, while Puthren himself edited the film. The soundtrack was composed by Rajesh Murugesan, who had previously worked with Puthren on Neram.
The casting introduced several relatively new faces to Malayalam cinema. Sai Pallavi, a Tamil-speaking actress trained as a doctor, made her feature film debut as Malar; Madonna Sebastian and Anupama Parameswaran also made their Malayalam debuts.
Music
The soundtrack album, composed by Rajesh Murugesan, became extremely popular across South India. Notable tracks include "Malare", "Aluva Puzhayude Theerathu", "Rockaankuthu" and "Chinnamma Adi". The song "Malare", in particular, became a cultural touchstone and one of the most streamed Malayalam songs of the decade.
Release and reception
The film was released theatrically on 29 May 2015. It opened to widespread critical acclaim and exceptional commercial success, running in theatres for several months. Audiences responded particularly to its naturalistic dialogue, ensemble of young actors, and use of music. Pirated copies of the film surfaced online during its theatrical run, prompting the producers to file complaints; despite this, the film continued to perform strongly at the box office.
A Tamil-language remake, also titled Premam, was released in 2016, directed by Chakri Toleti and starring Chandran (Naga Chaitanya in the Telugu version). A Telugu remake featuring Naga Chaitanya was released the same year.
Significance
Premam is regarded as a landmark in the wave of "New Generation" Malayalam cinema that emerged in the early 2010s. It is credited with:
- Setting new commercial benchmarks for Malayalam films and demonstrating the pan-Indian appeal of regional cinema.
- Launching the careers of Sai Pallavi, Madonna Sebastian and Anupama Parameswaran.
- Consolidating Nivin Pauly's status as a leading actor in Malayalam cinema.
- Popularising a more naturalistic, slice-of-life storytelling style for romantic films.
- Driving renewed mainstream interest in Malayalam-language film soundtracks across South India.
The film's dialogues, scenes and songs entered popular culture and continue to be widely referenced in memes, parodies and tribute videos.
Awards and recognition
The film and its cast received recognition at several South Indian film award ceremonies, including the Filmfare Awards South, SIIMA (South Indian International Movie Awards) and the Kerala State Film Awards circuit. Sai Pallavi's performance as Malar received particular praise, and the song "Malare" earned multiple music honours.