Parole (2018 film)

Alex "Mestri" Philippose is living a happy life with his wife Annie and son Shine, though she is epileptic. One day, he loses his temper and slaps Annie, triggering a fit which causes her to fall into a well. He fails to save her and his attempts are seen as proof that he killed her. He goes to jail. The first parole application is rejected since his son does not sign it, thinking he will be targeted next. After his sister Kathrina's death, he finally succeeds in getting parole, with the intention of seeing his son. After many attempts, he locates his son, but is distraught when he learns that he is a petty criminal, working for Sudarshan, a local drug kingpin. His son is brought in for questioning, but is taken by Sudarshan. Alex finds Sudarshan, beats him up and rescues his son.

The police officer investigating the case threaten to arrest Shine, but decides to arrest Alex instead when he is reminded that his own son, one of Shine's friends, would also be incarcerated. The movie ends with everyone realising about Alex's innocence as he goes back to jail for another crime he did not commit.

{{cast listing|

• Mammootty as Alex Mestri / Alex Philippose / Sakhavu Alex, a communist leader
• Nebish Benson as Young Alex
• Siddique as Abdu
• Suraj Venjaramoodu as Varghese
• Ineya as Annie
• Miya as Kathrina
• Lalu Alex as SP Jacob Sam
• Prabhakar as Bullet Raghavan
• V. K. Prakash as Krishnan Nair
• Alencier Ley Lopez as Sakhavu Philippose, Alex's father (a senior communist leader)
• Sudheer Karamana as Vattakannan Suku
• Juby Ninan as Rajkumar
• Sijoy Varghese as Varkkichen
• Irshad as Bennychen
• Madan Mohan as Vinod
• T. S. Raju as Sadasivan
• Padmaraj Ratheesh
• Sohan Seenulal
• Ashwin Kkumar
• Kalabhavan Haneef as Aani
• Kalasala Babu
• Krishna Kumar as Sandeep Raj
• Chembil Ashokan
• Kalinga Sasi as Kili
• Muthumani as Hazeena
• Aristo Suresh
• Harshitha Pisharady
• Ganapathi
• Vishak Nair
• Rony David
• Hariprashanth M G as Sudarshan
• Thankachan Vithura
• Emil George

}}

This is the feature film directorial debut of advertisement film maker Sharrath Sandith, who announced the film in May 2017 with Mammootty whom he had been directing for last 12 years for ad films and Miya George in cast. He said the other cast would be finalised after the filming began, and planned to shoot the film in two schedules to be in Bangalore and Kerala. The screenplay is based on a real life story.{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/mammoottys-next-is-inspired-by-a-true-story/articleshow/58804038.cms|title=Mammootty's next is inspired by a true story|date=24 May 2017|access-date=17 March 2018|author=Sanjith Sidharthan|work=TOI}} The untitled film began principal photography on 14 June 2017 in Bangalore, with 25-days schedule planned there.{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mammootty-teams-ad-filmmaker-next-63753|title=Mammootty teams up with ad filmmaker next|date=16 June 2017|accessdate=11 March 2018|agency=The News Minute}}{{cite web|title=Mammootty to begin shooting for Sharrath Sandith's film in Bangalore|author=Sanjith Sidhardhan | date= 13 Jun 2017|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/mammootty-to-begin-shooting-for-sharrath-sandiths-debut-film-from-june-14/articleshow/59126782.cms|access-date=11 March 2017|work=TOI}} Mammootty plays a prisoner and Communist comrade,{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/parole-when-mammootty-named-his-own-film/articleshow/62220028.cms|title=Parole: When Mammootty named his own film - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-03-11}} while Juby Ninan, who also co-produced the film, and Lalu Alex appear in jail wardens' roles.{{cite web|url= https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/mollywood/210917/in-a-juby-lant-mood.html|work=Deccan Chronicle |author=VANDANA MOHANDAS|date= 21 September 2017|title=In a Juby-lant mood|accessdate=14 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://news.keralakaumudi.com/beta/mobile/news.php?NewsId=TkNSUDAyMDU4MDc%3D&xP=Q1lC&xDT=MjAxOC0wMy0xMCAwODo0MTowMA%3D%3D&xD=MQ%3D%3D&cID=OQ%3D%3D|title=ലാലു അലക്സ് വീണ്ടും മമ്മൂട്ടി ക്യാമ്പിൽ|work=Kerala Kaumudi|accessdate=14 March 2017|date=10 March 2018}} In December first, Sharrath revealed Miya's role as Mammootty's sister and stated that filming would be wrapped up in 10 days.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/miya-to-play-mammoottys-sister-in-the-upcoming-movie-parole/articleshow/61881657.cms|title=Miya to play Mammootty's sister in the upcoming movie Parole|author=Anjana George |newspaper=The Times of India |date=1 December 2017|access-date=11 March 2018}}

The film was shot in digital CinemaScope and 4K cinematography was employed.{{cite web|title=പരോളുമായി മമ്മൂട്ടി|url=http://www.deepika.com/Cinema/Upcoming-Movies.aspx?Mammoottys-Parole-to-theatres&ID=1331|date=23 January 2018|accessdate=17 March 2017|work=Deepika}} The filming took place in around 75 days, of which 25 days were part of prison sequences in Bangalore. Other parts were shot in and around Thodupuzha.{{cite web|url=http://www.mangalam.com/news/detail/200079-location.html|title='പരോള്' മമ്മൂട്ടി: അലക്സ് എന്ന കര്ഷകൻ|date=13 March 2018|accessdate=17 March 2018|work=Mangalam}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Parole

| type = Soundtrack

| artist = Sharreth, Ellwyn Joshua, Aristo Suresh
Score: Sharreth

| released = 2018

| genre = Feature film soundtrack

| length = 17:21

| language = Malayalam

| label = Manorama Music

| producer =

| chronology = Sharreth

| prev_title = Naa Nuvve

| prev_year = 2018

| next_title = Autorsha

| next_year = 2018

| misc = {{external media

| audio1 = {{YouTube|uC0-t4-rR2o|Parole – Jukebox}}}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Aristo Suresh

| type = Soundtrack

| prev_title = Kuttanadan Marpappa

| prev_year = 2018

| title = Parole

| year = 2018

| next_title = Cuban Colony

| next_year = 2018}}

}}

The film has songs composed by Sharreth, Ellwyn Joshua, and Aristo Suresh.{{cite web |title=Parole - All Songs |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/parole/X7opbkBw7AE_ |website=JioSaavn |date=23 March 2018}}

{{track listing

| headline = Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| title1 = Chuvanna Pulari

| length1 = 4:31

| lyrics1 = Rafeeq Ahamed

| extra1 = Vijay Yesudas

| music1 = Sharreth

| title2 = Ilakalai Pookalai

| length2 = 4:03

| lyrics2 = B. K. Harinarayanan

| extra2 = Vijay Yesudas, Shakthisree Gopalan

| music2 = Ellwyn Joshua

| title3 = Theyyaram Thalam

| length3 = 2:23

| lyrics3 = Sreeparvathi

| extra3 = Sharreth

| music3 = Sharreth

| title4 = Parol Kalam

| length4 = 2:49

| lyrics4 = Aristo Suresh

| extra4 = Aristo Suresh

| music4 = Aristo Suresh

| title5 = Iyya Ka Naubadu

| length5 = 3:35

| lyrics5 = Shihab Ghanem

| extra5 = Jithin Raj

| music5 = Sharreth

| total_length = 17:21

}}

On 29 March, due to a delay in obtaining the clearance certificate from the Animal Welfare Board of India, which had to be submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification to attain the film's censor certificate, the original release date of 31 March 2018 was pushed to 6 April.{{cite web|title=മൃഗസംരക്ഷണ വകുപ്പിന്റെ ക്ലിയറൻസ് കാത്ത് മമ്മൂട്ടിയുടെ 'പരോള്', റിലീസ് തീയതിയില് മാറ്റമുണ്ടാകാന് സാധ്യത Total Collection 20 cr|url=https://www.iemalayalam.com/entertainment/mammooty-parole-awaits-clearance-for-release/|date=29 March 2018|accessdate=29 March 2018|work=Indian Express}}

Sanjith Sidhardhan of The Times of India rated the film three in a scale of five and said, "Parole has the elements that would appeal to a family audience – action, drama and sentiments – but a taut script and trimmed first half would have made it an even more engaging venture."Sanjith Sidhardhan (6 April 2018). [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movie-reviews/parole/movie-review/63642407.cms "PAROLE MOVIE REVIEW"]. The Times of India. Retrieved 8 April 2018.

Financial Express wrote that "Mammootty wins hearts as Sakhavu Alex in this melodrama" and labelled the film as "entertaining".[http://www.financialexpress.com/entertainment/parole-movie-review-mammootty-wins-hearts-as-sakhavu-alex-in-this-melodrama/1123680/ "Parole movie review: Mammootty wins hearts as Sakhavu Alex in this melodrama"]. Financial Express. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.

Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost rated 1 out of 5 stars and said, "Parole is not Mammootty's worst, but if you have seen him at his best, you have to wonder what on earth he is thinking when he picks scripts these days – or whether he is thinking at all.".Anna MM Vetticad (9 April 2018). [https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/parole-movie-review-as-generic-as-most-mammootty-films-these-days-but-not-his-worst-4423639.html "Parole movie review: As generic as most Mammootty films these days, but not his worst"]. Firstpost. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

Sify said, "With a script that is melodramatic to the core, the film looks old fashioned and follows a narrative pattern that would have been fine, maybe some decades back".MOVIEBUZZ (7 April 2018). [https://web.archive.org/web/20180407104258/http://www.sify.com/movies/parole-review-strictly-for-mammootty-fans-review-malayalam-sehljCjadacji.html "Parole review: Strictly for Mammootty fans!"]. Sify. Retrieved 11 April 2018.

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|tt7582962}}
• {{facebook|ParoleMalayalamMovie}}

Category:2018 films

Category:2010s Malayalam-language films

Category:Indian drama films

Category:Indian prison films

Category:Films shot in Thodupuzha

Category:Films shot in Bengaluru

Category:Films scored by Sharreth