Mrugaya (1989 film)

Mrugaya (Malayalam: മൃഗയ, meaning The Hunt) is a 1989 Malayalam action drama film written by A. K. Lohithadas and directed by I. V. Sasi. The film stars Mammootty and Sunitha in the lead role, with Thilakan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Lalu Alex and Urvashi in supporting roles.
The movie ran 200 more days in theaters.

Mrugaya tells the story of Varunni (Mammootty), the uncultured and drunkard hunter who arrives in the village to kill a man-eating leopard. The film won two Kerala State Film Awards. The leopard, used in a number of scenes in the film, was lent by animal trainer Govindarajan Naidu.
The movie was commercially a success. The movie ran 200 more days in Kerala theatre.

Plot 
The story takes place in a Highrange village, terrorised by the frequent attacks of a man eating leopard. Tired of waiting for help from the authorities, the villagers under Reverend Father Panangodan (Thilakan) and Philipose Muthalali (Jagannatha Varma) decide to hire a hunter. The hunter whom they wanted had recently died, so his son Varunni (Mammootty) is summoned to the village. The uncultured life of Varunni soon became a headache for the village. The villagers try to avoid the drunkard hunter.

However, a women named Bhagyalakshmi (Sunitha) (whose mother was killed by the leopard) befriends Varunni. This relation makes Thomaskutty (Mahesh), who is in love with Bhagyalakshmi, jealous. Seeing Varunni talking to Bhagyalakshmi, Thomaskutty gets angry and starts fighting with the hunter. In the fight, Thomaskutty accidentally slips and falls from the top of the cliff. Varunni feels responsible for the death of Thomaskutty and confesses secretly to Reverend Father Panangodan. Father Panangodan realises the big heart inside the hunter. He decides to protect Varunni despite the objections from the villagers and arranges a livelihood for him. Varunni gradually starts to help the villagers and the family of Thomaskutty. The villagers also develop a soft corner for the hunter. Meanwhile, the leopard again comes to the village and Varunni fails to kill it. The leopard escapes with a wound.

The preparations of the betrothal of Thomaskutty's sister Annamma (Urvashi) is going on. But the groom fails to show up at the function. At the directions of Father Panangodan, Varunni decides to marry Annamma. This makes Bhagyalakshmi, who was in love with Varunni, jealous. On the eve of the wedding, she informs Annamma that Varunni had killed her brother Thomaskutty. Varunni gets exposed on the wedding day and flees to his hut. On reaching the hut, Varunni finds his dog barking alarmingly. He concludes that the dog has rabies and kills it. Soon he spots the leopard at the top of his hut and realizes that his dog was actually signalling about the leopard. He manages to kill the leopard with an axe. The villagers celebrate the death of the leopard. However, the police soon arrive and arrest Varunni for murdering Thomaskutty.

The movie had a bunch of notable performances especially from Mammootty and Thilakan. Their relationship was well scripted, and well told by one dialogue from Mammooty at the end - "Father, I will remember you even at my deathbed". 
The scenes involving the hunter and the leopard was another highlight of the movie.

Cast 
 Mammootty as Varunni
 Sunitha as Bhagyalakshmi
 Thilakan as Reverend Father Panangodan
 Uravashi as Annamma
 Jagathy Sreekumar as lawyer Ramankutty
 Lalu Alex as Anthony
 Sankaradi as Shankunni
 Kuthiravattom Pappu as Kunjabdullah
 Jagannatha Varma as Philipose Muthalali
 Bheeman Raghu as Kunjachan
 Paravoor Bharathan as Pillai
 Mahesh as Thomaskutty
 Kunjandi as Kuriachan
 Shari as Selina
 Vaishnavi as Radhamani
 Kousalya as Zeenath
 Priya as Yashoda

Sound track
Lyrics for this movie was written by Sreekumaran Thampi and music was composed by Shankar Ganesh.

Tracks

 Orikkal Niranjum sung by KJ Yesudas
Oru Nadam sung by K J Yesudas K.S.Chithra

Box office
The movie was commercially blockbuster.It ran for 200 more days in Kerala.

Awards
 Kerala State Film Award for Best Director – IV Sasi
 Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor – Mammootty

References

External links 

Category:1989 films
Category:Indian films
Category:1980s Malayalam-language films
Category:Films scored by Sankar Ganesh
Category:Films featuring hunters
Category:Films with screenplays by A. K. Lohithadas
Category:Films directed by I.V. Sasi