Nadiya Moidu and Joju George on working together in Amazon Prime’s ‘Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadha’
The Hindu
The actors play a couple in Madhumitha’s ‘Mouname Paarvayaai’, one of the five short films in the feel-good anthology
Many actors across film industries had a quiet last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not Joju George. He was prolific and had been part of eight Malayalam releases including Lijo Jose Pellissery’s eerie supernatural thriller Churuli, Martin Prakkat’s political drama Nayattu, and Mahesh Narayanan’s Malik. Thanks to the recent popularity of Malayalam cinema, Joju is not just an acclaimed Malayalam actor. Last year, he also made his Tamil debut with Karthik Subbaraj’s Dhanush-starrer Jagame Thanthiram.
Meanwhile, missing in action from Tamil films for a while is Nadiya. After Thiraikku Varadha Kathai, a Tamil-Malayalam bilingual in 2016, she has not acted in a Tamil film. “I don’t know why,” she replies when asked about the reason for the long break, “It’s just that I got busy in Telugu. Nothing exciting came my way in Tamil. But I am working on a Tamil-Telugu bilingual film right now.”
Both actors unite for Madhumitha’s short film, Mouname Paarvayaai, in Amazon Prime Video’s Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadha, an anthology set during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A vacuum cleaner haunted by a ghost is the kind of one-liner which can draw in a festival audience looking for a little light-hearted fun to fill the time slots available between the “heavier” films which require much closer attention. A useful ghost, the debut feature of Thai filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke being screened in the world cinema category at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), even appears so in the initial hour. Until, the film becomes something more, with strong undercurrents of Thailand’s contemporary political history.
Kochi News:Watch: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025 opens across 22 venues
Sustainability is not an add-on, but stamped firmly into the process: every piece is biodegradable, waste-free and unembellished, free from glitter or beads. “Products should be sustainable and biodegradable so that our planet is not harmed,” says Anu Elizabeth Alexander, a student of Sishya, Adyar. At a recent exhibition, the stars she made sold the fastest, followed by the small diamonds. “I would like people to know about the process, how it is created, and that it is sustainable,” says Anu. Infanta Leon from Kotturpuram developed an interest in crochet as a teenager. It was a hobbyhorse that evolved into a steed that would help her embark on a journey of identity-shaping creative engagement. She started making Christmas-themed decor two years ago, spurred by a desire to craft safe, eco-friendly toys for children. “With a toddler at home, and my elder child sensitive to synthetic materials, I wanted to create items that were gentle, durable and tactile,” she explains. Her earliest creations were small amigurumi toys which gradually evolved into ornaments that could adorn Christmas trees with warmth and charm.
Test your knowledge of Stranger Things with our quiz ahead of the final season premiere!
Studio Bones’ new shounen, Gachiakuta, based off Kei Urana's manga, is a blitz of anarchy in animation, turning society’s discarded into a swirl of stylised rebellion
It Was Just an Accident, is screened in the World Cinema category at the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala
Krithika Natarajan delivers a classically-rooted carnatic concert at Kedaram's 10th music festival in Chennai.
At Sunaada Lahari, K. Gayatri curated a recital drawn wholly from Suguna Purushothaman’s works, revealing the composer’s melodic and rhythmic imagination.
A.R. Rahman discusses challenges in attracting youth to classical music at the Music Academy's 99th annual conference and concerts.
Discover the joy of pursuing dreams in old age with Gabriel Mascaro’s anti-ageism film, Blue Trail, at IFFK 2025.
Explore Fazil Razak's "Moham," a poignant film addressing toxic relationships and mental health at IFFK 2025.
At Kartik Fine Arts, the Malladi Brothers’ concert stood out for their rare raga choices and classical presentation.
Across a year determined to see how far it could stretch the sanity of its most devoted otakus, these are the anime that actually justified the suffering