IV Sasi is best known as the director who lived and breathed cinema. During his remarkable career as a filmmaker spanning over many decades, Sasi made more than 170 films, including a few titles in Tamil and Hindi.
He is also credited with bringing actors like Mammootty and Mohanlal to the limelight. Today, on his first death anniversary, Onmanorama takes a look at 5 of his best works:
Avalude Ravukal
No obituary is complete without reference to his 1978 hit film Avalude Ravukal. It was noted for being the first Malayalam film to get an 'A' certification.
The film had grabbed eyeballs back then for it's bold subject. The film is about Raji, a sex worker in her teens who is fighting a lone battle to raise her little brother. The film also introduced the biggest talent of the decade Seema to Malayalam cinema. IV Sasi and Seema married two years after the release of the film and they shared the bond until the legendary director’s death.
Angadi
It was with this 1980 movie that IV Sasi proved himself as both for the mass and class. The movie was a record-breaker at box-office. It gave birth to superstar Jayan who was much noted for his powerpacked performance and punch dialogue ''We are not Beggars."
The movie with a political background gained much applauds for it's visual language as well.
Aaroodam
The 1983 film Aaroodam had Nedumudi Venu, Lakshmi and Seema in the lead roles. The film won the Nargis Dutt award for the best feature film on National Integration.
The film revolves around a couple and their child who get aquinted by a tribal woman. Sasi sensitively handled the subject with nuance in portraying the life of the tribal woman.
Aavanaazhi
Starring Mammootty, Geetha, Seema, Sukumaran, Captain Raju, Janardanan, Jagannatha Varma, Innocent in pivotal role, the 1986 movie dealt with social and political issue of that time.
The movie established Mammootty as the angry young superstar of Malayalam cinema. It was IV Sasi's brillaince to present the simple narrated movie into one edge-of-seat thriller.
The big success of Aavanazhi led to its sequels ‘Inspector Balram’ and Balram vs. Taradas.
Devasuram
How can one forget the Mohanlal starrer 1993 movie Devasuram. Mangalassery Neelakandan in fact became an epic hero in Mollywood till today. The hugely successful film with a melodramatic story will always be etched in the memory of every Malayali. The movie perfectly balanced two shades of a person. The song 'Vande Mukunda Hare' picturised on Oduvil Unnikrishnan is considered as the most dramatic scene in the film.
