Hridayam - 2022

Introduction 

Hridayam is Malayalam romantic drama starring Pranav Mohanlal, Kalyani Priyadarshan, and Darshana Rajendran in the lead roles. It was written and directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan. The film explores the relationship between a young man and a woman who meet under unusual circumstances.

The movie was produced by Visakh Subramaniam through Merryland Cinemas and co-produced by Noble Babu Thomas through Big Bang Entertainment. The music was composed by Hesham Abdul Wahab, and the cinematography was done by Jomon T. John.

Hridayam was critically acclaimed and received praise for direction, story, screenplay, music, score and cast performances

Table of Contents

• Details

• Story

• Release

• Reviews

• Ratings

• Cast

• Crew

• Character Analysis

• Songs

• Controversy

• Box Office Collection

• Awards

• Interesting Facts

• Conclusion

Details

Story

Play

Hridayam tells the student life story of Arun Neelakandan, a teenager from Kerala who joins KC Tech, a reputed engineering college in Chennai. He quickly falls for Darshana, a college sweetheart. As their relationship unfolds, a fallout with seniors and a misunderstanding over another girl lead to an intense breakup.

Post-break-up, Arun loses himself in ragging, fights, and alcohol, while maintaining an empty relationship with Maya. Amid this turmoil, he manages to protect Darshana from a manipulative ex-boyfriend, Kedar. A period of introspection with the help of his father and a peaceful hostel room leads him to a path of redemption.

Seeking peace and progress, Arun joins Selva's coaching class along with his friend Antony, marking an academic resurrection. The death of his classmate Selva leaves a mark on everyone while his complicated romance with Darshana continues.

Post-graduation, Arun leaves a dissatisfying job to pursue his passion for photography with his friend Jimmy, and they specialize in intimate weddings. A shoutout from a popular Bollywood singer leads to success and satisfaction. However, romance stirs again when he meets Nithya at a wedding.

Embarking on a relationship with Nithya, Arun's past with Darshana continues to cast a shadow. Eventually, Nithya and Arun marry, have a son, and name him Selva as a tribute to their late friend, budding happiness in their lives.

In an unexpected twist, when Darshana's wedding is imminent, unresolved emotions resurface, causing tension between Arun and Nithya. Darshana's lingering feelings for Arun drive her to him, but he advises her to look forward to her married life. Following her wedding, Arun pays one last visit to KC Tech, leaving a note of gratitude in the secret alley, thus wrapping up his journey.

Release

The film had a worldwide theatrical release on 21 January 2022. Later it premiered on the OTT platform Disney+Hotstar on 18 February 2022.  

Reviews

Hridayam is a refreshing cinematic dive into the nostalgia of campus life and the intense emotions that accompany young love. The direction, narrative, and performances are constructed to provide an authentic depiction of a Malayali's campus life in Chennai.

Pranav Mohanlal, who plays the lead role of Arun, exhibits noticeable growth as an actor, delivering an emotionally resonant performance that beautifully captures the journey of growth from a student to a family man. Darshana Rajendran, who plays Darshana, complements him well, bringing out the nuances of their evolving relationship with skill and sensitivity.

The direction of the movie has managed to capture different moods, flavours, and vibes, with the essence of Chennai deeply woven into the narrative. However, there is a lack of depth and development in some characters, like Kalyani's, which leaves an area of improvement in the story.

The graphics and animation of the film are visually pleasing, enhancing the overall cinematic experience. The editing, on the other hand, could benefit from a bit more attention particularly considering the film's lengthy running time of 172 minutes – some trimming, especially in the second half, could have increased its impact.

The story itself may seem familiar to some, especially those who have lived campus life in the early 2000s – taking the viewer from campus romance to career discovery, and finally the everyday life of a family man. Consequently, certain aspects of the narrative may seem overly convenient.

The film's musical core is one of its strengths, with well-placed songs adding a warm and heartfelt dimension to the movie's listening experience.

The pace of the movie is balanced, albeit the duration of the movie could be trimmed to optimize viewer engagement without losing the essence of the story.

Hridayam is likely to appeal to a range of audiences, particularly those who cherish their college memories, love a good coming-of-age story, or are just in the mood for a heart-warming film. Its realistic depiction of campus life and the emotional journey of its characters will leave viewers with a smile on their face, harking back to nostalgic memories, and potentially a melody lingering on their lips.

Ratings

Cast

Crew

Character Analysis

Arun Neelakandan as Pranav Mohanlal

Arun Neelakandan, played by Pranav Mohanlal, tracks his journey from 17-30 years of age. His character undergoes change as he grows out of college and moves into a quieter life, making a career in photography. Many of us can connect with the changes that he undergoes in life.

Darshana as Darshana Rajendran

Darshana, played by Darshana Rajendran, is Arun's college sweetheart. She is the simple next-door girl with curly tresses. In the heat of an argument breaks off with Arun but is unable to move on till the end, when she is shown getting married. She is often looking back and thinking how life would have been if they had not parted.

Nithya as Kalyani Priyadarshan

Nithya, played by Kalyani Priyadarshan, is a loving, homely character who falls in love with Arun, marries him with blessings from their parents and is soon blessed with a son. She dorns beautiful white Kerala sarees and is seen decorating the Athapookkalam. She portrays a variety of feelings - love, caring and even concern over losing her loved one to another.

Songs

Box Office Collection

Hridayam was a super hit at the box office. At a budget of just  ₹5 crore, the movie managed to earn over ₹78.3 crore.

Awards

Interesting Facts

• The movie was filmed at KCG College of Technology, using the same classrooms where Vineeth and his wife once studied.
• The story incorporates elements from Vineeth and his wife Divya's lives, as well as their college friends' experiences.
• During the scene in which Arun plays guitar to Darshana's song, Pranav's live guitar performance was used in the final film.
• When Arun (played by Pranav) shares photographs with Jimmy (portrayed by Aju Varghese) during their initial encounter on the bus, the pictures were actually taken by Pranav himself.
• For the Darshana song scene, Pranav spontaneously choreographed his own movements. Vineeth encouraged him to express himself freely and do whatever he felt was appropriate.

Conclusion 

Hridayam is a beautiful coming-of-age movie based mostly around the life of Arun from when he comes to college to when he is married and becomes a dad to a son. It takes us through his life struggles, his relationships, etc. It is a movie many of us would be able to connect with because we all go through these transitions in life. With the beautiful storytelling by Vineeth Sreenivasan, it is worth a watch.