Onam is the mother of all festivals for Keralites around the world – the equivalent of Diwali in the North,Ganesh Chathurthi in West and Durga Puja in East.
Rathri Mazha
Amrita TV is celebrating Onam with its audiences by bringing together a menu which celebrates the Best of Onam Movies,the Best of Celebrities and the Best of Cultural extravaganza linked to Onam. The Onam bonanza will commence from the week starting September 7,with exclusive Onam editions of Amrita’s popular programmes,Let’s Dance,Super Star Junior-2,Udayamritham.
Audiences can enjoy eight movies during the Onam festival(Sept 11-14)–and four of these are being showcased as world TV premiere movies,viz Halo,Ore Kadal,Don and Rathrimazha.
While Halo (starring super star Mohanlal)was one of the biggest recent box office grossers, Ore Kadal(with super stars,Mammootty ,Meera Jasmine)has been presented in 17 international film festivals and bagged a total of 47 Awards which include three international and five Kerala State Awards– directed by Shyamaprasad,President-Programmes,Amrita TV. Besides,viewers will get to see a unique mix of more movies during Onam on Amrita TV –breezy hit family entertainers like Lion,Don(both featuring Dilip in the title role) alongwith Rakiklipattu ,Malayalam film’s first all-female star cast (Tabu,Jyothika)directed by Priyadarshan .
And sharing the Onam cinema menu is a science fiction movie,Bharathan(Suresh Gopi,Biju Menon) ; Moonamathiral(Jayram,Jyotirmayi)a hair-raising suspense flick; and the unforgettable classic,Rathrimazha (Meera Jasmine,Vineeth)
The celebrity programme package for Utharadom or Day-1 Onam includes a tete-a-tete with noted actor, Suresh Gopi; Oommen Chandy ex-CM,Kerala,recalls previous Onams in “Ente Onam”; music maestro M.Jayachandran’s home becomes the venue of an unusual Sangeetha Samagamam as he plays host to playback singers Vijay Yesudas, Sujatha, Swetha and Amrita TV Super Star, Roopa who come together in ‘Onakhuzal Vili Ketto’ featuring songs interspersed with reminiscences;a short interview with the bright-eyed heroine of yesteryears, Vidhubala; popular star,Navya Nair’s special darshan of Haripad, Mannarshala and Chettikkulangara temples in ‘Predakhshina Vazhiyil’; and hilarious half hour with comedian,Undappakru.
Thiruvonam or Day-2 feature intimate chats with superstar Mohan Lal and Meera Jasmine ; a novel programme ‘Thirakatha’ featuring action hero Prithvi Raj, with 2006 National Award-Winner, Priyamani, as also Renjith and Samvratha ; Kerala Chief Minister, V.S. Achuthanandan’s ramble down memory lane in ‘Ente Onam’.
Interviews with Prithivraj, Sandhya, and Mohini; a musical extravaganza by Super Star Global winners; an investigative news story programme presented by contestants of Best Citizen Journalists ; Congress local supremo,Ramesh Chennithala’s recollections of past Onams,etc are a few of Avittom or Day-3 attractions.
The fourth Onam or ‘Chatayam’ which coincides with the birthday of Sreenarayana Guru starts off with a comemmorative programme,‘Guru Sannithiyil’, followed by interviews with veteran actors,K.R. Vijaya, Sukumari, Nalini, Jalaja, and upcoming stars,Sindhu Menon and Miss India 2007,Parvathy Omanakkuttan; a musical feast by winners of Super Star Global; a gourmet’s special edition of Taste of India along with all the routine programmes of Amrita TV.
