Title Translation : The Balance
Art Direction  : KP Sankarankutty
Director : A Vincent

When Thoppil Bhasi meets A Vincent, magic happens.

Another creation from the legendary duo of Thoppil Bhasi and A Vincent. The more one delves deep into the creative output of Thoppil Bhasi, the more one comes out shaken. His unerring and almost unnerving grasp of the two mediums – Theater and Films is a feat that has never been equaled by anyone yet. The film adaptation of KPAC’s popular theater production, the movie went to to have a Tamil (Thulabhaaram), Telugu ( Manushulu Marali) and Hindi version ( Samaaj ko Badal Dalo ) with Sharada reprising her role in all the remakes !

The titles for the movie donot seem to have anything special to write home about, other than the fact that except for the Title of the film, the rest seem to be displayed on freeze -frames of the introductory dance sequence, and at times get lost in the dense background imagery. The titles per se, I think was a bit unbecoming for a movie that rocked the box-office at the time of its release with its emotional and political content.

Read more on the movie here.

Title Translation : Vineyards for us to Dwell
Titles : Bhattathiri
Director : P Padmarajan

You just can’t help but fall in love with this movie.

Everything about this theme is so perfect, that I guess KK Sudharkaran‘s novel was just waiting to be adapted to film. And who else but P Padmarajan to make it into one that even betters the original. The Movie Titles of the film attains an extra warmth and lyrical intensity, when viewed against the superb background score of Johnson. Its as if the both were born as lyrical twins of each other. The movie titles, a feast to the eyes are by Bhattathiri. The artistes’ credits go in the free hand running font, a preferred mode of expression to most, as is evident from Bharathan’s movie titles.

An absolute favorite, for all times.

Title Translation    : The Rail Tracks
Art Director             : Bharathan
Director                    : Bharathan

There is some dispute as to the actual release year of the movie, as its Wikipedia page shows a release date in 1981 and the main article mentions it as a 1982 film ! I  believe the Wiki author mistook the Censor certification date as its release date.

The Title cards of Paalangal, directed by Bharathan display  a surprising ‘hastiness’, as if he was just rushing through the job – he was the Art Director of the movie as well. Written in his usual free-hand font style, it is quite understandable as it was one of his most prolific years of  film production – Marmaram and Ormakkayi are also from the same year. Also, I think its one of the rare movies where he rolled through the ENTIRE  credit roll in a single freeze frame, that of an exuberant Zarina Wahab in the background.

Screenplay by John Paul, this was one from their best years in collaboration.

Title Translation : November’s Loss
Art Director : Bharathan
Director : P Padmarajan

The Title Cards of Novemberinte Nashtam, to me, has always seemed a bit ‘hurried.’ I do not know how else to explain it, but it seems as if Bharathan was in a bit of ahurry but yet wanted to a great job for dear buddy, Padmarajan. The title card style is a changing combination of block color paper backgrounds that hold his signature hand-written font, both English and Malayalam, held together in a wrought-metal ( seemingly) golden frame, resembling a kitschy mirror. Bharathan himself had 3 movie releases as Director for the year, Marmaram, Paalangal and Ormakkayi, and I guess that must be where the ‘hurry’ came from. Not one of my favorites from his body of work, I still feel it was a job done, nothing more, nothing less. Really.

What do you think ?

Title Translation    : Kutty, the Elder Sister
Art Director             : PN Menon
Director                    : PN Menon

The second in the ‘trilogy’ by the phenomenal teaming up of PN Menon with MT Vasudevan Nair. Flush with the success and close on the heels of Olavum Theeravum (1970), this was PN Menon’s creative freedom firing on all cylinders. Long a creative/art director to some of the best directors in Malayalam cinema, I feel PN Menon was doing something daring (yet again) even wit the titling of this ‘cold, hard, stark and impassionate’ portrayal of human relationships.

The title cards styling seems to have been  hand-written, with a rudimentary stylus, just dipped in ink. I suspect the film title card is with a wide-brush, done free-style, as wont with an artist like PNM. I can only imagine how it would have looked when it was mint-fresh, 40 years ago. Absolutely sensational !

I have written in detail about the movie here.

Title Translation    : Sleep
Art Director             : Bharathan
Director                    : Bharathan

Another of Bharathan‘s classic creations, and to me this follows in the same vein and spirit he did with the title cards of Lorry (1980). Also the fact that all it had was an year between them, also explains the ‘thematic continuity’, for me.

The title cards with its inkblot (?) patterns on a bright red background conveys a sense of ominous unease if you ask me. A kind of inexplicable apprehension, that is also perfectly in sync with the story with ‘love in the time of insanity as the theme, which was a marked departure from his other outings. The rest of the title cards are in his flowing free-hand Malayalam script which is something I really love.  Simple, down-to-earth, and elegant.

Hear that his son, Siddarth is remaking this movie and is in  production now.  Look forward to that.

Title Translation : The Snake Jungle
Art Director : K Sadasivan
Director : JD Thottan

Produced under the ‘Naga Films‘ Banner by PK Sathyapal, the title font is one of those  rare, old-style artistic efforts to bring the entire essence and effect of the film in the title itself, almost as a story synopsis. When you look at it now, after removing your sepia-tinted shades, it somehow looks amusing and childish at the same time, and yet somehow ‘interesting.’

Save for the movie title card, the rest seems to be on a uniform regular font (descriptive, of course), but somehow doesn’t stay in harmony with that title. The Art Director is K Sadasivan and I am guessing he is going to pop in in more of PK Sathyapal‘s projects.

Title Translation : The Tiger whom Nair grabbed, by its Tail !
Painting : KSN Moorthy
Director : P Bhaskaran

The First Malayalam movie with the Traveling Circus as its theme, based on an original story by Uroob, the movie was a laugh riot. The title cards are so in tune, reflecting the spirit of the ‘candy stripes, gaudy settings and calliope music’ of the circus, and has a very pulsing vibrancy to it. Am so in love with the Movie Title card, wish they would revive this style at least for  a project in our times that suitably compliments the theme. The credit that I could find amongst the titles for the cards, which I assume has to be KSN Moorthy who is credited with the ‘Painting’. Corrections are welcome.

Title Translation : Reed
Art Director : Narayanan Kutty
Director : IV Sasi

One of IV Sasi’s iconic font styles for his productions, remember Angadi and Avaludey Raavukal ? All have the same font style. The Art Direction is credited to Narayanan Kutty, and I see this as a staple for most of his early productions, more like trademark font. Maybe IV Sasi himself devised it,  remember his debut into Malayalam Cinema was as an Art Director. Beautiful.

What do you think?

Title Translation (Poetic): The Gypsy Seeds in Kakkothi Kaavu
Art Director : PN Menon
Director : Kamal

Set 2

I absolutely love this free-style font !

Yet another case of the Double Set of Title cards, a repeat from Thakara (1980).What is more strange is both the titles convey EXACTLY the same credits. I just love the free-flowing font style of the Movie Title card though post that, all have the familiar Malayalam font from offline publishing types. If only someone could enlighten me about this strange case of TWO Title Cards for movies !

I have written in detail about the movie here.