Kalyanaraman to Thommanum Makkalum: Shafi’s popular Malayalam films that brim with comedy, LOL moments and more

From Dileep's Kalyanaraman to Mammootty-starrer Thommanum Makkalum, here is a look at the popular Malayalam movies helmed by Shafi.

Shafi's films

Malayalam filmmaker Shafi, who helmed several hit comedy films, passed away at the age of 56. Shafi was admitted to hospital last week following a stroke and remained in a critical condition. He breathed his last on the night of January 25.

Shafi directed several hit films such as Dileep's Kalyanaraman and Two Countries, Jayasurya-starrer Pulival Kalyanam, and Thommanum Makkalum and Mayavi with Mammootty, most of which floored the audiences with their laugh-out-loud moments and emerged to be winners at the box office.

Shafi, the nephew of filmmaker Siddique, stepped into the cinema world by assisting in movies during the 90s, before making his directorial debut with One-Man Show that starred Jayaram and Lal. Most of his successful films were scripted by his brother Rafi Mecartin or Benny P Nayarambalam.

Also read - 6 best Malayalam comedies to watch on OTT

From Dileep's Kalyanaraman to Mammootty-starrer Thommanum Makkalum, here is a look at the popular Malayalam movies helmed by Shafi.

Shafi’s popular films

One Man Show - Eros Now

Jayaram stars in the lead role in Shafi’s directorial debut which revolves around a family of advocates. Jayaram plays the struggling lawyer, while his uncle and his fiancee Radhika are successful in their careers. Kalabhavan Mani and Lal play the other two pivotal roles in the film, along with Samyuktha Varma, Salim Kumar, Narendra Prasad and Manya.

Kalyanaraman - Eros Now (Prime Video)

The film revolves around Ramankutty, who runs a catering service with his brother, and the events after he meets Gouri at a wedding.  Starring Dileep with an ensemble cast of Navya Nair, Kunchacko Boban, Lal, Jyothirmayi, Innocent, and Salim Kumar, Kalyanaraman is counted as one of the best comedy films from the 2000s. Often termed a laugh riot, the film was instantly liked by audiences in Kerala, with the dialogues, the fun banter and the character of Ponjikkara (played by Innocent) becoming hugely popular and are the constant source of memes and trolls on social media to this day.

Also read - Love watching Dileep films? Here are some of his popular comedy dramas that are streaming on Sun NXT

Pulival Kalyanam - ManoramaMax

Shafi once again roped in key comedy actors from Malayalam, including Jagathy, Harisree Ashokan, Salim Kumar, and Cochin Haneefa to bring in another fun entertainer. The filmmaker gave a comedic spin to the classic love story between the poor boy and the rich girl. Numerous confusions lead to several LOL moments that keep the film alive. Once again, the character of Manavalan (Salim Kumar) found much love and continues to live on through memes.

Thommanum Makkalum (YouTube)

Shafi tapped into the comedic side of Mammootty with Thommanum Makkalum, which also saw considerable success. The action-comedy film also starred Lal and Rajan P. Dev, who played Thoman, a thief, and the father of the two lead characters. The film follows the events after they decide to earn an honest living in a new place, where they get involved in other issues. Salim Kumar is also part of the movie as Rajakannu, raising the comedy quotient of the movie.

Also read - 8 best action-comedy films to binge-watch now

Mayavi Eros Now (Prime Video)

Another Mammootty-starrer from Shafi’s filmography that became commercially success as well. Suraj Venjaramoodu too joins the film along with Salim Kumar, Cochin Haneefa and Mamukkoya to ensure that comedy remains the highlight of Mayavi. Gopika, KPAC Lalitha, Sai Kumar, Manoj K. Jayan, and Vijayaraghavan play other supporting roles in this action comedy.

Chocolate - SunNXT

Shafi joined hands with the then-young talents of Prithviraj Sukumaran, Jayasurya and Roma, along with Samvrutha Sunil, and Remya Nabeeshan, to bring a campus story to life. Friendship, girl code, and love are explored in this fun romantic comedy that follows the events after Shyam (Prithviraj) gets admission to a girl’s college.

Lollipop - Hotstar

Kunchack Boban joins Shafi for Lollipop which once again starred Prithviraj along with Jayasurya. Roma plays Jenny, the sister of Franko (Prithviraj) in this romantic action film. Bhavana, Salim Kumar, Suraj Venjaramood, Bijukuttan and Rajan P. Dev are also part of the movie.

Marykkundoru Kunjaadu - ManoramaMax

Shafi reunited with Dileep for Marykkundoru Kunjaadu to give us a ‘hero’, who is perennially afraid of anything and everything. Biju Menon too appears in a key role, and ensures that comedy never suffers despite maintaining a sombre mood throughout. The blockbuster film has the terrific trio of Jagathy Sreekumar, Innocent and Salim Kumar, along with Bhavana, Vijayaraghavan and Vinaya Prasad.

Makeup Man - Sun NXT

Jayaram returned to Shafi’s world of chaotic comedy with Makeup Man which also features Suraj Venjarammoodu in a key role. Sheela Kaur, Siddique, Jagathy Sreekumar and Salim Kumar are also part of the film. The film revolves around Balu and Soorya, a newly married couple. After a series of events, Soorya gets an offer to be a film actress and Balu pretends to be her make-up man.

Two Countries - Hotstar

Dileep and Mamta Mohandas, along with Suraj Venjarammoodu, Mukesh, and Aju Varghese, bring down the house with this hit film. Ullas gets married to a wealthy woman and moves to Canada, only to realise that she is a chronic alcoholic. Jagadish, Lena, Vinaya Prasad and Ashokan are also part of this movie, which is a laugh riot but has a heart too.

Chattambinadu - Prime Video

Mammootty rejoined Shafi’s world with Chattambinadu which opened to mixed reviews, but was dubbed a success. Suraj Venjaramoodu once again wins over the audience with his Dasamoolam Damu character, which is still counted as one of his most popular roles. Mammootty stars as Mallayya, and his character is noted for his distinct manner of speaking Malayalam with a Kannada accent.

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