House Full is a 1999 Indian Tamil-language thriller film written and directed by R. Parthiban. The film stars himself along with Vikram, Roja and Suvalakshmi. The film was produced by Parthiban's children under Bioscope Film Framers. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film was released on 15 January 1999.[1] It won the National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film, and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards: Best Director (Parthiban) and Best Editor (M. N. Raja).
| House Full | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Directed by | R. Parthiban |
| Written by | R. Parthiban |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | R. Parthiban Vikram Roja Suvalakshmi |
| Cinematography | M. V. Panneerselvam |
| Edited by | M. N. Raja |
| Music by | Ilaiyaraaja |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 138 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
Plot
editAyya is a respected man who runs a cinema theatre. The story begins when bombs are placed inside the theatre during a movie. The police commissioner and DGP want to defuse the bombs without letting the audience know. Hameed is one of the people in the theatre, and Indhu is the woman outside who loves him.
Ayya's ex-wife does not help when she makes a tear-filled request to him to evacuate the theatre, against the police's advice. By the time, Ayya makes a decision, however, Indhu has snuck in and warned Hameed; others, hearing her words, begin to run out of the theatre. Panic ensues as everyone makes a mad dash for the door.
Ayya helps the audience exit the theatre without caring for his own life. Finally when everyone is evacuated, Ayya also comes out of the theatre. Suddenly, the sound of a baby cry is heard inside the theatre. Ayya rushes into the theatre with the hope of saving the baby, but the sound is just a scene in the movie that was actually getting played. Unfortunately, the bomb explodes and Ayya is dead.
Cast
edit- Parthiban as Ayya
- Vikram as Hameed
- Roja as Writer
- Suvalakshmi as Indhu
- Aishwarya as Christine
- Swathi as Stella
- Jayanthi as Ayya's estranged wife
- Vadivelu as Vadivelu
- Nair Raman as Theatre manager
- Surya as Police Commissioner (voice dubbed by Thalaivasal Vijay)
- Laxmi Rattan as Director General of Police
- S. V. Ramadas as Security Guard
- Rowdy Rathnam as Rathnam
- Baby Sujitha
- Mayilsamy as Indigenous man
- Bhanusri as Indigenous woman
- J. Prabhakar
- Senbhaga Muthu
- Kalidoss as Thamizh
- D. R. K. Kiran as Journalist (uncredited role)
- Karu Pazhaniappan as Journalist (uncredited role)
- Cheran Raj as Police officer (uncredited role)
- Pasupathy as Corrupt cop (uncredited role)
- Priyanka as Control room operator (uncredited role)
Production
editParthiban revealed in a 2019 interview with Baradwaj Rangan that he made this film without a written script. Everything from dialogues, shots, etc., was done on the day of the shooting at shooting site.[2][3] The film was predominantly shot at Sridevi theatre at Madurai.[4] Parthiban planned to shoot there only for two weeks; however he bought the theatre for lease and completed filming within seven weeks. The film's ending was shot on a theatre set at Prasad Studios where a miniature was also created.[5]
Reception
editK. N. Vijiyan of New Straits Times opined that "Catch this film if you are looking for a story with a difference".[6] A critic from Deccan Herald wrote "Housefull is awfully silly, and seems to serve no other purpose than to show Parthiban, as being capable of political authority".[7] Kalki praised Parthiban for attempting a Speed kind of thriller in Tamil.[8] D. S. Ramanujam of The Hindu appreciated the film's theme and Parthiban's getup for seeming "new" to Tamil cinema, "But the amount of tension such a yarn is supposed to generate is sadly missing in his screenplay and narration based on his story, making it a damp squib". Nonetheless, he appreciated Panneerselvam's cinematography, M. N. Raja's editing and R. K. Nagu's art direction.[9]
Accolades
editHouse Full won the National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film at the 46th National Film Awards.[10] It also won two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards: Best Director (Parthiban) and Best Editor (M. N. Raja).[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Housefull (1999)". Screen 4 Screen. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (25 June 2019). R. Parthiban Interview With Baradwaj Rangan | Face 2 Face (in Tamil). Film Companion South. Event occurs at 11:16. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (11 July 2019). "How Parthiban Made A Movie Without A Script". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
- ^ "வருத்தப்பட செய்து விட்டார் பார்த்திபன்!". Kalki (in Tamil). 21 March 1999. p. 71. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "பார்த்திபன் மனம்கவர்ந்த 'ஹவுஸ்புல்' திரையரங்கு". Dina Thanthi (in Tamil). 27 April 2024. Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ Vijiyan, K.N. (20 February 1999). "Not your typical masala-type fare". New Straits Times. p. 36. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2022 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ Lavanya (28 February 1999). "Housefull". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 14 February 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "ஹவுஸ் ஃபுல்". Kalki (in Tamil). 31 January 1999. pp. 64–65. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2022 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Ramanujam, D. S. (22 January 1999). "Film Review: Housefull/Mannavaru Chinnavaru/Rush Hour". The Hindu. p. 26. Archived from the original on 7 April 2001. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "46th National Film Festival" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- ^ "Tamil Nadu state film awards announced; "Natpukkaga" bags best film award". The Hindu. 17 July 2000. Archived from the original on 30 April 2003. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
External links
edit- House Full at IMDb