Halal Love Story is a 2020 Malayalam-language comedy drama film[2] directed by Zakariya Mohammed. The movie is scripted jointly by Zakariya and Muhsin Parari, with Ashif Kakkodi credited as co-writer. The film is bankrolled by Aashiq Abu under the banner OPM Cinemas, Jesna Ashim and Harshad Ali under Papaya Films. Zakariya and Muhsin Parari along with cinematographer Ajay Menon and editor Saiju Shreedharan are credited as co-producers under the banner Ourhood Movies.[3]

Halal Love Story
Official release poster
Directed byZakariya Mohammed
Written byZakariya Mohammed
Muhsin Parari
Produced byAashiq Abu
Jesna Ashim
Harshad Ali
StarringIndrajith Sukumaran
Joju George
Sharaf U Dheen
Grace Antony
CinematographyAjay Menon
Edited bySaiju Sreedharan
Music bySongs:
Shahabaz Aman
Bijibal
Music Producer:
Rex Vijayan
Score:
Yakzan Gary Pereira
Neha Nair[1]
Production
companies
Papaya Films
OPM Cinemas
Ourhood Movies
Distributed byAmazon Prime Video
Release date
  • 15 October 2020 (2020-10-15)
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam

The film features an ensemble cast including Indrajith Sukumaran, Joju George, Sharaf U Dheen, Grace Antony in lead roles along with Parvathy Thiruvothu and Soubin Shahir in cameos.[4] The film released on 15 October through Amazon Prime Video.[5]

Plot

edit

The film starts when Rahim, a member of a Muslim religious organization decides to make a Halal film as the organization see movies as Haram in general. Rahim then meets Shereef, who is an active street play actor for various protests. Both together meet Thoufeeq to ask to write a script for the film. Due to various limitations, Thoufeeq informs that a telefilm of one hour is better than a full-length feature film. As the organization gives node to the Halal movie, Siraj, is roped as director for the film. Siraj is described as enough mainstream by Thoufeeq, since he drinks and doesn't follows the religion strictly.

Actors are chosen from the organization, but extensive search were conducted for the lead pair. A real husband and wife is required for the lead as mixing for non-married adults can lead to the forbidden region. After the directions from leaders of the organization, wife of Shereef, Suhra agrees to take role of the heroine. And Shereef is also chosen as the hero. As the shooting starts, amateurish performance of actors leads to the sudden halt to shooting. Haseena, a casting director came into the scene and she gives basic acting training to the aspiring actors. In the training session Suhra revealed about a lie Shereef told about her father when he died. Shereef hears this and he becomes defensive. At the end of the session, only six people - including Suhra is chosen for the film. Since Suhra is selected, Shereef also gets selection as the film requires real life husband and wife.

As shooting progresses, Siraj finds that there is something wrong with Suhra and Shereef. He tells this to Thoufeeq and he rewrites the script to make amends between Suhra and Shereef. But things didn't go as planned and Siraj becomes angry. He announces that Shereef needs to reconcile with Suhra in order to continue the filming. As the ice melts, Siraj plans an additional shot for climax in which Suhra and Shereef hugs. But Thoufeeq is against this as he fears that the community may find this as not halal. At last the cinematographer says he know a way and the climax shooting starts. As Suhra and Shereef hugs, Thoufeeq comes into scene and says to stop the shooting. Cinematographer informs him that halal cut is already done. Siraj is also happy as the problems between Shereef and Suhra is also over. The film ends as Rahim and family performs Salah while the movie is running in the TV.

Cast

edit

Music

edit

The film features songs composed by Shahabaz Aman and Bijibal with music produced by Rex Vijayan. The film score is composed by Yakzan Gary Pereira and Neha Nair.[6][7][8] Lyrics were penned by Muhsin Parari and Anwar Ali.[9] Additional Music Production is done by Palee Francis. Shahabaz Aman won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer for the rendition of the song "Sundaranayavane".[10]

Halal Love Story
Soundtrack album by
Bijibal, Shahabaz Aman, Rex Vijayan
Released15 October 2020
Recorded2019–2020
StudioMy Studio, Kochi
Sapthaa Records, Kochi
Bodhi, Thrissur
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length8:44
LanguageMalayalam
LabelOPM Records
ProducerRex Vijayan
Rex Vijayan chronology
Valiyaperunnal
(2019)
Halal Love Story
(2020)
Neelavelicham
(2023)
Bijibal chronology
Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya
(2020)
Halal Love Story
(2020)
Vellam: The Essential Drink
(2021)
Shahabaz Aman chronology
Thamaasha
(2019)
Halal Love Story
(2020)
Thuramukham
(2023)
Halal Love Story[11]
No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Sundaranayavane"Muhsin ParariShahabaz AmanShahabaz Aman02:39
2."Bismillah"Muhsin ParariShahabaz AmanShahabaz Aman03:00
3."Muttath"Anwar AliBijibalSoumya Ramakrishnan03:03
Total length:08:44

Release

edit

The film released on 15 October on Amazon Prime Video.[5] Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion South wrote:[12]

Unfortunately, the second half undergoes a tonal shift and becomes serious. 'Becoming serious' is in itself not an issue. But given the humour-coated approach in the first half, some of the latter portions are too heavy, too big for a film that’s so far been working in a miniaturist mode.

Accolades

edit
Year Award Category Recipient Notes
2020 10th South Indian International Movie Awards[13] Best Actor in a Character Role Joju George
Best Lyricist Muhsin Parari Song: "Sundaranayavane"
Kerala State Film Awards[14] Best Male Singer Shahabaz Aman

References

edit
  1. ^ "Parvathy in 'Halal Love Story' poster!". Sify. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  2. ^ Priya, Lakshmi (16 January 2020). "'Halal Love Story' is a family comedy drama: Zakariya". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  3. ^ Malayalam, Samayam (5 March 2020). "വൻ താരനിരയുമായി 'ഹലാല്‍ ലവ് സ്റ്റോറി'; പുത്തൻ പോസ്റ്റർ പുറത്ത് വിട്ട് ടീം: ഇത് പൊളിക്കുമെന്ന് പ്രേക്ഷകർ!". Samayam. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  4. ^ Native, Digital (20 January 2020). "Parvathy to make cameo appearance in 'Halal Love Story'". The News Minute. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Halal Love Story to release on Amazon Prime on October 15". The New Indian Express. 2 October 2020.
  6. ^ "സിനിമക്കുള്ളിലെ സിനിമയുമായ്‌‌ ഹലാല്‍ ലൗ സ്റ്റോറി ട്രെയ്ലർ". Mathrubhumi. 7 October 2020.
  7. ^ ഡെസ്ക്, വെബ് (7 October 2020). "സിനിമക്കുള്ളിലെ സിനിമയുമായ്‌‌ 'ഹലാല്‍ ലൗ സ്റ്റോറി' ട്രെയ്‌ലര്‍ പുറത്തിറങ്ങി | Madhyamam". www.madhyamam.com.
  8. ^ "ഹലാല്‍ ലൗ സ്റ്റോറി മോഷന്‍ പോസ്റ്റര്‍ പുറത്തിറങ്ങി". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam).
  9. ^ "List of Malayalam Songs written by Muhsin Parari". www.malayalachalachithram.com.
  10. ^ "Winners of 2021 Kerala State Film Awards declared, find full list here". 17 October 2021.
  11. ^ Aman, Shahabaz (13 March 2020). "Sundaranayavane (From "Halal Love Story") - Single". apple.com. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Halal Love Story On Amazon Prime Video: An Entertaining Mix Of Faith And Filmmaking". FilmCompanion. 24 October 2020.
  13. ^ "സൈമ അവാര്‍ഡ്‌സ്: അയ്യപ്പനും കോശിയും ലൂസിഫറും പ്രധാന പുരസ്‌കാരങ്ങള്‍; ജേതാക്കളുടെ പട്ടിക". 20 September 2021.
  14. ^ "സംസ്ഥാന ചലച്ചിത്ര പുരസ്കാരം; മികച്ച നടൻ ജയസൂര്യ, മികച്ച നടി അന്ന ബെൻ".
edit