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Bhadran Mattel
Bhadran Mattel
Born	Thomas; 22 November 1952 (age 72); Pala, State of Travancore–Cochin (present day Kottayam, Kerala), India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1982–2005
Spouse	Tessy

Bhadran Mattel (born 22 November 1952)^[1] is an Indian filmmaker and writer.^[2] Bhadran's body of work addresses themes such as victimization caused by poor parenting, psychological trauma and redemption, the objectification of fatherhood and childhood distress. His films often feature metaphorical representation of objects and animals, biblical references, and depiction of autocratic Christian culture in a specific region of Kerala.

Among the very few filmmakers who had control over the Malayalam film industry through the '80s and '90s, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers to introduce the glorification of thug life by Malayalam superstars on screen, which went on to become the most popular concept of a typical mass film among Kerala film fans. In 1986, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Director – Malayalam for Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu and won two more Filmfare's in the Best Director category for Iyer the Great and Spadikam in 1990 and 1995.^{[citation needed]}.

Mattel's directorial works include the ruffian film Spadikam (1995), the psychic-precognition thriller Iyer the Great (1990), an investigative school drama Olympian Anthony Adam (1999), the film Uncle Bun (1991), about the parenthood of an obese caretaker, a psychic family drama Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu (1986), the musical Idanazhiyil Oru Kaalocha (1987), the film Udayon (2005), featuring a mighty land tyrant (2005), Indian political thriller Yuvathurki (1996) and more. Actors Mohanlal and Mammootty became frequent collaborators with Bhadran.^[3]

Career

He worked as the 8th Assistant Director for Hariharan on Rajahamsam under the banner of Supriya, the production house. Beginning with Rajahamsam, he assisted Hariharan in 14 films, progressing from an apprentice to an associate director.

The first film he directed was released in 1982. Ente Mohangal Poovaninju, starring Shankar, Mohanlal, Menaka, and Kala Ranjini. Bhadran's films drew inspiration from the lives of common people, blended with creative surrealism. Changatham (Malayalam), starring Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Madhavi, was released in 1983. Bhadran focused on making 2-3 films per year.^[4]

The film Idanazhiyil Oru Kaalocha (A Footstep in the Aisle), released in 1987, was about a teenage boy who falls in love with an elderly lady, played by Vineeth and Karthika respectively.

Iyer the Great, released in 1990, was a psychological thriller film directed by Bhadran, starring Mammootty and addressing a train accident in Peruman.

Spadikam (Prism), released in 1995, was an action drama film written and directed by Bhadran. The title was chosen to depict how people constantly change and adapt to exploit situations for their own benefit. The prism splits the white light into a spectrum of seven vibrant colors.^[5]

The film was one of the highest-grossing films in Kerala in 1995 and collected around INR 8 Crores. It was also the longest running film of 1995, winning the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor and Filmfare Award for Best Actor. Spadikam was Bhadran's most successful commercial film, gaining cult status in Kerala's film culture.^{[citation needed]}

In 2019, Bhadran announced that his next venture would be a film with Mohanlal Viswanathan called Jonathan, working together for the first time in 16 years.^[6] Also in 2019, when film director Biju J. Kattackal announced that he will make the second part of the film Spadikam, Bhadran opposed it, and the project had to be shelved.^[7]

Filmography

Director

Year	Title	Cast
1982	Ente Mohangal Poovaninju	Shankar, Mohanlal, Menaka, Kalaranjini
1983	Changatham	Mammootty, Mohanlal, Madhavi
1984	Aattuvanchi Ulanjappol	Madhu, Mammooty, Ratheesh
1986	Poomukhappadiyil Ninneyum Kaathu	Mammootty, Mohanlal, Rahman, Srividya
1987	Idanazhiyil Oru Kaalocha	Vineeth, Karthika
1990	Iyer the Great	Mammootty, Geetha, Ratheesh, Sobhana
1991	Uncle Bun	Mohanlal, Khushboo, Charmila
1995	Spadikam	Mohanlal, Thilakan Urvashi, Spadikam George, Rajan P Dev
1996	Yuvathurki	Suresh Gopi, Vijayashanti, Geetha, Ratheesh
1999	Olympiyan Anthony Adam	Mohanlal, Meena, Nassar, Jagathy Sreekumar
2003	Vellithira	Prithviraj, Navya Nair, Kalabhavan Mani
2005	Udayon	Mohanlal, Salim Ghouse, Laya, Kalabhavan Mani