Keralites can expect a big film feast for this Onam season in the form of great films! This time around, eight films are expected to hit the Malayalam theatre. They are NAATTURAJAVU, VETTAM, KAZHCHA, SATHYAM, JUNIOR SENIOR, RAIN RAIN COME AGAIN, TWO WHEELER and GREETINGS. Out of the eight, RAIN RAIN COME AGAIN has already been released.

While superstars Mammooty, Mohanlal and Dileep will be seen on the screen, there is not a single film of Jayaram and Suresh Gopi this season. The younger lot- Prithviraj, Kuchacko Boban and Jayasurya would be seen in atleast one film each.

The battle as far as directors are concerned is between Shaji Kailas and Priyadarshan.

NAATTURAJAVU

There is a magic combination between actor Mohanlal and director Shaji Kailas in NATTURAJAVE. The actor wears an absolutely different look with twirled moustache, silk kurtas, dhothi and displays a flashy gold chain. The film traces the life of Charley (Mohanlal), a rich planter who is a sort of revolutionary. The Mohanlal-Shaji Kailas duos have given hits to the industry before. The industry thus hopes that the duo would give a hit again and save the industry from crisis that it is going through.

VETTAM

Kerala High Court's decision to vacate an injunction order by a district court was a big relief. One hopes to expect a "comedy riot" from this Priyadarshan-Dileep combination. The film will be Dileep's first solo hero role in a Priyadarshan movie (he had earlier done a supporting role in MEGHAM). Irrespective of the outcome of this movie, both Dileep (whose last movie RUNWAY was a massive hit) and Priyadarshan (after the success of HUNGAMA and many offers from Bollywood) have a lot of reasons to be hopeful about the film. The film will also see the debut of Bhavana Puri, renamed as Maithilee by Priyadarshan. Maithilee is from Mumbai. The songs of VETTAM are expected to be a big hit. Music Directors Beny-Ignatius are very confident about the songs.

KAZHCHA

Mammootty is on a winning streak for whom 2004 has proven to be a lucky year. He has already bagged three hit this year- CBI DIARY KURIPPU, VAJRAM and APARICHITHAN. In KAZHCHA, Mammootty is doing an offbeat role. The background is set in the backwaters of Kuttanad. The film directed by Blessy is an assistant of Lohithadas. In KAZHCHA, the central character (Mammootty) travels from village to village with his 16 mm projector and screens movies mainly at the temple and church festival grounds. The character is a representation of the common man.

SATHYAM

The film SATHYAM will decide the career of Prithviraj. The actor does not have a movie at hand apart from an offbeat ATHU MANDARAPPOOVALLA. In SATHYAM, Prithviraj plays the role of a sub-inspector, Sanjiv Kumar. Sanjiv is a tough guy who is extremely duty conscious and is a nightmare for the corrupt politicians. Director Vinayan has great expectations from Prithviraj. The film has just the right proportion of action and sentiments. The cute little kid named Tharuni who won many hearts in VELLINAKSHTRAM as the "possessed" is back in SATYAM as Prithviraj's niece. Character artist Thilakan is staging a comeback as a retired police constable and Prithviraj's father in the film.

JUNIOR SENIOR

Debutant director G Sreekantan's JUNIOR SENIOR stars Mukesh as senior Manu and Chackochan as junior Kichu (Krishna Kumar). Manu runs an advertising agency owned by his wife and KK Nambiar's daughter, Renji. Kishu is a rich landlord's son who after his father's death stands by Manu to save his family from sinking. Manu makes a master plan to get his father-in-law kidnapped, after which he would come to his rescue. But the plan falters and Manu fails to impress his father-in-law. The entry of Akhila takes a new turn in the film.

RAN RAIN COME AGAIN

The magic combination of Jayaraj and Jassi Gift that spelled magic at the box office with the song 'lajjavathiye, lajjavathite' in the film 4 THE PEOPLE is back with another film RAIN, RAIN, COME AGAIN. The film has already been released and has a new star cast of Reji V Nair, Ajay Jose, Asif Khan and Divya Lakshmi among others. The film has script by Sarat Sivadas. Jassi himself tuned the seven songs by Kaithapram. He also appears as a music director in the film. Just like 4 THE PEOPLE, the story of RAIN RAIN COME AGAIN is set against the background of the campus.

GREETINGS

Directed by Shajoon Karyals, the film GREETINGS has Jayasoorya and Kavya Madhavan play the lead roles. Jayasurya is extremely positive about the film. The film is a story of friends with an adequate amount of humour in it. Jayasurya and Kavya Madhavan share a very good online chemistry. The duo's latest PULIVAL KALYANAM was a big hit.

TWO WHEELER

Touted as a modern love story, TWO WHEELER is a film about youth, tradition, friendship and culture. The film is director Senan's second film after PRIYAM. Jishnu, the young hopeful is in a desperate need for a hit movie. Kavya Madhavan acts opposite Jishnu. The story is set against the backdrop of a village where bike racing is a craze among people. Viswanathan was a dare devil driver who came to the village with a bike many years ago and introduced the sport to the common man. Viswanathan's two sons, Sivan and Hari adore each other and are good racers. However, soon, a girl named Indu (Kavya Madhavan) comes into their life. The rest of the story is about love, jealousy, hatred and revenge.