Harikrishnans

Harikrishnans is a 1998 Indian Malayalam-language mystery buddy comedy film written and directed by Fazil. The film was produced and distributed by Suchitra Mohanlal under the production company Pranavam Arts, starring Mammootty and Mohanlal in the title roles. Juhi Chawla, Innocent, Shamili, Nedumudi Venu, Cochin Haneefa, Jagadish, Maniyanpilla Raju and Kunchacko Boban play the supporting cast. The film received a great pre-release hype due to the combined screen presence of Mammootty and Mohanlal after 8 years. It was released theatrically on 4 September 1998, coinciding with Onam, to critical acclaim and emerged as a commercial success. It was the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year. It was later dubbed into Tamil with the same name.
The film initially had two endings when released, where the heroine chose Mammootty in one version and Mohanlal in the other one. This was an attempt by the filmmakers to satisfy the fanbases of both Mammootty and Mohanlal, who were each popular in different regions of Kerala. However, only one version was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification for censorship approval. The producers were embroiled in legal actions after that, but the gimmick helped the film to bring in millions of rupees. This was an upturn for the Malayalam film industry, which had been generating unsuccessful films for quite some time.

Plot

The Harikrishnans are one of the most famous lawyer duo in India. They head the organization called Harikrishnan Associates, which consists of around 300 lawyers. They get engaged in a murder case of Guptan, who was allegedly killed by a hearing and speech impaired woodcutter, Gabriel. Gabriel is a friend of Hari's sister and Harikrishnans become the defence lawyers upon her request.
The Harikrishnans begin an investigation and come across Meera, a friend of Guptan. Both of them fall in love with her. After some trouble over the matter, they rediscover their friendship and get involved in the case again. They discover that Guptan actually died due to poisoning by his relatives who were doctors who wanted to amass his wealth. The culprits are captured and Guptan's elderly father accepts Sudarshanan, a former student of Guptan, as his son and successor to the property.
In the end, Meera opts for a random method to choose her life partner, as she is equally fond of both Harikrishnans. She decides to toss a leaf, with the name it lands on being designated as her friend, who would then choose who should marry her. The leaf lands on Hari's name, and it is presumed that she makes him her friend. It is likely that Hari would suggest Krishnan as the one to marry her.

Alternate ending

In the uncensored cut of the film, the leaf lands on Krishnan's name, and it is presumed that she makes him her friend. It is likely that Krishnan would suggest Hari as the one to marry her.
There was another ending planned with Shah Rukh Khan. He was proposed to do the role of the lover of Meera. But due to some technical problems it was cancelled.

Cast

Mammootty as Hari
Mohanlal as Krishnan
Juhi Chawla as Meera
Kunchako Boban as Sudarshanan
Innocent as Adv. Sundaresan
Nedumudi Venu as Thampuran, Guptan's elderly father
Baby Shamili as Ammalu, Hari's younger sister and Krishnan's cousin
Rajiv Menon as Guptan, Meera's friend
Cochin Haneefa as Kunjikuttan, Meera's cousin
V. K. Sreeraman as Gabriel, who is both deaf and dumb
Krishna as Pavi, Sudarshanan's friend
Sudheesh as Sudarshanan's Friend
Poojappura Ravi as Ramabhadran , Thampuran's sinister younger cousin
Venu Nagavalli as Kallurkaatil Vishwambharan, Meera's father
Jagadish as Public Prosecutor Appukuttan Nair
Maniyanpilla Raju as Kunjikuttan's Advocate
Hemanth Ravan as Dr Jaya Kumar, Ramappan's elder son and Guptan's cousin
Baburaj as Prem Kumar, Ramappan's younger son and Guptan's cousin
Reena as Sharadha, Meera's mother
Sajitha Betti as Ammalu's friend, Nisha
Saranya Mohan as Ammalu's Friend
Kanakalatha as Ammalu's neighbour
Sankaradi as Kunjikelu
Krishna Prasad as Sudarshanan's friend
K.P.A.C. Sunny as Judge
V.P. Ramachandran as Ammalu's neighbour
Augustine as Sasi, Kunjikuttan's driver
K. P. Ummer as Sudarshanan's Hostel Warden
Yadu Krishnan as Sudarshanan's friend
Jereesh James as Sudarshanan's friend
Vijayan Peringode as Temple Poojaari at Kovilakkam
Jose Pellissery as Jose-paapa, the guard at Ammalu's neighbourhood in Ponoor
Antony Perumbavoor as Ambulance driver Antony
Soundtrack

sang his parts in two different voices, to simulate the singing of both the lead actors during the song sequences in the film.

Release

Harikrishnans had multiple climaxes to appease the fan base of the lead actors Mammootty and Mohanlal. This created a spark of controversy among the fans. The scene was when Meera chooses one of them to be her friend among both the Harikrishnans. She admires both equally and goes for a selection method which her grandmother taught her, whenever she had to make tough decisions. She sets the method so as to choose her friend; the loser of the toss presumably becoming Mira's life partner. One of the climax shots shows Hari winning the toss and the other one Krishnan winning it.

Critical reception

Jayalakshmi K. of Deccan Herald wrote "Perhaps if Fazil had decided what he wanted, a love story or a murder case, the movie might have fared better." Padmanabha Venugopal of Indian Express wrote "Though it is entertaining, the movie doesn't have the support of a good script. Though the presence of two big-wigs and the controversy over the ending all made it spin money, artistically the movie suffered". D. S. Ramanujam of The Hindu called it "another fine example of director Fazil's directorial acumen" and added that the two lead actors "are in the thick of the drama right through and share the acting honours with their elegant performances".

Box office

The film's budget was and recovered its cost within two weeks. The film collected from first week beating the previous record of Aaraam Thampuran, which was. The film was a commercial success and the highest grosser of the year.