| Doubles | |
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Film poster |
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| Directed by | Sohan Seenulal |
| Produced by | K. K. Narayanadas |
| Written by | Sachi-Sethu |
| Starring | Mammootty Nadia Moidu Taapsee Pannu Suresh Saiju Kurup Suraj Venjaramoodu Salim Kumar Anoop Chandran Avinash Y. G. Mahendra |
| Music by | James Vasanthan |
| Cinematography | P. Sukumar |
| Editing by | V. Sajan |
| Studio | Reels on Wheels |
| Distributed by | Plaza Group of Release |
| Release date(s) | April 14, 2011[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Doubles is a 2011 Malayalam comedy-action drama film directed by debutant Sohan Seenulal and written by the Sachi-Sethu duo. It stars Mammootty, Nadia Moidu and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles, and features an extensive cast of supporting actors with Saiju Kurup, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Salim Kumar, Anoop Chandran, Bijukkuttan, Y. G. Mahendra and Avinash amongst others. It also features Roma and Rima Kallingal in cameo roles.[2] The film is an emotional drama that also combines comedy and action contents.[1] It is produced by K. K. Narayanadas under the banner of Reels on Wheels Entertainment. The film released coinciding with the festival of Vishu on 14 April 2011.
The film features music by James Vasanthan,[3] cinematography by P. Sukumar, and editing by V. Sajan. Doubles, which is a story of two siblings who rescue victims of road accidents, is a subtle portrayal of the general mindset of the people to run away from trouble without trying to help an injured victim of an accident. Mammootty plays the role of Giri and Nadia his twin sister Gowri. Mumbai based model Taapsee Pannu acts Mammootty's heroine role. The shooting of the film held at Goa and Pondicherry.
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The film tells the story of fraternal twins Giri (Mammootty) and Gowri (Nadia Moidu), who lost their parents in an accident early in life. They grew up together in an orphanage, inseparable. And when they grew rich, they set up an accident rescue unit in Pondicherry in memories of their parents. They have even learnt mountaineering to carry out rescue operations. Their team consists of characters played by Saiju Kurup, Anoop Chandran and Bijukkuttan, and good for nothing ambulance-chasing lawyer named Lawrence (Suraj Venjaramoodu).
Giri and Gowri are absolutely inseparable, and for the same reason have remained unmarried as well. One day they rescues a girl named Saira Banu (Taapsee Pannu) from an accident, but then on, with Saira's identity remaining a mystery. Saira remains behind a purdah for a long time, and the antics that the men around her come up with to take a look at her face forms the comedy element of the film. Giri finds that Saira's accident was fabricated by Gowri's fiance Mishal. Everything around their happy life takes a sudden change from that point.
Doubles is the directorial debut of Sohan Seenulal. He is the fiftieth director to collaborate with Mammootty for the debut film.[5] Seenulal had previously worked as an assistant director for many films including three starring Mammootty. It was during the filming of Mayavi (2007) that Seenulal approached Mammootty with the intention of making a film with him in the lead.[6] Nadia Moidu, who was one of the most adored actresses of Malayalam cinema of all time, makes her comeback in Malayalam with this film.[7] Mammootty and Nadia had earlier worked in Shyama (1986) and Poovinu Puthiya Poonthennal (1986). Both the actors will be working together again after over two decades. Originally planned to begin on 15 November 2010,[8] the film started principal production only by January.[9] Filming took place from January 2011 through March 2011 in Pondicherry and Goa.[10]
An item song, featuring Sonia Agarwal, Roma and Rima Kallingal was reportedly included in the film. However, Sonia has officially confirmed that she will not be doing any cameo in the film. She said, "I was approached by the director Sohan of Mammootty's Doubles to do a song but due to personal reasons I politely refused. Now I see that in media and internet sites, the news about me in the film. It is baseless".[11]
The film released coinciding with the festival of Vishu on 14 April 2011 in 80 cinemas.[12][13] It released in 65 centres across Kerala, and around 15 cinemas in rest of the country.[14]
The film was a major box office disaster.
The film received mostly mixed to negative reviews upon release. Paresh C. Pallicha of Rediff.com rated the movie two in a scale of five and stated, "On the whole, Doubles has fallen to the level of a never-ending tacky television serial."[15] Keerthi Ramachandran of Deccan Chronicle stated, "Doubles was more like a plot done in impromptu. With a very thin storyline of two siblings running an accident rescue service at Pondicherry after their parents bled to death in a road accident, goes on to have a totally unrelated story behind." She also criticized the technical aspects of the film.[16] Veeyen of Nowrunning.com rated the film 1.5 in a scale of five and said, "Doubles offers a desultory tour through streets that you have been through several times before. It's a dreary drama that has been dipped in the mundane. So, the disappointments are double, the predictability double and the corniness even more than double."[17] The reviewer of Sify.com stated, "This one has been a disappointment, nothing less."[18]