Akkara Kazhchakal: Difference between revisions

*Akkara Kazhchakal*
Akkara Kazhchakal
	Logo
Created by	Abi Varghese; Ajayan Venugopalan
Starring	Jose Valiyakallumkall ; Sajini Sachariah; Jacob Gregory; Litto Joseph; Priya Joseph
Country of origin	India
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	50
Production
Production location	United States
Running time	18 minutes (approx.)
Original release
Network	Kairali TV
Release	15 February 2008 –; 2010

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Akkara Kazhchakal (Malayalam: അക്കരക്കാഴ്ച്ചകൾ) is a Malayalam language Indian sitcom that aired on Kairali TV from 2008 to 2010. The series consisted of fifty episodes which chronicled the lives of a middle-class Malayali family settled in the United States of America.^[1] The show was created by Abi Varghese and Ajayan Venugopalan and starred relative newcomers as the leads.

The show is regarded as the first true Malayalam sitcom with real-life situations and witty dialogues minus any drama or artificiality seen in other Indian serials. The series was a refreshing break for the Malayalee audience who were fed on a staple diet of treacle-filled and unrealistic TV serials. It broke broadcasting conventions when it was uploaded to YouTube^[2] in its entirety by the show's creators. Akkara Kazhchakal has enjoyed widespread popularity during its initial run as well as in the subsequent years. The series has been especially commended for its realistic portrayal of day-to-day Malayali life, social commentary and satirical humour. Josekutty Valiyakallumkal has been widely praised for his portrayal of George Thekkinmoottil, the patriarch of the family.

The show's popularity lead to a film titled Akkarakazhchakal: The Movie.

Characters

The show focuses on George Thekumoottil (Josekutty Valiyakallumkal), a struggling insurance agent. His wife Rincy (Sajini Sachariah) is a nurse who prefers a more luxurious life. While George and Rincy grew up in Kerala, India, their children Matt (Febin Joseph) and Chakki mol (Felisha Joseph) were born and raised in the United States and prefer the American way of living. The show also features Jacob Gregory as George's insurance assistant, Gregory and Paulose Palatty as George's father.

Other episodes follow the lives of Mahi (Hari Dev) and Babykuttan (Sanjeev Nair), two nurses who recently immigrated from Kerala and their housemates Krish (Jayan Mathew) and Baiju (Geo Thomas), who moved in with them after losing their jobs during the IT recession.

Other recurring characters include Pallilachan (Jose Paramus), a priest from the New Jersey church, Rincy's friend Shiny (Shine Roy) and Shiny's husband Jacob Embranthiri (Saji Sebastin).

Premise

George Thekkinmootil is a Malayali from Aymanam. He moved to the U.S. after marrying Rincy who is a nurse working in New Jersey. Having grown up in Kerala, he is often nostalgic and emotional about his homeland. Rincy, by contrast, is accustomed to American life, and is not bothered much by it. A running gag throughout the show is the cultural divide between George and his children. Though he is critical of their embracing of the American culture, he is a loving father and often tells them how fortunate they are to enjoy such a great life in America. At the onset of the series, George is stuck in a job that he dislikes and tries launching various businesses, all of which backfire. He finally settles down as an insurance agent after clearing the Insurance License Exam, and starts his own Insurance firm.

Gregory is George's ever-stammering insurance assistant. Even though his actual name is Gregory, George calls him "Girigiri" because of his stammering. His constant need for snacks is often criticized by George. Rincy is very fond of Gregory and considers him the younger brother she never had. Gregory walks out after being irritated by Appachan, and Candy is recruited to take his place. But soon Gregory returns as Candy steals George's laptop & runs away.

Another plot line that runs parallel to George's is that of Mahesh (Mahi) and Babykuttan (bobby). They lands in the U.S. through George's cousin, who is a placement agent in New Jersey. On their very first day, they almost end up being arrested by a cop (Richard Lampone) after the fire alarm went off because they burned an omelette. The police officer mistook their Puttu Kodam, used for making Puttu, for a marijuana vaporizer.

There are a few episodes in which Appachan prepares grape pickles around the grape season, and Girigiri helps him sell them in the local Indian grocery store under the brand name Appachan's Achar.

Cast

Character	Portrayed by	Role
George Thekkinmootil (Chettai/Kochu Kunju)	Josekutty Valiyakallumkal	Main protagonist of the series
Rincy	Sajini Sachariah	George's wife, a nurse by profession
Matt (Mathaikunju)	Litto Joseph	George's son
Chakkimol	Priya Joseph	George's daughter
Gregory John (Girigiri)	Jacob Gregory	George's assistant
Appachan	Paulose Palatty	George's father
Mahesh (Mahi)	Hari Dev	Nurse
Babykuttan	Sanjeev Nair	Nurse
Baiju	Geo Thomas	Software engineer
Krishankutty (Krish)	Jayan Joseph	Software engineer
Sunny Singh	Amarpreet Nanda	Roommate of Mahi and Babykuttan
Shiny	Shine Roy	Rincy's friend
Jacob Embranthiri	Saji Sebastian	A wine-loving scientist and Shiny's husband.
Achan	Joseph Mathew Kuttolamadom ^[3]	Parish Priest
Prasava Gopi	Devassy Palatti	Insurance agent. George's main competitor in the field
Candy	Cynthia Gianetti	George's Temporary assistant
Manager	Gracey James	George's manager
Ikkili Chacko	Sunny Kalloppara	Despatch at George's workplace
Jose	Kurian Valiyakallumkal	Georgekutty's friend
Philip	Rengit Peter Madaparambath	Video cassette loaner
Nursing Superant	Bris Kocak
Policeman	Richard Lampone	Policeman questions Mahi&Babykuttan
Lady who takes Insurance	Olya Makiyenko
Paul	Greg Vorob	Josekutty's neighbour
Molly	Malini Krishna	Chackochan's wife
Chackochan	Peter Neendoor
Guest at Josekutty's house	Ajayan Venugopalan
Soman	Soman	Malayali shop owner
Brittany	Stephanie Pezolano	Babykuttan's English Tutor
Gopi's Assistant	Sunita Sebastian
Ramakrishna Iyyer	Ganesan Venkitaraman	College Professor
Brahmadathan Namboothiri	Narayanan Kuttappan

Episode list

No.	Title
1	"Church Going"
The George family prepares to go to Church.
2	"Malayalam Culture"
George installs Malayalam Channels to teach his children some "Malayalam Culture."
3	"New Nurses"
George picks up 2 nurses who immigrate to America from Kerala and places them in a guest house.
4	"George's New Business Idea"
George tries to start a business by selling imported fat burning products from Kerala.
5	"Christmas Invitation"
George is invited to a Christmas get-together at Chacko's house.
6	"Haunting"
George's house is haunted by a Madama Ghost.
7	"George's New Diet Plan"
Rincy forces George to go on a new diet plan.
8	"Insurance Agent Exam"
George studies to become an insurance agent.
9	"New Marketing Techniques"
George tries to grow Thekummootil Insurance Corp with new marketing techniques.
10	"Feng Shui"
George tries out Feng Shui after getting injured trying to keep his children active in their vacation
11	"Dating Scene"
Mahesh and Babykuttan try dating with their housemate Krishnakutty.
12	"The Poet"
Gregory finds his hidden talent of poetry.
13	"New Pet"
George buys pet goldfish as George's children wanted a pet.

14 George hires a handyman.
15 Rincy plans a trip to India.
16 Babykuttan joins Sameway (a multi-layer marketing company).
17 Babykuttan tries to be a Sameway Millionaire.
18 George has a "small party" while Rincy is away.
19 Rincy returns with Appachan.
20 Matt grows up.
21 George and Family gets invited to a party.
22 Gregory resigns.
23 Gregory's first day at Blimpie.
24 George's new assistant.
25 Babykuttan learns to drive.
26 Generation Gap
27 Mahi tries to change career.
28 George brings a superstar home.
29 The Candy Problem
30 Appachan and Giri Giri's new hobby.
31 Appachan's Krishi
32 Appachan's Achar
33 Omana Onam 2008
34 Job Search. Car Search. Wife Search.
35 Back to School
36 Halloween
37 Mahi's Dilemma
38 The Rat Problem
39 George goes to the Doctor
40 Black Friday
41 Rincy's brother visits
42 Informercial episode
43 Christmas Episode
44 Appachan Babysits
45 The Love Letter
46 Appachan's Birthday
47 DJ KJ Episode
48 Going back Home
49 Babykuttan's English Tutor
50 George buys a New Benz

Film locations

The house of George Thekkinmootil's family is located in Englewood which is Abi Varghese's real home
Mahi and Babykuttan stay in a house that is located in North Brunswick which is Ajayan Venugopalan's real home.

Akkara Kazchakal - The Movie

Following the success of Akkara Kazhchakal, the team planned to release a movie calling it Akkara Kazhchakal - the movie. The movie was released in the United States on 29 April 2011, and produced by Infamous Coconuts & BOM TV.

In the film, Thekkinmootil Family decides to move Appachan and Ammachi to an old age home in Kerala. Meanwhile, between the jobs and a new insurance office, George and Rincy finds it hard to spend time with the family. With Rincy, kids and Appachan complaining about a much needed break, George finally decides to take the family on a vacation to Niagara Falls.

Critical reviews

Nita Sathyendran of The Hindu said: "It looks like George has not only delivered on his promise but has also managed to endear himself to his viewers.".^[4] Jacob A. C. of Mathrubhumi said that "The victory of Akkara Kazhchakal lies in the fact that it was able to introduce the day to day life of an Malayali-American a lighter mood."^[5]

Viewership

This sitcom had an estimated 80,000 weekly viewers.^{[citation needed]}

Show timing

Country	Showtime	Re-run
India		10:00pm IST - 10:30pm IST (MON)
United States	15:00 EST - 15:30 EST (Sat)	22:30 EST - 23:00 EST (Fri)

DVD releases

A DVD of Akkara Kazhchakal was released during Onam 2008 celebrations of Kerala Association of New Jersey (KANJ) by the cast members.

References

^ Sathyendran, Nita (23 May 2013). "Being Malayali". The Hindu.
^ Akkara Kazhchakal Channel
^ "BREAKING: 'Akkara Kazhchakal' Actor Joseph Mathew Dies of Cardiac Arrest". 18 March 2015.
^ The Hindu Online review
^ Mathrubhumi review

External links

"Infamous Coconuts" Abi Varghese shares his inspiration for Akkara Kazhchakal
Akkara Kazhachakal at the Internet Movie Database

[1] Sathyendran, Nita (23 May 2013). "Being Malayali". The Hindu.

[2] Akkara Kazhchakal Channel

[3] "BREAKING: 'Akkara Kazhchakal' Actor Joseph Mathew Dies of Cardiac Arrest". 18 March 2015.

[4] The Hindu Online review

[5] Mathrubhumi review

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@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 [[File:Gregory Jacob.jpg|thumb|[[Jacob Gregory]] who plays Gregory]]
-George Thekkinmootil is a [[Malayali]] from [[Aymanam]]. He moved to the [[U.S.]], after marrying Rincy who is a [[nurse]] working in [[New Jersey]]. Having grown up in [[Kerala]], he is often nostalgic and emotional about his homeland. Rincy, by contrast has accustomed to the American life, and is not bothered much by it. A [[running gag]] throughout the show is the cultural divide between George and his children. Though he is critical of their embracement of the [[American culture]], he is a loving father and often tells them how fortunate they are to enjoy such a great life in [[America]]. At the onset of the series, George is stuck in a job that he dislikes and tries launching various businesses, all of which backfire. He finally settles down as an [[insurance agent]] after clearing the Insurance License Exam, and starts his own Insurance firm.
+George Thekkinmootil is a [[Malayali]] from [[Aymanam]]. He moved to the [[U.S.]] after marrying Rincy who is a [[nurse]] working in [[New Jersey]]. Having grown up in [[Kerala]], he is often nostalgic and emotional about his homeland. Rincy, by contrast, is accustomed to American life, and is not bothered much by it. A [[running gag]] throughout the show is the cultural divide between George and his children. Though he is critical of their embracing of the [[American culture]], he is a loving father and often tells them how fortunate they are to enjoy such a great life in [[America]]. At the onset of the series, George is stuck in a job that he dislikes and tries launching various businesses, all of which backfire. He finally settles down as an [[insurance agent]] after clearing the Insurance License Exam, and starts his own Insurance firm.
-Gregory is George's ever-stammering insurance assistant. Even though his actual name is Gregory, George calls him "Girigiri" because of his stammering. His constant need for snacks is often criticized by George. Rincy is very fond of Gregory and considers him like the younger brother she never had. Gregory walks out after being irritated by Appachan, and Candy is recruited to take his place. But soon Gregory joins back as Candy steals George's laptop & runs away and He got fired from his job.
+Gregory is George's ever-stammering insurance assistant. Even though his actual name is Gregory, George calls him "Girigiri" because of his stammering. His constant need for snacks is often criticized by George. Rincy is very fond of Gregory and considers him the younger brother she never had. Gregory walks out after being irritated by Appachan, and Candy is recruited to take his place. But soon Gregory returns as Candy steals George's laptop & runs away.
-Another plot line that runs parallel to George's is Mahesh (Mahi) and Babykuttan (bobby). They lands in the [[U.S.]] through George's cousin, who is a placement agent in [[New Jersey]]. On their very first day, they almost ended up being arrested by a cop (Richard Lampone) after the fire alarm went off because they burned an omelet. The police officer mistook their ''Puttu Kodam'', used for making [[Puttu]], for a [[marijuana]] [[Volcano Vaporizer|vaporizer]].
+Another plot line that runs parallel to George's is that of Mahesh (Mahi) and Babykuttan (bobby). They lands in the [[U.S.]] through George's cousin, who is a placement agent in New Jersey. On their very first day, they almost end up being arrested by a cop (Richard Lampone) after the fire alarm went off because they burned an omelette. The police officer mistook their ''Puttu Kodam'', used for making [[Puttu]], for a [[marijuana]] [[Volcano Vaporizer|vaporizer]].
 There are a few episodes in which Appachan prepares [[grape]] pickles around the grape season, and Girigiri helps him sell them in the local Indian grocery store under the brand name Appachan's Achar.