A.RAHMAN at 21:16, 3 March 2026

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Junior Mandrake
| image = Junior Mandrake.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| director = [[Ramasimhan (director)|Ramasimhan]] aka [[Ali Akbar (director)|Ali Akbar]]
| producer = {{ubl|Mummy Century|Shameer Thukalil}}
| screenplay = [[Benny P. Nayarambalam]]
| story = Arun Kudamaloor
| starring = {{ubl|[[Jagadish]]|[[Jagathy Sreekumar]]|[[Rajan P. Dev]]|[[Janardhanan (actor)|Janardhanan]]}}
| music = [[Berny-Ignatius]]
| cinematography = O. Lalu
| editing = G. Murali
| studio = M & S Productions
| distributor = {{ubl|[[Kokers Films]]|Anupama Release|Evershine Release}}
| released = {{Film date|1997|10|01|df=yes}}
| runtime =
| country = India
| language = [[Malayalam]]
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'''''Junior Mandrake''''' is a 1997 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language [[comedy film]] directed by Ramasimhan aka [[Ali Akbar (director)|Ali Akbar]] and written by [[Benny P. Nayarambalam]] from a story by Arun Kudamaloor. The plot revolves around the carriers of a mysterious [[Bust (sculpture)|bust]] named Junior [[Mandrake]], which is believed to bring misfortune to those who possess it. The film stars [[Jagadish]], [[Jagathy Sreekumar]], [[Rajan P. Dev]] and [[Janardhanan (actor)|Janardhanan]]. The music was provided by the [[Berny-Ignatius]] duo. The bust used in the movie eventually became a mainstay in [[Malayali]] Pop culture and the word "junior mandrake" has become synonymous with misfortune .<ref>{{Cite web|title=പിണറായി വിജയൻ യഥാർത്ഥ ജൂനിയർ മാൻഡ്രേക്ക് എന്ന് വീണ്ടും സോഷ്യൽ മീഡിയ{{!}}CM Pinarayi Vijjayan{{!}}junior mandrake{{!}}kerala crictet team|url=https://www.eastcoastdaily.com/2021/01/15/pinarayi-vijayan-is-the-real-junior-mandrake-on-social-media-again.html|access-date=2021-07-03|website=East Coast Daily Malayalam|date=15 January 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=ലേഖകൻ|first=മാധ്യമം|title=There is no answer to the 'Junior Mandrake' joke; that's not the culture of Pala," said Jose K. Mani|url=https://www.madhyamam.com/kerala/junior-mandrake-is-no-answer-to-ridicule-jose-k-mani-says-that-is-not-the-culture-of-pala-769185|access-date=2021-07-03|website=Madhyamam|date=16 February 2021 |language=ml}}</ref> In 2010, a sequel titled ''[[Senior Mandrake]]'' was released.

== Plot ==
{{more plot|date=April 2020}}
Nambiar is a [[building contractor]] and a staunch atheist, who even named his company ''Nireeswara Constructions''. However, he is plagued by many problems in his contracting business, particularly due to the conspiracies plotted by his competitor, Shankara Pillai. Compelled by his wife Sudharma, who is devoted to God, and his sons, Pradeep and Sandeep, Nambiar consents to consult an astrologer Thanku Panicker to find if there is any supernatural cause behind their problems. Panicker ascertains that there is an evil spirit residing in the [[Bust (sculpture)|bust]] of Junior Mandrake kept in their house.

Actually, Nambiar had been entrusted to handover this bust to someone in the airport when he returned from Singapore, but no one showed up to receive it. Panicker prescribes the evil spirit can be got rid of only by presenting the bust to someone who may receive it "with pleasure", who in turn will be taken over by the evil spirit. Nambiar manages to present this bust to his adversary, Pillai, on his birthday party. Panicker is apparently proven right as the misfortune of Nambiar is now shifted to Pillai, starting with coconut falling on Pillai's new car, breaking its window, and also turning Nambiar into an ardent believer in God in the process.

Pillai soon learns about this and tries to get rid of the bust by several ways and finally manages to gift it to "Patti" Menon, the father-in-law of Nambiar. The bust makes various journeys back and forth, finally ending up with Omanakuttan, driver of Menon. Omanakuttan accidentally discovers that there is a bundle of [[precious stone]]s hidden inside the bust. He takes some stones with him, and keeps the rest over the roof of his rented house.

By the time he came back as a wealthy man, the house had been rented out by the owner as a police station. Omanakuttan tries to retrieve the remaining treasure from the roof by various means, several of these failed attempts prompts the police to believe that Omanakuttan is insane, he is forcefully confined in a mental hospital. During his time at the hospital, there is a series of jokers. At the same time, the actual owner of the bust, Junior Mandrake, a [[crime boss]] in whose shape the bust was made, who was so far in jail in Singapore, is now out searching for it.

Mandrake tracks down all those involved with the bust—Pillai, Nambiar, Pradeep, Sandeep, Menon, and Omanakuttan. He plants a bomb on a moving school van as a decoy to keep the police station with less cops, but Pradeep manages to detach the bomb and saves the children. Mandrake ends up in police custody in his attempt to recover the treasure from the police station, and the treasure goes to the government. The story ends with Pradeep joined with the daughter of Pillai with whom he was in love.

== Cast ==
{{colbegin}}
* [[Jagadish]] as Pradeep Nambiar
* [[Jagathy Sreekumar]] as driver Omanakuttan
* [[Rajan P. Dev]] as Nambiar, Pradeep's father
* [[Janardhanan (actor)|Janardhanan]] as Shankaran Pillai / Pillaichan
* [[Kalabhavan Navas]] as Sandeep Nambiar, Pradeep's younger brother
* Sidharaj as Junior Mandrake
* [[Keerthi Gopinath]] as Priya, Pillai's Daughter and Pradeep's love interest
* [[Reena (actress)|Reena]] as Sudharma, Pradeep's mother
* [[Paravoor Bharathan]] as 'Patti' Menon, Sudharma's father
* [[M. S. Thripunithura]] as Thanku Panicker
* [[Cochin Haneefa]] as Police Inspector
* [[Mala Aravindan]] as Maniyan Vaidhyan
* [[Indrans]] as Driver Gopalan
* [[Mamukkoya]] as Constable Abu
* [[Kalpana (Malayalam actress)|Kalpana]] as Vandana, Omanakuttan's wife
* [[Kalabhavan Rahman]] as Vakkachan
* [[Zeenath]] as Vishalakshi / Vishalam, Priya's mother
*Sreeni Njarakkal as Sadasivan, Nambiar's manager
* Sagar Shiyas as mental patient
{{colend}}

==Production==
Some of the scenes were [[improvised]] while filming, particularly that of Jagathy Sreekumar's.<ref>{{cite news |title=ഉടൽ മണ്ണിൽ മൂക്കിൽ തുമ്പിയും: ആ രംഗങ്ങൾ ചിത്രീകരിച്ചത് ഇങ്ങനെ ! |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/movie-news/2020/04/20/behid-the-scenes-of-junior-mandrake-movie.html |accessdate=21 April 2020 |work=[[Malayala Manorama]] |date=20 April 2020 |language=ml}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name = Junior Mandrake
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = [[Berny Ignatius]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1 October 1997
| recorded = 1997
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length = 13:43
| language = [[Malayalam]]
| label = Wilson Audios
| producer = [[Berny Ignatius]]
| prev_title = [[Bharatheeyam]]
| prev_year = 1997
| next_title = Gajaraja Manthram
| next_year = 1997
}}

The film consists of three songs composed by the [[Berny–Ignatius]] duo, penned by [[O. N. V. Kurup]] and [[Ali Akbar (director)|Ali Akbar]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Junior Mandrake (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/7dTaq6bUjWTMjz6TseaTrD |publisher=[[Spotify]] |accessdate=21 April 2020}}</ref> The original [[background score]] was also done by them. In the film, the character of Pradeep Nambiar (Jagadish) is a [[Folk music|folk]] musician. So, the song "Ellarum Pokumcho" is written in the style of folk music.

{{tracklist
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| total_length = 13:43
| title1 = Ellarum Pokumcho
| lyrics1 = [[O. N. V. Kurup]]
| extra1 = [[K. S. Chithra]], [[K. G. Markose]]
| length1 = 4:32
| title2 = Konnamalar
| lyrics2 = [[O. N. V. Kurup]]
| extra2 = [[K. J. Yesudas]]
| length2 = 4:26
| title3 = Sopanam Thammil
| lyrics3 = [[O. N. V. Kurup]]
| extra3 = [[Biju Narayanan]]
| length = 4:45
}}

==Sequel==
In 2010, a sequel titled ''[[Senior Mandrake]]'' was released, directed by Ali Akbar himself.<ref>{{cite web|last=Palicha|first=Paresh C.|title=Review: Avoid Senior Mandrake|url=http://movies.rediff.com/review/2010/feb/01/south-review-senior-mandrake.htm|publisher=[[Rediff]]|accessdate=21 April 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0355617}}

[[Category:1997 films]]
[[Category:1997 Malayalam-language films]]
[[Category:Malayalam films in series|Mandrake1]]
[[Category:Films scored by Berny–Ignatius]]

Junior Mandrake - Revision history

A.RAHMAN at 21:16, 3 March 2026