In Fazil sir’s own admission, 'I have often had bold, independent women in my films, be it Girly of Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu, Tintumol of Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku, Ganga of Manichitrathazhu or Maya of Ente Sooryaputhrikku.’ Which is completely true when you see a bubbly but not childish Maya winking at the attendant in the hospital to bend the rules of visiting hours. Later in the movie when the same Maya sheds the playful cloak and adorns the yearning for her mother, you know a Fazil movie will always do justice to a woman’s heart, mind and personality in an intelligent way. Maybe that is why Girly, Tintumol, Ganga and Maya are sometimes our sister, mother, aunt, friend and that girl whom we would have liked to be our best friend.
The period between 1985 and 95 was a time of change in Malayalam cinema. Movies like Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki (1985), Ozhivukaalam (1985) Anubandham (1985), Nandini Oppol (1994), Mazhavil Kavadi (1989), Kadinjool Kalyanam (1991) and Manichitrathazhu (1993) and so many more movies showed women characters as not an exhibition puppet or a mere Mona Lisa. Directors took liberty, broke out of societal restraints to show that women could be gentle as Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine, volatile as Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi or stylish as Portrait of Madame X by John Singer Sargent.
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Portrait of Madame X Lady with an Ermine .jpg)
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Judith Slaying Holofernes
Ente Sooryaputhrikku is a 1991 Indian Malayalam-language film directed by Fazil and starring Amala, Srividya, and Suresh Gopi. It is a story of the separation and meeting of a mother and her daughter.
Maya (played by Amala Akkineni) is a spoiled child who loves to create issues in her hostel as well as in college. She has a mini fan following among her friends and her charm and beauty works on all. Even with the nuns (shown as grumpy and frumpy - really why are religious people shown as such? I know a lot of happy priests and nuns too!)
One day along with her friends, she comes across the prim and proper Dr. Srinivas (played by Suresh Gopi). The mischievous Maya is seemingly attracted to him,though she just doesn't know it or admits it.
She decides to make fun of him, resulting in some light moments and which will be a treasure trove for college students in hostels. Soon the handsome Srinivas rebutts her practical joke and insults her saying that she is a fatherless child. Shocked Maya attempts suicide, but the same doctor saves her. They fall in love and she gets back to normal, but she is curious to find out who her father is.
She discovers that her father had adopted her when she was baby and her biological mother is K. S Vasundhara Devi (played by Srividya), famous singer. She tries every bit to make her mom accept her - crashing in concerts, some childish and over the top actions to notice her. etc. Finally her mother accepts Maya, but before she announces this to the public, Vasundhara Devi is murdered by her greedy manager for her wealth. Maya kills her mother's killers and she is sent to jail. Srinivas marries Maya while she serves her sentence.
Suresh Gopi sans the muscles and the grim expressions come out as the supportive partner that Fazil had in mind for Maya. No expression is too hard and no muscles were displayed in this gently, human relations focussed movie. Ente Sooryaputhrikku is all Amala. It is just about a parent and child, it cannot be called even a romantic flick. Colourful, pickled with ideas, spring in her step and light in her eyes.
Srividya is an enigma as always. Sad and melancholy when the mother starts to realise her daughter’s love and need and fierce in her care and pampering when the two unite. I don't think I have seen any movie of Srividya's where she gives a lackadaisical performance. Top notch and with the right eyebrow raise, parted lips, frown, blink and even the right amount of tears and vocal capability. She is truly an art on screen.
Ente Sooryaputhrikku was simultaneously shot in Tamil as Karpoora Mullai with Raja playing Suresh Gopi.
Srividya plays the mother who is a famous classic singer and who takes the decision to give up her baby due to her fear, inability, cowardice and growing career. But the mother is not shamed in the movie. The decision comes from a mature place of knowing that she will not be able to live in her upper class society. A decision she weeps over for years though she does it behind a tough facade.
Maya (played by Amala Akkineni) is a spoiled child who loves to create issues in her hostel as well as in college. She has a mini fan following among her friends and her charm and beauty works on all. Even with the nuns (shown as grumpy and frumpy - really why are religious people shown as such? I know a lot of happy priests and nuns too!)
One day along with her friends, she comes across the prim and proper Dr. Srinivas (played by Suresh Gopi). The mischievous Maya is seemingly attracted to him,though she just doesn't know it or admits it.
She decides to make fun of him, resulting in some light moments and which will be a treasure trove for college students in hostels. Soon the handsome Srinivas rebutts her practical joke and insults her saying that she is a fatherless child. Shocked Maya attempts suicide, but the same doctor saves her. They fall in love and she gets back to normal, but she is curious to find out who her father is.
She discovers that her father had adopted her when she was baby and her biological mother is K. S Vasundhara Devi (played by Srividya), famous singer. She tries every bit to make her mom accept her - crashing in concerts, some childish and over the top actions to notice her. etc. Finally her mother accepts Maya, but before she announces this to the public, Vasundhara Devi is murdered by her greedy manager for her wealth. Maya kills her mother's killers and she is sent to jail. Srinivas marries Maya while she serves her sentence.
Suresh Gopi sans the muscles and the grim expressions come out as the supportive partner that Fazil had in mind for Maya. No expression is too hard and no muscles were displayed in this gently, human relations focussed movie. Ente Sooryaputhrikku is all Amala. It is just about a parent and child, it cannot be called even a romantic flick. Colourful, pickled with ideas, spring in her step and light in her eyes.
Srividya is an enigma as always. Sad and melancholy when the mother starts to realise her daughter’s love and need and fierce in her care and pampering when the two unite. I don't think I have seen any movie of Srividya's where she gives a lackadaisical performance. Top notch and with the right eyebrow raise, parted lips, frown, blink and even the right amount of tears and vocal capability. She is truly an art on screen.
Ente Sooryaputhrikku was simultaneously shot in Tamil as Karpoora Mullai with Raja playing Suresh Gopi.
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