Appuni - 1984 Malayalam movie - Mohanlal as an anti-hero and Nedumudi Venu as the innocent man.

If you are a fan of a movie director and love his or her work, then it is great to start watching / analysing and immersing yourself in their creative work, from one of their first pieces. I'm a huge huge fan of Sathyan Anthikkad. It is a ritual at my home to watch Sandesham, Achuvinte Amma , Thooval Kottaram and many such gems visualised and created through his simple outlook towards a Malayali life. Almost every movie of his is a gem. So I decided to use my movie-freak-homemaker life to a better good and researched his filmography. And why should one miss even the lesser known movies from such an acclaimed director?




I decided to start with the very first of his movies which established the fantastic friendship between Anthikkad and probably one of the blessings to Kerala - Mohanlal.

Appunni is a 1984 Indian Malayalam romantic comedy film directed by Anthikad and penned by the then popular satirical writer Vadakkke Koottala Narayanankutty Nair, commonly known as V.K.N. It is based on V. K. N.'s story Premavum Vivahavum and is known as the only screenplay he has written. The film stars Nedumudi Venu in the title role, while Mohanlal, Menaka, Bharath Gopi, and Sukumari play other lead roles.

  
                                                                                   

Let me first say head on that Lalettan is not the hero here, it is Venu sir. Yes. And Lal plays a slick, conniving anti-hero, not a villain, but a guy set to outsmart an innocent man. He doesn't use weapons, doesn't jump off old Mahindra jeeps and fencing guys in head-to-toe white uniforms. Nope that isn’t Anthikkad style ( and I am thankful for that because I am not a fan of action movies ! )

The film explores the love triangle between the characters. Appunni ( Nedumudi Venu ) and Ammukutty (Menaka) are lovers from childhood. While Appuni is a serious, brooding and grumpy man, he is kind hearted to one and all. And even more secretive is his love for Ammu. She is a vivacious and fun loving girl who craves attention and expression of love from him. Ammukutty's father Ayyappan Nair ( Bharat Gopy ) and his wife (Sukumari ) are aware of the love and the relationship between the two young people and have confirmed it long ago. So it is a well settled fact even in the entire village.


 

                                                

Things take a twist when a handsome,rich, slick-talker man from a higher caste arrives in the village. His wealth, status in the society and smart antics sit well with all including Ayyappan Nair and Ammu. Much to Appuni’s dismay, Nair arranges her marriage with a rich school teacher, Menon Maashu. Ammukutty is distracted and perhaps in her childishness, she ends her relationship with Appunni and decides to marry the Maashu.

However, Maashu fails to arrive on time for the marriage ceremony. Ayyappan Nair, who is embarrassed in front of his guests and the village folk is now in tears and hollowed out. He assumes that Maashu might have cheated his daughter. Now he can only turn to the ever-dependant Appuni for saving his honour.

In haste, he conducts Ammukkutty's marriage with Appunni. Much to everyone's amazement, Maashu arrives late at night. Once again he manages to cleverly trap the harassed and confused Nair in his excuses and lies of why he couldn't arrive in time for the ceremony.

Once again the bizarre night takes a new turn and now Nair wants Ammukutty to marry Menon Maashu.

Angry at the baseless thinking of her parents and the lack of sanctity shown towards an innocent man like Appuni as well as disrespect towards her marriage vows, Ammukutty takes a decision.

 



Appuni movie was Bharat Gopy’s first collaboration with Sathyan Anthikkadand was also the only movie where Bharat Gopy was paired opposite the legendary Sukumari as an onscreen couple. Sathyan Anthikkad pulled off the seemingly impossible task of adapting VKN’s multi-layered, contextual humour with just the right tinge of sarcasm and self-deprecation fairly well for the big screen, as his characters came to life in the able hands of some of the finest minds on the Malayalam screen. And as Perattupadaveettil Ayyappan Nair, Bharat Gopy was a treat to watch onscreen.

 

Director Sathyan Anthikkad with Gopy

Vainglorious, conceited and self-important – Perattupadaveettil Ayyappan Nair cannot think of an instance of existence where his purportedly militant, glorious ancestry is unattached to his personality. If not in character, at least by name, that is. If you are someone who has read the literary work and watched the movie, you would be surprised at how uncannily close both the creations are. Bharat Gopy effortlessly ensured that. Echoing director Sathyan Anthikkad recalling the “making of the character image”,


In half an hour he stood before me as Ayyappan Nair, the version you see in the film. “This moustache is a sign of pseudo-valour, for belonging to the ancient, militant, Perattupada lineage,” as he twirled it. “Ayyappan Nair is a devotee of the Devi, and hence the vermillion tikka on the forehead. This scant hair combed flat and across my bald patch shows his naivette and vanity to appear young and virile, a sort of ‘matching up to his warrior clan lineage.’ I was ecstatic. This was brilliant.

It was brilliant not just one time. It was, with every film he associated himself with. Every time.

Author VKN with Film Director Sathyan Anthikkad and Cartoonist Yesudasan.

Credits -
https://bharatgopy.com/filmography/appunni-1984/
https://ommst.weebly.com/appunni.html
 http://yesudasan.info/photos.html

Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966) - Rolling hills and a rosy cheeked Dharmendra

A romantic film with a lovely variety of songs, picturesque places and rosy cheeked handsome Dharmendra rolling down the hills - all this attributes to a great package of comfort-watch on a rainy day. And this is exactly what Aaye Din Bahar Ke gives.

Isn't the name itself so refreshing? The coming of spring indicates freshness, flowers, love and new beginnings. Gone is the hardness of winter and the endless waiting for warmer and breathable weather. And spring brings joy to the hearts of the old and young alike.



There is the usual romance of guy meets girl and then the question of marriage. Kanchan (played by a beautiful Asha Parekh ) is tutored by Ravi (played by Dharmendra). Eventually they fall in love and her father Jankidas, a rich businessman is not opposed to the match. Things are humdrum and truly springlike.



There is no rich girl and poor boy unpleasantness here. The twist in the story comes at the time when the past of Ravi’s mother is revealed thread by thread. After that the movie takes a melodramatic tone. A search starts for the father and then the mother (played by ever-dependant Sulochna ) disappears.

Yes it all ends well but the takeaway from the movie is that relationships are just like the weather in nature. I don't know if the director chose the name with an intention to show the vagaries of life as compared to the vagaries of the weather. But I choose to believe the title of the movie is purposeful, to show us viewers that humans and love are so interlinked. Also to portray that life will always be like spring and flowery when you have good intentions in your relations and have secrets with your loved ones.


Directed by Raghunath Jhalani

poster coustesy - CineMaterial

Kaajal 1965 - Desolate Meena, powdery Padmini and one sided cat fights.

Jealousy, loss, grief and the classic tale of two women who can’t stand each other.



This movie is based on Novel "Maadhvi" written by Gulshan Nanda and is directed by Ram Maheshwari.


When a trusted Munim (Clerk) of a prestigious family passes away, the head of the family,Ranimaa (played by Durga Khote) take care of his children Kaushal and Madhavi (played by Meena Kumari)


At this point I have to say three things - one, I really miss seeing the ubiquitous munims of my childhood, walking around with a cloth bound ledger and calculating away on the tips of their fingers instead of the tie and suit officers with an air of importance around o them and their fancy scientific calculators


Second - what is with big families automatically taking custody of their employees’ children? I mean give them benefits like gratuity and provident fund, right? (insert goofy face here)


Third - why don't we name our women Madhavi and Rani anymore? Where did Ayesha, Sera etc come from?


Ok, let me go back to the old world and not compare them to the reality of this world. Anyway, that world and era were more charming even if I have to let go of some bare truths.

Ranimaa's only son is Rajesh (played by Dharmendra). Years pass by. No moving wheel and small foot changed to big foot scene-change here. Just a grown up handsome boy maa ka puttar. He is of marriageable age and meets as well as gets married to Bhanu Saxena (played by a very powdery Padmini).

Meanwhile, in a boating accident, Madhavi's brother Kaushal passes away, and a devastated Madhavi is left alone and pitied. Rajesh is heartbroken for losing a friend, Ranimaa feels guilty, the whole house is sad and grey. But Bhanu is not taking out any bit of stock of pity from her hard cold powdery heart. She not only envies Madhavi, but also begins a creative and intricate process of blaming her for everything. One sided cat fight round one begins.

Even to the extent of accusing her of having an affair with her husband. Bas ho gaya!!.


A depressed and self respecting Madhavi goes to kill herself and ain mauke par comes along a handsome Moti. No, not a black dog with a leather collar but the shero shayari dapper actor Raaj Kumar. I think even here he doesn't want to let Meena Kumari keep her beautiful foot on the dirty suicidal ground. ( “Aapke paon dekhe, bahut haseen hai, inhe zameen par mat utariyega, maile ho jayenge.” Pakeezah 1972)



Madhavi’s life is now at the benevolence of the one who rescued her. She gets married to Moti. What follows is a twist of fate for poor Madhavi who has to suffer from a gradual alcoholic husband. As usual the emotional part of the movie is heavily dependent on the wonderfully dismal wife's role played by Meena Kumari. The screen becomes poetic when she is on. I can watch an entire scene without dialogues if she is there.

 



An emotional movie showing the importance of relations, self respect and the sanity of marriage and great performances by the whole cast.


I found some interesting trivia for the movie - A heavy argument broke out on the film sets on day one. Raaj Kumar on seeing Dharmendra , inquired sarcastically " Where have you found this wrestler from!!Are you sure he can act?" An angry Dharmendra was ready to respond physically only to be calmed down by the director.

Posters courtesy - IMDB and postervile.