Arthana -1993 Malayalam film-I. V. Sasi,Murali - Tale of two families

Arthana is a 1993 Indian Malayalam film, directed by I. V. Sasi and starring Murali, Priya Raman and Radhika.


Arthana is a deeply emotional movie and a portrayal of the relationships connected to one man. Two marriages, two children and two different worlds. Very poignantly acted out by Murali as the husband facing a moral dilemma and torn between the love of his two children more than being affected by the deception caused to one of his wives. The movie does not show any indecency in its concept of extra marital affairs.



The questions the movie puts forward to us viewers are -


Whether it is morally right to feel love for another person outside of marriage?


Is your wife wrong if she is a bit controlling of your lifestyle, eating and wardrobe habits?


What is more important - efficiency of managing a home or true love and care?


Though all characters were well acted by all the lead and supporting actors, I felt that M G Soman was underutilised.


Story

Ramachandran (Murali )is a draughtsman and has a wife Bharathi ( Radhika) and daughter. Bharathi is modern, liking and living an upper middle class lifestyle, short tempered and has kept many restrictions in the house with regard to her daughter and husband. Much to his dislike, Ramu's father in law ( M G Soman ) and brother in law use all means to save money from projects he is involved in, as they are partners in his construction company.

 

Ramachandran’s daughter and he have an easy going relationship filled with laughter and fun. She is more carefree with him than with her strict mother. This uneven relationship with her mom is further seen to crumble when the other woman appears in their life.

 

The daughter is in love with the dance master Unni, whose mother is a well known dancer. However Unni's father's details are not revealed by his mother as he had died before their marriage and his birth. On knowing that her daughter is in love with the dance master, Bharathi reaches the dance school and shouts at them, calling him a Bastard. She also suggests her club members refrain from sending their children for the dance class. Ramachandran was much disappointed and apprehensive about this incident as he too had an illegitimate son.

Ramachandran's son Sreekuttan and his mother Priya are living in another house at a place where one of his projects is in progress. He has a happy life there too, enjoying all freedom. He visits them often and only his best friend (Siddique) knows about this relationship. Though he was willing to marry Priya, she said that it is not required as she is very confident to live with his son. His best friend also suggests that the marriage will turn void as it does not have the consent of his wife. However Ramachandran plans to write his house in the village in Sreekuttan's name.

Things go worst as Ramachandran suffers a heart attack and is admitted in the ICU section of the hospital. He becomes speechless, and informs his best friend that he wants to see Priya. Priya reaches the hospital with Sreekuttan and Ramachandran's friend makes way for her to visit him by carefully avoiding the presence of Bharathi. However Bharathi sees both of them, just before leaving the ICU. Ramachandran passes away that night. His brother-in-law was just about to cremate the body when Sreekuttan shouts for his father and runs towards the body. Ramachandran's friend reveals that it is Ramu's kid and, as per rituals, if there is a son for the deceased, it's he who should perform the last ceremony for his father. And so, Sreekuttan performs the last rituals and lights the body for cremation.

Bharathi's hatred toward Priya increases. However Ramu's daughter develops sisterly feelings for Sreekuttan and then with the help of Unni she traces Priya's house. It is then she realises that happy her father had been when he was with Priya and Sreekuttan. The name Sreekuttan was suggested by her. The clothes that was bought by Ramu for her were actually stitched by Priya. She is also told about how they became attracted to each other. For a new project construction, as instructed by his client, Ramachandran had destroyed the house where Priya and her mother resided. On seeing their house being destroyed, Priya's mother dies. Priya then stays with one of her friends, who insists the she tries her luck in painting. Though she tried that, no one was purchasing it. Ramachandran happened to see her, but she completely ignored him. Soon after that her paintings started to get sold. Later she learned that the paintings had been purchased by Ramachandran for use in his business ventures such as hotels. Also she finds out that Ramachandran too likes painting, and she sees a portrait of her and her mother that was done by Ramachandran. As time passed by, even after knowing that Ramachandran was married, they got attracted to each other. Owing to the fear of Bharathi's reaction, he had hidden this fact from everyone.

Bharathi gets angry with her daughter and locks her up in the room. However she manages to escape through the window, and visits Priya's house. Bharathi reaches there along with her father Soman and brother and asks Priya and son to leave the house. Priya asks for a period of two days to shift.

Sreekuttan tells his mother Priya that he wants to meet his father. Priya consoles him by telling that they will meet him shortly. Bharathi's daughter plans to leave the house as she finds it uncomfortable to stay in the house. Bharathi has a change of heart and accepts Priya and Sreekuttan.

Images courtesy - Youtube

Story obtained from Wiki

Kaliveedu - The 1996 Malayalam movie which balances marriage

Sometimes reading comments on a movie video can tell you a lot about the sentiments of the generation. It makes you reflect back to the movie and its message and how relevant it is to the current generation.

A movie which I feel is misunderstood is Kaliveedu. This 1996 movie by one of my favourite directors Sibi Malayil is about marriage, its breakdown and the roles and responsibilities of husband and wife to make a marriage successful. Imagine a SWOT analysis of a product and finding its USP. The movie is somewhere on the lines of such a deep discussion. Malayil in his usual way made or attempted to make a movie which passes on a message. How that message is taken or received by the audience of then and now is up to the people.

Kaliveedu is a 1996 Malayalam family drama film directed by Sibi Malayil. It stars Jayaram, Manju Warrier, Jagadish, Sunitha and Vani Viswanath. The film explores the marital relationship of Mahesh and Mridula and their lives following their divorce.



Personally, I loved the movie. Even if I wouldn't have seen Malayil’s name flashed on the screen before a cheery Jayaram ( love his smile, irrespective of the movie) and a grumpy Jagadeesh open the scene with a usual Malayali trademark banter of sarcasm, playful retorts and giving a possibility of a fun, light hearted movie ahead.


Jayaram plays Mahesh who is an architect/interior designer in his own company. Ulahannan played by Jagadeesh is his friend and neighbour. The characters are minimal and not a rambling household of elders, uncles, aunts and cousins. Malayil probably wanted to focus on just the man women relationship.


The movie starts with a very modern USA returned Yamini insisting on Mahesh’s work for her future house. As they get to know each other, Yamini’s father takes a liking to him. Mahesh is reluctant to move forward with the relationship. And then he narrates his story to Yamini. A past of a broken marriage, of misunderstandings and a house which for him resembled clay.


Mahesh married Mridula, a proposal which was liked and mutually agreed by all. As they start their new life, problems arise because of Mridula’s incompetence and immaturity. But not everything is her fault. Mahesh is strictler for discipline, order and a neat house. He also has specific taste preferences. He refuses to adjust and Mridula stubbornly messes up her role too.


Having known both the actors with an impressive and legendary movie list to their credit you know you would not get a lackadaisical performance. As a husband who loves his wife but also likes order and etiquette in his home, food and in his being, Jayaram portrayed the male semi-patriarchal character very well. But with a hint of mellowness and warmth. Manju as the perky and young wife shows the initial immaturity of Mridula,In the manner that Malayil must have desired.


The character of Yamini brings in the twist that is again a genius of Malayil. We wonder if Mahesh will go ahead with the live-in relationship with her (scandalous for 1996 Kerala) and become a more adjusting husband, Or will Yamini teach him a feminist lesson? Will Mridula find someone else and this becomes a triangle to square based love story?


Malayil though believes in traditional romance. The old fashioned kinds which endeared him to generations of Malayalies. And me too. Mahesh is thus pushed and pulled enough by Yamini’s antics at his sacred home, he rushes to Mridula’s house on hearing that she may get married again. Rest is a story of how they come together by the kindly intervention of several people.


I would have dismissed this movie as regressive and one of those wife-bashing movies which were popular in the 90s. But Vani’s mini speech at the climax and the viewpoint shared about both husbands and wives, the understanding nature of Mridula’s father (played by Innocent) and the quiet support of Ulahannan (Jagadeesh) a friend and neighbour, shows maturity of the director in forming a movie and showing a story of well balanced emotions. Here neither patriarchy nor feminism wins. Rather it is a message of maturity and balance, which applies to all ages and cultures where marriage is still respected. If that is the case, then this movie is a winner. It depends on your viewpoint.

Ente Sooryaputhrikku 1991 - No muscles, only love. A touching mother daughter story.

Ente Sooryaputhrikku

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.


Portrait of Madame X

 Lady with an Ermine   

                              

 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. 

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.