Sandesham

The relationship between parents and children is the most vital ingredient in Indian Cinema potboilers. All formula films and niche films too have to show this relationship and all its facets,mostly as an advice or warning on how to better the bond. Yes,what would we grow up to otherwise?

Sandesham is not a formula film. You cannot classify it as just tragedy or comedy. A mix of some, breaks some grounds but mostly is a family movie, if you must put a sticker on it.

 A retired railway employee returns to retirement in his native village in Kerala. His caring wife and daughter are the only white sheep in the family. The three sons are wayward and sideward. The eldest two, played by Jairam and Sreenivasan are into politics and in opposing parties. Like their father, played by Thilakan, says, 'The sons maybe in politics but without any use to home or to the hometown.'

A good story is which uses cliches to its advantages and yet makes it memorable enough to be enjoyed as an original. Sandesham movie is such. It has all the cliches of a complete family with scaffolding support of good neighbours (played by Oduvil Unnikrishnan) and with some jigsaw puzzle pieces ,which is our version of right vs wrong vs tradition, left to be put together by the viewers. Also the comic bits are by Siddique and Oduvil with their queer and charming personalities respectively.

Watch Sandesham to understand Kerala family nuances against the backdrop of the reality of Kerala politics. Also get some gardening and soil lessons from Siddique. (has to be my fav character in this) A very apt title.

Mazhavilkavadi

The problem with being a mallu growing elsewhere than Kerala is that you will, through your childhood, mock everything remotely related to coconut and the coconut land. Then karma strikes in the form of your parents sending you to college in Kerala. Suddenly a coconut drops on your head,metaphorically ofcourse, and you get enlightenment. The culture of the place piques your interest. You discover the gold mines of Malayalam cinema. You poke yourself with a kappa stick and ask self why didn't you watch them movies before instead of relying today on Asianet and SkipAdstube. I'm not kidding. I had to search over 20 different movie streaming sites to find a decent print of Mazhavilkavadi where I can see the actress properly ( mallus know their heros even in a dark well but the actresses are always forgotten !)

 Mallus if you love your muthassi, weird named cousins, Karimeen fry and mesmerising greenery, you cannot not like Mohanlal, Mammootty, etc. SO you gotta like classics esp 1975 onwards - (because anything before that is silent movie right? 10 on 10) - the kind of cinema which have been done (like Joe's well done steak) to death by mimic artists in All India Malayali associations' events in Dufai,Gelf (ya its time you segregate these areas) and Yumerica.

Mazhavilkavadi is an evergreen hit of Sathyan Anthikad. Anthikad's movies are not just about a particular story,formula or genre. He has unknowingly a genre of his own. One where the story is a simple white sheet of paper,but he takes the viewer through a journey of life.  A journey across paddy fields, thatched huts, sunsets, steamed rice, life of native folks, problems in common households, who eat kanji and the most happening thing in their day is the postman riding his cycle excitedly towards the tea junction. You have to watch his movies to understand the hidden shades in the paper.

 

So Mazhavilkavadi is about a love affair which is opposed by the girls family because of the boy's lack of wealth and plenty of attitude. The village is with the boy and against the girl's father. The movie is about just that. Though Anthikad has layers which slowly unfolds as you watch.

Watch Mazhavilkavadi with unniappam and tea before Asianet or Kairali stops reruns and resorts to 'macha' movies of today.

Sathyan Anthikad the director.

Nanma Niranjavan Sreenivasan 1990

Trust Jairam to take you to Kerala and then get you in the swing of localness. He is like the grandma who tells you stories with warm chocolate milk and cookies. That was an American metaphor but you get the picture right?

Jairam is the quintessential malayali. Almost all his movies are about the common Keralite guy who has common problems under coconut trees. He does such a fanstastic job of it that I can tribute a whole new genre of Malayalam movies about him.

Nanma Niranjavan Sreeivasan is a movie about a simple guy who is interested in local theatre and hanging out with his friends. A police job application changes the story towards a differnt village, new acquaintances ,romance and suspense. All mixed but not thrown about like some meaningless masala bag.

Excellent movies are those which can depict the same old formula but bring its own freshness by aspects like dialogue, cinematography and giving ample oppurtunity for other characters to flourish. In doing so, the viewer gets an idea about what the movie is saying indirectly and maybe more. In particular this movie does so by the ever brilliant Oduvil and Mukesh. Urvashi as usual is her best as the girl who battles her pretty eyes.

Watch it for naadan feel, old theatre life and some comfort time.

Director - Viji Thampi