Jun 27, 2009 11:57 AM
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Apart from the Bengali movies, or more than them, MalayalamIndustry has given more films on Emergency, Naxalism and fake encounters. Andas an irony the neighbouring StateTamilNadu is yet to give a film on Emergency period. I have seen plenty offilms spun around this subject right from ‘Kabini Nadhi Chuvannappol’(P.A.Backer) , ‘Rajan Paranja Katha’ and ‘Panchagni’ (Hariharan). And‘Thalappavu’ (The head gear) is the latest one , directed by Madhupal.
He is apopular writer, actor and journalist and makes his debut as the Director withthis film and really a remarkable debut. In a period of decline of qualityMalayalam films Madhupal has strived to bring a film with story and soul. And the subject he has taken is quite novel.A small incident from real life, has been beautifully scripted to present agood movie, and it has seized the best film award for a debuntant Director andbest actor award for Lal from the StateGovernment.
This is an age where most of the directors don thegreasepaint and become actors, particularly in Tamil field. Even Lal, the protagonist of the film was asuccessful director. But Madhupal, a popular actor hasn’t shown his face evenin a single frame of the film. The entire movie centres around the mentalturmoil of the protagonist, a cop, undergoes after his shooting down a naxaliteyouth in custody. Raveendran Pillai is a rather different personality who isunsuitable to be a cop, that too during the period of Emergency. He hashumanistic approach still floating around him. And the killed one happens to behis close friend too. He drowns his guilt in liquor, a new vice that befallshim. His wife , unable to bear his new callous character, takes her childrenalong, to lead the rest of her life in her brother’s house. And after a fewdecades, Raveendran Pillai files an affidavit on what really happened on thatcruel day.
The film is placed in layers, that intervenes scenes in nota necessarily chronological order. The normal continuity in scenes isexperimented with an inorderly collage, that makes the film different. A scenecontinues after several scenes with a different camera angle . The Director, Screenplay writer and the Editor have taken immense freedom to bring out thefilm in such an artistic shape.
Lal gives a world class performance as Raveendran Pillai.His facial expressions, in two different ages are very natural andtransparently reveals the pain he undergoes. His first meeting and friendshipwith Joseph, the youth who has selected the Naxal path are beautifullyfeatured. During their first meeting, the cop throws a coin on the platformpainting of Jesus, and the camera lifts itself from the graffiti to the glowingface of Joseph smiling. The character of Joseph is unfolded with the scenes ofhis fight for rights with a bus conducter , to get a seat for an old lady witha basket of smelly dry fish., and then his attack on the Wyanad area PoliceStation to seize the arms along with his comrades. The cop and the accused become pals.Prithviraj gives a rather pleasing performance as Joseph, and mind you, he isnot the hero of the film.
The area is ruled by one Saiver (Atul Kulkarni) , who hasbeen exploiting the locals and the tribals. He never leaves alone any girls inthe area too. And one of them is Saramma (Dhanya), the childhood friend ofRaveendran, and now an accomplice of the naxalite youths. Pillai revives hisfriendship with her, who is now a widow, thanks to the arrogance of Saiver. Andone fine night, Saivar’s house is ransacked for the documents of the poor, andin the fights, he is being annihilated by Joseph. The tentacles of theEmergency period spreads its hand on Joseph. The unlimited freedom enjoyed bythe Police department during the days, unleashes third degree treatments onJoseph, and ultimately made to be shot down by his close pal himself. Beforethis shot, the two meet in the lock up , the cop feeding him with water, andJoseph vows to proclaim ‘ Inquilab Zindabad’ when he will be shot down. And thetrembling hands of the raised pistol shudders a moment before the lastrevolutionary cry.
The life of the cop turns miserable. His son is after hisdad’s illusionary money. The old man isnot even allowed to see his dead wife’s face, and the only daughter sells herbody. Raveendran Pillai often meets the ‘dead’ Joseph with hisbruised face, and they have some discussions too, with the cop most of thetime, silent. In the final scene, Joseph takes Pillai along with him and thefilm ends with a freezed shot of an oil lamp with an animated fire burning.
Madhupal has made a remarkable debut. And he must fight hardto retain this image in his future films. The scenes and shots are framed in avery aesthetical and poignant manner. Defenitely, it doesn’t come under the Artfilm cadre, and the Director has carefully managed this area. The friendship ofthe two friends is woven with simple but strong scenes, especially walking inthe forest with leeches stuck on the cop’s limbs. The revolutionary states thatleeches can be removed only by burning them, giving the hidden meaning of thetheory of Annihilation, he has been following now. Madhupal’s dealing withactors, shows his experience in the field. Veterans like Jagathy, Manian PillaiRaju, Rogini give cameo performances, and literally Lal carries the film on hisshoulder with his performance. Cinematographer Azhagappan, scriptwriter BabuJanardhanan and Editor Donmax have joined the hands with the Director to give abrilliant film.
And kudos to Madhupal who has given a good film inMalayalam, after a rather long gap.
