Experiments in Malayalam cinema

By Rajesh N Naidu
India’s regional cinema has been largely advanced in terms of experiments with content, medium, music or visuals. There have been major breakthroughs in technical aspect of filmmaking, more substance and richness in content and higher path-breaking innovations in terms of feel and texture of films. 

Of all the four languages in South, Malayalam cinema has been known for its most progressive and experimental filmmaking. Right since the beginning when mythologies dominated Hindi cinema and other three languages of Southern cinema, Malayalam cinema had films based on rich literature. Filmmakers such as P Bhaskaran, M T Vasudevan Nair, G Aravindan, John Abraham, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, P A Backer and P Padmarajan were prominent luminaries who paved the way of experimental cinema. A major contributory factor for many extraordinary experiments in Malayalam cinema are the educated audience who were aware of world cinema and literature due to strong and vibrant film societies and festivals that still continue to dominate the state of Kerala. As we look back at hundred years of Indian cinema’s existence, here is a list of Malayalam films that have been experimental in the aspects mentioned above: 

Chemmeen (1965)
This film holds the distinction of the first film from Southern cinema to bag the President’s Gold Medal. Besides its theme of repercussions of a tradition-bound fisherwoman who is denied marriage to her lover who is from a different religion. The film was one of the early films to be made in colour. It is widely known for its collaboration of three giants of Hindi cinema: Hrishikesh Mukherjee as editor, Salil Choudhary as music director and Manna Dey as lead singer. Says film critic Ashok Rane, “Interestingly, when director Ramu Kariat had shot the film and took it to Hrishikesh Mukherjee, he asked Kariat to shoot more portions. This crucial support in providing a flow to the story is one of the earliest collaborations in Indian cinema. And the rest is history as the film marks the beginning of change in the way Malayalam films were made.”

Nirmalayam (1973)
This film is the directorial debut of Malayalam writer M T Vasudevan Nair. It is one of the early films, which was influential in the subsequent new wave cinema that engulfed Malayalam cinema. Shot in a rural setting at Mookkuthala in South Malabar, it is a story of neglect of the people dependent on temples for their income. It came at a time when the grips of traditions and customs on Kerala society were loosening and this film came as a fresh and original story with enchanting visuals and intense acting. 

Uttarayanam (1974)
This was the first film of auteur G Aravindan. It established G Aravindan as the foremost director in Malayalee new wave cinema movement. It shows the glimpses of his oeuvre where visuals especially the use of ‘colour’ would be a leitmotif that would suggest a mood. Rooted completely in Malayalee culture, it is a story of an unemployed youth who in his search of a job has a series of encounters that talk about the sorry state of affairs in post-independent India. Eventually, the man leaves the city in search of something concrete and meaningful. 

Kanchana Sita (1977)
This film is the biggest experiment of G Aravindan. Here dialogues are minimal and prime importance is given to visuals and music. This film is an interpretation of the Uttara Kanda, the last segment, of the Ramayana. Film historian Amrit Gangar considers this as one of the finest experiments in Indian cinema. He says, “To shoot this film, Aravindan went to Andhra Pradesh in the tribal areas where the Chechu, the tribals, who believe they were the direct descendants of Ram, lived. He didn’t use the conventional imagery, such as regal headgear to portray Ram and Laxman. Instead, he portrayed them as tribals, something which is unusual for our cinema, and a political statement of sorts. This is how we retrieve from our traditions an understanding of modernity- what I call Prayoga.”

Yaro Oral (1978)

This was the debut of director V K Pavithran. It was one of the early experimental films of Malayalee cinema. Kerala-based film critic Jugu Abraham says, “This film is the best example of highly experimental cinema. It was shot partly in black and white and partly colour. An interesting thing about the film was that it dealt with surrealism.” It is a film about a childless woman who divorces her husband and marries his friend. Due to a strange turn of events she gives birth to an eight-year old child before she commits suicide and her second husband dies after her death. On the other hand, her former husband finds salvation in religion. 

Amma Ariyan (1986)
This is avant-garde filmmaker John Abraham’s most celebrated film. It was made on money raised by travelling village to village by explaining to people through skits and plays the film and asking people to contribute to the making of it. This enterprise was given the name of Odessa Collective. This was the biggest experiment in Indian cinema when funds were raised to make a film without giving slightest heed to its commercial viability.  It is a journey of man who finds a dead body resembling his face, a metaphor used to show that in his place the protagonist could also be there, and the man sets off on a journey to unravel the mystery behind this resemblance. Film critic Jugu Abraham believes that from today’s standpoint the film should be judged more for its visual imagery than for spoken words. 

Anantaram (1987)

This Adoor Gopalakrishnan film was highly experimental for its times. In linear narration, the protagonist tells two stories with certain similarities and how these stories merge into. Critic Jugu Abraham says, “I think Anantaram is Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s finest film. It is here I think he broke away from the Ritwik Ghatak school of filmmaking and clearly showed us his own unique style of filmmaking which was quite innovative and brilliant.” 

Thoovanathumbikal (1987)

Directed by P Padmarajan, this film had a cult status in the 1980s Malayalee cinema. It is a sensitive love story, where two women come in the life of a young man and how his life changes when he marries the woman whom he is not deeply attached to and how the woman he loved takes a step that would mean the greater good for his marriage.  

Ustad Hotel (2012)

Directed by Anwar Rasheed, this film is a story of a son who against his rich father’s wishes follows his dream of becoming a chef. Working at his grandfather’s hotel, he learns the importance of cooking, value of food and eventually the meaning of his grandfather’s observation: "Anyone can fill a stomach, but a good cook should fill the heart as well". This is one of the few experimental films of new age Malayalee cinema. It uses ‘food’ as an integral part of the story. Critics believe that new wave cinema is dead in Kerala.