Malayalam Cinema Scaling New Heights, Despite Odds
Malayalam Cinema- Scaling New Heights, Despite Odds
By M C Raja Narayanan
An insight into the cinema of Kerala, the southern state of India, known for its bold use of visual language and richness and variety of content. It is the home state of the internationally well-known filmmakers Aravindan and Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
Kerala has the highest percentage of literacy (90%) in the country. It was the first State in India to vote the Communist Party to power in 1957. With its lush green landscape intersected by lakes, rivers and ocean inlets, its long sea coast and the last remaining rain forest in India, it escapes the urban-rural separation of the rest of the country. The capital, Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum), is connected by a 228-mile-long navigable canal to Tirur in the north. Villages and small towns flow into one another. It has no single major city dominating the State either politically, geographically or culturally. Its matriarchal system, of which the remnants persist, is unique in India; its only counterpart can be found in the Northeast, among the Khasis of Meghalaya. Thus Kerala makes for a fascinating blend of culture and politics, both of which are reflected in its cinema.
In this vibrant atmosphere, the arts - dance, literature, theatre, music - have always flourished, nourished by enthusiastic and informed audiences. Cinema, a relative newcomer, was immediately welcomed. It has been said that in Kerala people are either watching films or making them. The first film was made in Kerala, in its language Malayalam, in 1928, and, as in the rest of the country, the popular, entertainment format continued unchanged until the mid-60s.
1965 was a landmark year. It was in that year that Ramu Kariat's Chemmeen (Prawn), the first Malayalam film to win the national best film award, was made, and the first film cooperative was set up in Thiruvananthpuram. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had just graduated from the Film Institute in Pune, among the first batch of students from this newly established Institute and, together with a few fellow students, established the Chitralekha Film Cooperative to try and raise funds for making films and encourage their kind of cinema.
Around the same time the Film Society movement also took root, making the ordinary filmgoer aware of a cinema closer to life and reality. It gave a fillip to the emerging new cinema in which Adoor Gopalakrishnan played a pivotal role. He put Malayalam cinema on the world map - like Satyajit Ray had done with Indian cinema many years earlier.
Adoor made his first film only in 1972. His well craftedSwayamvaram (One's Own Choice) was produced by the Film Cooperative and won the national best film award that year. Made broadly, in the neorealist genre, it is the story of a runaway couple's struggle for survival. A simple theme that portrays ordinary life with its myriad problems, gracefully rising above the ordinary to provide new insights into life. Elippathayam (The Rat Trap, 1981) remains Adoor Gopalakrishnan's best film. In this masterly work he examines the failure of a system bordering on feudalism and the dilemma of an individual trapped in it. It won himthe prestigious British Film Institute Award - the only Indian director, other than Ray, to win this recognition. Adoor's meticulous approach and commitment are reflected in a variety of themes, presentations and treatment. His latest film, Kathapurushan (Man of the Story, 1995), about the tremendous changes that took place in the life and social fabric of Kerala during the past half century, has quality stamped all over it.
The late G Aravindan was Indian cinema's poet-philosopher. Artist, musician, man of the theatre, he was a popular cartoonist before the celluloid medium attracted his attention. His regular cartoon strip 'Cheriyamanushyanum Valiyalokavum' (Small Man and Big World) was one of its kind and universally loved for its hidden meanings and humour. In 1974 he made his first film, Uttarayanam (Solstice). Like the master filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu, Aravindan trod a solitary path, unmindful of the reactions his works evoked. For him filmmaking was a very personal matter and choice - like writing poetry. His films are imbued with a meditative quality, rare in Indian cinema, but each of his films stands out for thematic novelty. In life Aravindan was a man of few words and, like him, his films did not depend overly on the spoken word. They spoke the language of visuals and showed the viewer the eloquence of tranquility.Thampu (The Circus Tent, 1978), based on an original screenplay that he wrote, focuses attention on a small touring circus company. It has the vibrant and all-encompassing quality of the Fellini classic La Strada - simple, meaningful, creative, each component blending harmoniously to give the effect of a well-conducted orchestra. Among Aravindan's major films are Kanchana Seetha (Golden Sita, 1977), Kummatty (The Bogey Man, 1979), Pokkuveyil (Twilight, 1981), Chidambaram (1985) and Vasthuhara (The Dispossesed, 1990).
Aravindan's cameraman, Shaji N Karun, had graduated from the Film Institute. As a cameraman Shaji endowed the visuals in films like Golden Seetha ,Chidambaram and others, with the beauty and serenity of painting. He took up direction in 1988 and his pathbreaking first film Piravi (The Birth) won major national and international awards. The Birth is in the class of Ray's Pather Panchali in its power and perfection.
M T Vasudevan Nair stands tall among the writers-directors in Malayalam cinema and is a leading figure at the national level. Winner of major national awards for literature, he has written extensively for the screen as well. He won the best film award with his debut film Nirmalyam (1973). Although he has directed only five films in a career spanning two decades, his films have the authenticity of life and reflect Kerala's cultural ethos and unique identity. Vasudevan Nair has written some forty screenplays for many directors, both established and new. Among them Hariharan, perhaps his favourite, does full justice to his chiselled and close-to-life scripts.
As a screenplay writer Vasudevan Nair has made certain concessions to the demands of the industry, but he never did this as a director. He has won four national awards for the best screenplay and more than a dozen State awards. The most significant attributes of his subtle yet powerful screenplays are their truthful depiction of life and the originality of the characters. His screenplays capture the minute details of life - even the body odour of his characters - making it easy for the director to transpose them onto the screen.
In the sad and untimely demise of Aravindan in 1991, Malayalam cinema suffered its heaviest loss. In the late 80s and early 90s many Malayali directors and actors passed away: P Padmarajan, P A Backer, John Abraham, Prem Nazir, all of whom had contributed in different ways to enriching the cinema. John Abraham, another product of the Film Institute, was an erratic genius. His Agraharathil Kazhuthai (Donkey in a Brahmin's Village, 1978) was a unique film which showed the range and depth of his understanding of the medium and of the society in which the film was based. "It is the manner in which Abraham structures the story that its strength as cinema lies; the narrative is broken up by direct comment and asides which appear tangential but are never irrelevant.*
Origins
Cinema was born in Kerala in 1928, a decade and half after India's first feature film was made in Bombay. Ironically, the producer-director of the first Malayalam filmVigathakumaran was not a native Keralite but from the neighbouring State of Tamil Nadu. It is still a mystery how J C Daniel, a dentist by profession, got interested in cinema and set out to produce a film casting himself as the hero and raising money by selling his property and assets. Vigathakumaran bombed at the box-office and Daniel's dream turned into a nightmare, driving him away from the film scene for ever. Notwithstanding this failure many more silent films followedVigathakumaran until the first sound film,Balan, was made in 1938 and posted a moderate success.
Jeevithanouka (The Boat of Life), released in 1951, was the first ever box-office hit in Malayalam cinema. Until then teething troubles had persisted and filmgoers had to content thenselves with seeing films in other Indian languages. Things started to look up after the runaway success of this film which changed all notions of filmmaking.
For many years Malayalam films continued to be centred in Madras where there were well-established studios and labs. In the 70s Malayalam directors took cinema out of the confines of the studios and sought authentic locations. Cinema came closer to real life and even films in the mainstream section could not ignore reality.
Literature and Cinema
In the early period of its evolution, Malayalam cinema was closely intertwined with literature. Many literary classics found their way into this new art form. Even during the silent era Marthandavarma directed by Sundara Raj was made, based on the historical novel of the same name by a pioneer litterateur, C V Raman Pillai. Since then it has been the practice of many producers/directors to base their films on acclaimed literary works.
P Padmarajan was among those who migrated from literature to cinema and wrote the screenplay ofPrayanam (Journey, 1975) which Bharathan directed. Padmarajan and Bharathan chose to tread a path between art and commerce, with love, marriage and contemporary society forming the nucleus of their concerns. Another prominent name in this area is K S Sethumadhavan. He made several poignant works based on novels and stories by eminent writers such as Parappurathu (Panitheerathaveedu /Unfininshed House), Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (Yakshi/ Demon) Kesavadev and M T Vasudevan Nair. C Radhakrishnan, P N Menon, P Bhaskaran, Mohan and Harikumar have also excelled as writers-directors.
Many of the novels and stories of Vaikkom Muhammad Basheer, the doyen of Malayalam literature, were made into films, including Mathilukal (The Wall) by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Basheer wrote only one screenplay in his life, Bhargaveenilayam (The House Named Bhargavi), based on his story Neelavelicham (Blue Light) and directed by A Vincent. It was the first authentic horror movie and was a success both artistically and commercially.
Many works of Takazhi Sivasankara Pillai, winner of India's most distinguished award for literature, were brought to the screen, including his masterpiece Chemmeen . Ramu Kariat, the director of Chemmeen, had earlier made Neelakkuyil (Blue Cuckoo, 1954) in association with the poet turned filmmaker, P Bhaskaran. (Bhaskaran later became a very prominent director and made many films based on the works of eminent writers such as Uroob and Vasudevan Nair.) Ramu Kariat played a key role in bridging the gap between good cinema and entertainment though his films seldom rose above the parameters of middle-of-the-road movies. He introduced many well-known actors from the Hindi film world to Malayalam cinema. Chemmeen set a trend in the use of music and its music director, Salil Choudhury from Bombay, later composed regularly for Malayalam films. (This trend still continues and Ravi from Bombay is very popular in Kerala now.) Even the editor of Chemmeen was Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the well-known Hindi film director and editor.
Spiralling Costs vs Good Cinema
Today the film industry in Kerala seems to be throbbing with activity although some directors and critics believe that the scenario is not quite so bright. There may be no talk of doomsday yet, but the huge increase in production costs coupled with uncertainty in the recovery of investment has put the producer in a tight spot.
Of course, film production has always been a risky proposition and there is no sure and time-tested formula for success. Nevertheless, there was more hope in the past of making film ventures a success or at least break even, but today's scene is altogether different. Filmmaking has acquired the proportions of a gamble where everything is at stake. When it comes to the basics of film production there is hardly any difference between the mainstream and serious cinema. Recovery of the investment is of paramount interest both to the small and the big producers, even if their methods and targets differ.
Since the days of the first talkie Balan in 1938, the cost of making a blockbuster like Kaalapani (Black Water, 1995) has risen astronomically with the latter reported to have cost US$860,000. An average Malayalam film costs around US$200,000 and a multistarrer anywhere between US$286,000 to US$428,000. An art film on the other hand has a much smaller budget - US$45,000 to US$60,000. Adoor Gopalakrishnan's Vidheyan (The Servile,1993) was made on a budget of US$ 72,000. More than 30 prints of normal commercial films are released simultaneously with plenty of publicity and media hype. But it is either a case of hitting the jackpot or falling by the wayside. Many films recover their costs and go on to become big hits primarily because of the star value of Mammootty and Mohan Lal, and not because of any inherent strength of the theme or treatment.
The main reason for the spiralling cost of production was the advent of cash rich producers from the Gulf. Attracted to the glamour and glitter of the tinsel world they came like moths to the fire - and many perished. Though the 'Gulf Syndrome' did not last long, it inflicted wounds and caused lasting damage to the industry. Today the monumental rise in the cost of production is a cause for worry and could lead to a crisis if left unchecked. The number of films made annually has also come down.
A curious factor about Malayalam cinema is its contrasting images. On the one hand it is known for its quality and merit and on the other for titillating sex and violence. It is alleged that nude scenes used to be added to the original in the distribution and exhibition network. Such films minted money in the 80s but the situation has since then changed for the better and these kind of films are no longer in demand; hence the supply has also declined. Films from Kerala invariably win major mational awards and this gives them the image of high quality.
Good cinema has always had an audience in Kerala. The Malayali filmgoer habitually looks for a good story in a film even if the film enthusiast seasonally changes his fancy - there is a time for tragedy which makes way for action which in turn opens the door to comedies. There has always been a place for social and family-oriented themes. Despite television and its multiple channels cinema continues to exercise its hold on the people.
Alongwith Adoor, Aravindan, Shaji and Vasudevan Nair, directors such as K G George, K R Mohanan, T V Chandran, M P Sukumaran Nair and Ravindran have consistently made good films. In them lies the hope for the future of serious cinema in Malayalam amidst the flood of flimsy and clumsy products whose fate is decided by market forces.
* The New Indian Cinema,,Aruna Vasudev, Macmillan India Limited, New Delhi, 1986. I am also indebted to the book for the material in the first paragraph.
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