Kayamkulam Kochunni

 

This was one of those rare weeks when I watched two movies. In theatres. In the same week. After having damaged my eyes permanently watching First Man, I needed something..err…soothing. Something completely in the opposite end of the spectrum to negate the..er…negative effects. My news feed told me that this Malayalam movie was breaking all records, so I looked it up. No chance I could watch it in Melbourne, I thought. No way they would be showing it in the first week of its release here.

Dead wrong.

Turns out, Mallus take their movies wherever they go. From the facebook page of the movie, I found that they where showing the movie to a small audience in a few small theatres across Australia. The closes one to me, a place called Backlot studios, near Southbank !

 

And so we went. Onnum parayenda, puttaakee, it was a day of surprises. Mallus ! They move in herds ! They do move in herds !

In a small 70-something seater theatre in the back, which looked more like a shady production company, they were showing this movie.  It was as if one was invited to an exclusive party. Luxrious seats. Air-con.

The movie was ..well, what I was expecting. A glorified re-telling of the fable of the famous robber who lived  150 years ago, with the modern treatment of slow-motion scenes and chorographed action scenes. For a while now, directors have found this format to be the safest. It had everything one would expect from a contemporary movie. Everything was checked.

Flash back scenes to his childhood  ? Check.

Superstar cameo ? Check

Two heroines ? Check.

A rocky-style training sequence for the hero ? Check !!

British baddies ? Check.

An item number ? No really ? No one was expecting this, but check.

The hero, is a thief, but he is not really a baddie. So he escapes in the end. Check.

A theme discussed throughout the movie is the caste system prevalent during the time in Kerala, which was different from the rest of the country. The system was carefully orchestrated to oppress the poor and hard working, while the rich and influential enjoyed luxuries. Rules of untouchability was severe, but that did not stop the higher caste males from having ‘relationships’ with the lower caste females. Then there was the very high level of taxation on the poor, levied by the king and landlords.

Of course, this was all part of the Hindu religion, and Kochunni, being a Muslim, had an oustsider’s perspective. As the legend is told, he becomes a saviour to the lower caste and the poor, and steals from the rich to provide for the needy.

This is what Vivekenanda said when he visited Kerala during the late 19th century.

 

I got carried away. Back to the movie, its a good one time watch. Despite the artificiality and macho heroism, they have really worked hard on this one. Of course many things could have been improved.