Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam

If you are accustomed to Lijo Jose Pelissery’s filmography, you will know that he is a master in capturing choreographed chaos. Whenever one thinks about the whimsical yet raw worlds he creates, you always equate it to a rush of stimulus. A master of the long shot with a verity of cinematographers, a lot of his movies in the pursuit of tapping into human tendencies, take the shape of a one act play, characters come in and out of scenes as Lijo the director transforms the disorder, confusion and mayhem into a cohesive and extremely immersive screenplay. There are not many like him, whom are so distinct with their storytelling, that you immediately can recognise the world as his creations. When it was announced that Mammootty will be collaborating with him for a movie titled Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, translating into an afternoon slumber, I knew there was magic around the corner waiting to be created. Mammootty with his distinct choices especially since last year is leaving no stone unturned in surprising audiences and my god did this collaboration produce something special! To equate LJP with the word meditative is rare, I usually think of his worlds as exhilarating, mind bending and extremely visceral but a sense of calmness is something that I never imagined his worlds to be. This movie filled with metaphors and an open ended treatment to its screenplay allows the viewers to be spectators to the madness and come to their own connotations of the odd turn of events that take place. James played by Mammootty is with a group of Malayali tourists returning back home from their visit to Velankanni church. Abruptly, stopping the bus near a village, Mammootty barges into a Tamil Hindu home claiming to be the son of the elderly couple, a son whom went missing a few years ago. Just like, LJP’s work, Churuli where the transformation of humans was represented through a bridge as men became savages, through this film the metamorphosis takes place through an afternoon slumber! Bewildered at the turn of events and how James has transformed into Sundaram, the chaos that ensues as the Malayali tourists want to get back home, the Tamil Hindu family dealing with the surprise visit and James mimicking the personality traits and body language of their lost son/husband/father forms the turn of events that follow in this unique film I had to talk about with all of you. Off the bat, like most LJP films, this narrative style is not meant for everyone. Those whom are used to a constant barrage of what is termed as ‘elevation’ moments in films would become impatient with the screenplay as LJP categorically makes you sit with the characters, almost like on a lazy Sunday, where the the agenda for the day is not riddled with errands but basking in the mundane. The cinematography by Theni Eswar is mostly presented through still shots. Wide angles covering the foliage and the narrow lanes of the village as people pass by, either walking or on their bikes. The fast paced POV shots of characters is completely abandoned as the director completely hones in on the theme and contemplative state of its characters. The fascinating shot of the two families one behind a barbed window and the other outside or the blind mother under natural sunlight while the father shot in the dark, all marks of capturing clarity and uncertainty are masters really carving out gems. What becomes especially distinct about the portrayal of this world is how every scene is assisted with the background noise of either television soaps, songs and iconic advertisements playing in the background, almost to signify the natural score that usually assists conversations in our daily life rather than a rousing background score perfectly placed to manipulate and elevate emotions that otherwise couldn’t be done by the actors themselves. From the POV of simply executing this movie, you have to understand what a daunting task it truly is. You’re playing with a scenario where an actor has to play characters with distinct personalities whom not only differ on their outlook in life and temperament but also religious background and more importantly, a different language! You’ve got James whom is mostly unassuming and presumably moody. Sundaram on the other hand is a motor mouth, animated and an extreme extrovert. While one would only want to mind his business, the other couldn’t wait to be the centre of attention! From the onset of their journey only you realise the themes that LJP wants to focus on, the detailing that comes with a christian pilgrimage and their experiences with a Tamil hindu family is foreshadowed from the lodge that they exit. The movie especially hits home for those whom identify the cultural similarities and differences that exist between Tamil Nadu & Kerala, almost through the experiences James & Sundaram, being the gateway for human kindness, empathy and acceptance at a time where the world is inundated with nothing but differences & uncertainty. For a film so eccentric, so filled with metaphors, you need an anchor to communicate that with ease and conviction and the legend Mammootty is exceptional in this tale. So exceptional that you will genuinely miss him whenever he is not on the screen. While the film is not assisted with long shots of movement, it does present still shots of Mammootty being in all his glory. Whether it be a moment where he is adamant on his identity and life, urging people to leave him alone or the sequence in which he enacts an iconic Siva Ganesan movie dialogue while being inebriated, Mammootty and his performance in this film is literally perfect. His abandon to transform into Sundaram is odd, the characters around him equate it to mental health issues but you are so mesmerised by how unbothered he is, assuming this new life that was essentially his always, you understand why the actor garners such respect and admiration over decades. A clear example of his ability as an actor especially rings true when Sundaram sees James in his reflection & Sundaram can’t help but break down at the turn of events that have followed, bursting into tears while only wanting to have his meal with his daughter by his side. The analogies to this universe are endless and as this is a spoiler free review, I would not want to get into the events and what they could mean but please do write down in the comments below, of your perception of the film and what the sequence of events may symbolise in the comments below, of course with spoiler warnings. These unique worlds that Malayalam Cinema introduces me to always makes me fall in love with the verity of immersive stories they have to offer! I can’t wait to get discussing with you in the comments below!