The Resplendent Mallu and Kutti Srank - The Boatman

 The  Resplendent  Mallu  and  Kutti  Srank -      The Boatman

The tropical paradise marvel called Kerala, a destination of a lifetime, the God’s Own Country houses the ‘Mallu’  the popular name for Keralite or Malayalee.  The enterprising Mallu has conquered the world’s geography more than any other global community.  The land of coconut and elephants has more significance in Indian horizon being the most literate and cleanest state of India.  Kerala was instrumental in promoting the cost effective satellites that brings the conquest of knowledge about the cosmic world.  Kerala has produced many great scholars, scientists and eminent personalities who is the talk of envy for others.  Mallu by and large are handsome, beautiful and intelligent people.

 

 
The National Award Winner “Kutti Srank” is a 2010 Malayalam Film.  The film was screened in the International Film Festival of India as well as in The Montreal Film Festival.  The movie was produced by Reliance Big Pictures and directed by the famous Mallu director Shaji N. Karun.  The cinematography credit goes to Anjali Shukla, who is a woman behind the camera to depict the three female characters who love the “Kutti Srank” the boatman.  “Kutti Srank” means the junior boat captain in Malayalam.  A period film set in 1950’s tells the story of a boatman who travelled across Kerala in his boat and falls in love with three women, and keeps the truth hidden from the other two.  Kamalini Mukherjee has debuted in this film.

SYNOPSIS  -

The first scene of the film unravels with a body of a man is washed ashore in a monsoon morning and  is laid to identify in the local police station.  Three women reach there to identify the body.  The movie has flashback of the story narrated by the women in the man’s life belonging to different topography of the state.  The body belonged to “Kutti Srank” (Mammootty)  a boatman from Kodungallore, in Kerala who used to invade waves and transported goods to neighboring port towns in his boat.

Revamma (Padmapriya) - 

The daughter of a local influential and brutal man Moopen who hails from the neighbouring state of  Karnataka.  Revamma  returns from Srilanka after studying medicine along with her Buddhist accomplice friend.  She planned to visit Gaya, the home of Lord Buddha in the northern part of India and wanted to become a Buddhist nun.  Mooppen, a staunch Hindu did not approve her professing the other faith and cuts her accomplice into pieces and depositing the half alive body parts in a gunny bag and throws it in the ocean with the help of unsuspecting Kutti Srank about the content of the gunny bag.  Though he was used by Mooppen in his crime syndicate and was a loyal faithful, the man was different from such horrifying acts. Revamma  was against her father Mooppen who had brutally killed her mother.  She seeks Kutti Srank’s help to deal with Mooppan’s greedy relatives and makes Kutti Srank as her friend.  Revamma was the only daughter of Mooppan and was the legal heir of his palace and his abundant wealth. The occasionally bleeding nose of Kutti Srank shown in the film was a symbolism of the cruel activities he was involved though not voluntarily.  Soon Revamma becomes the lover of Kutti Srank.

Pemmena (Kamalini Mukherjee) -

An young and beautiful Christian girl, who joins the “Chavittu Natakam”  -  a portugese dramatic art form prevalent in that period in Kochi and its hinterlands -  as the female lead of Kutti Srank. Chavittu Natakam has Italian / Roman costumes. The director of the dance-drama was her brother Lonappan Assan, a role essayed with brilliance.  The other actors of the drama, all local accomplices of Kutti Srank and Lonappan Assan spends their leisure time with them.  The love blooms between Pemmena and Kutti Srank starting with many rehearsals of the dance-drama camp which was to be staged in the parish church festival.  Pemmena once found alone in her home by Kutti Srank embraces her and they make love to each other.  Their romance leads to a poignant love story.

Kali (Meenakumari - a lesser known mallu actress) -

An earthy and sultry young dumb woman from a southern strip of land.  The woman develops an attraction towards the nomad Kutti Srank who was once found unconscious after a snake bite in her courtyard.  Kali removes the poison from the wound of snake bite and gives Kutti Srank a new life.  Their love becomes a matter of jealousy for the neighborhood affluent Nalini, who is writing books as her favorite pass time.  She has made Kali a character in her new novel and was envious of the love and attention Kali got from the well-endowed and handsome  Kutti Srank.  Kali was possessive about Kutti Srank and in the final sequence identify the dead body as that of him.   

The film was set in three seasons.  The Monsoon, Winter and Summer. The cinematography is excellent and captures Kerala landscape in its pristine beauty.  It has been a creative and self-innovating journey for the movie with the film being appreciated by movie goers across the world.  There is an excellent scene in the movie where the Kutti Srank driving the boat in a thunder and lightning struck monsoon evening.   Also the opening shot of the sea shore in the dawn is stunningly magnificent.

It is not entirely a character expose of a man that the director attempts through Kutti Srank.  It is rather an authoritative treatise on conviction and flimsy stuff that even the staunch-iest of them are made of.

The film has a subtle and restraint performance by Mammootty meriting the highest best actor award.

The movie Kutti Srank is not just the story of a man who could never get over his quest for truth and identity, it is a multilayered account of some other lives as well that got allured by the labyrinth of his rootless existence.  The film is extremely complex and need repeated viewing to savor its magnitude. 

 

God’s own country –

The lush green state of Kerala is situated in the south west region of Malabar coast with an area of 38,863 km and a population of 34.8 million as per 2012 census.  The state is famous for its flora and fauna, natural beauty, backwaters, house boats, exquisite cuisine,  festivals, Ayurveda, art forms, Kalarippayattu a martial art form which gave the origin to Karate.  Kerala is also renowned for its Monsoon splendor. 

The poet sang –

                                               “My land where the dreams blossoms

                                                 is more beautiful than the heaven itself”. 
                                   (Swargathekkal sundaramanee swapnam vidarum gramam)

The natives with their spik-n-span and hygienic habits attracts tourists from across the world.  The ancient Kerala was famous for its spices, tea, coffee, coconut, cashew and the pastoral paddy fields. The Mallu celebrates 10,000 festivals and is the most prosperous state in India.  Mallus are famous for their penchant for wine and dine.  Kerala is a lifestyle destination with its art, architecture, literature and their language Malayalam is a recognized classical language.  “ONAM”  is mallu’s harvest and state festival celebrated by all Mallus in the entire globe with fervor and gaiety. The feast of “ONAM” with 21 vegetarian dishes served on plantain leaves is the palate for taste buds.  Malayalam Calendar is a Solar Calendar and Mallu plans their cultural and religious activities based on it.

A long shoreline with serene  beaches, tranquil stretches of stunning backwaters, lush green hill stations, waterfalls and exotic wild life, sprawling plantations and emerald green  paddy fields makes an eye feast of natural splendor.  High Mountains, Gorges and deep cut Valleys, Eastern High lands, the Central Mid-lands and Western Low Lands  makes Kerala a sought after destination.     

Kerala cuisine is awesome and Ada Pradhaman is the pick of Mallu puddings.

The mythological character Parasuram, who reclaimed Kerala from the sea by throwing his axe as far as in the ocean and their most beloved King Maveli, under whose regime Kerala was the most prosperous country and its subject Mallu had a blissful existence.

The famous Guruvayoor Temple in Thrissur is a pilgrimage destination amongst Hindu devotees of India.  The “Thulabharam”, an offering made in different kind of things to an equal weight of a person in this temple is renowned.  The Hindus start the rice feeding of babies and start the school of education in writing on the paddy by kids in Malayalam script begins in Guruvayoor temple.

The ancient Kerala played host to travellers and traders from across the world including the Greek, Romans, Portugese, Dutch, Jews, Chinese, Arabs, French and the British.  The foreign nationals left their imprint in this land with their art, architecture and literature. There are many Jewish Synagogues and Anglo Indian communities in Kochi.

Kerala is most famous for their divers cultural feast such as “Biennale” with 200 artists from 90 countries across the world participating in it.  The event is hosted in the city of Kochi and its suburbs.

Kerala is home for TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) talks.  The TED has its headquarters in New York, United States of America.  TED is a global set of conferences run by the private non-profit sapling foundation, under the slogan “Ideas Worth Spreading”.  TED has a combined viewing figure of 500 million and the TED talks have been watched over one billion times worldwide.  The TED talks now include scientific, cultural and academic topics.

The Role of Christianity in shaping  up Kerala’s destiny –

Kerala accepted Christianity  from AD 57. The first of the converts to Christianity was Namboodiris, the Kerala Brahmins who was astonished by St. Thomas’ miracles and has become Christians. This was  taken place in Palayoor, in Thrissur and the site has the inscriptions of first century marking historical evidence. The foreign missionaries like Herman Gundert, Arnose pathiri has contributed with Malayalam Dictionary.  Kerala had a sea change with foreign missionaries and the indigenous church spreading education, health, awareness and   universal brotherhood.  The Kerala priests and nuns belonging to Catholic factions have done a yeoman service with running church owned establishments such as schools, convents for girls, colleges, hospitals, blood banks, orphanages and old age homes  and spreading literacy, spirituality and religious faith leading to the emancipation of mankind.  The socio, economic and cultural scion developed and reshaped Kerala social order to the current enviable existence. 

Kerala Christians have their own many social media, religious and mainstream entertainment TV channels with indigenous talent within the sects behind it.   They promoted not only art, literature and culture but also trendsetting lifestyle and fashion. Kerala Christians are dominant factions in Malayalam cinema’s production, direction, lyric and script writers, actors, singers and a to z of filmmaking and won regional, national and international acclaim.  The church festivals with its “Muttukudas” (The extra-large thick wooden handled colorful Umbrellas) and “Thoranas” made from tender white coconut leaves for decoration and Roman flags and high risen Vatican symbols and fireworks are spectacular sights of parish feast celebrations with gaiety and grandeur.    The three of the Saints of Roman Catholic church are Malayalam speaking priest and nuns.  

The renaissance poet Vayalar Rama Varma quoted in his song  - 

                         “ I will not love the philosophy

                           that does not love the hurt soul”.

(Snehikkayilla jnan novumatmavine snehichidaththoru tathvasastratheyum).

The revolutionary poet Vayalar has written thousands of songs including more than fifty Christian Devotional Songs.  Vayalar has an impeccable style in writing poem and songs and the way the adjectives are used is thrilling and most praiseworthy.

Padma Bhushan, Dr.K.J. Yesudas popularly known as “Dasettan” amongst Mallus is a great singer who has sung in almost all regional and Hindi language film songs. The Mallu was soothed by the Gana Gandharvan’s melodious songs.

Kerala Celebrities  -

The Booker Prize winner English writer Arunthati Roy, the Engish poet and short story writer Madhavi Kutty who  later accepted Muslim faith,  the other English writers such as Manu Joseph and Anita Nair, the Jyanpeth Award winning writers   M.T. Vasudevan Nair and ONV Kurup, the tenth President of India, K.R. Narayanan, Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, Fr. Abel the founder of Kochin Kalabhavan, Dr. Verghese Kurien the milkman who revolutionized the Indian Dairy Products within the reach of commons with his “Operation Flood” campaign relating to milk and thus offering good health to Indians,  the Olympics medal winner Yohannan, the Grammy award winner Resul Pookkutty, the cleanest politician and ex-defense minister of India  A.K. Antony, the former Maharashtra Governor, Dr. P.C. Alexander, the painter Raja Ravi Varma who created the image of Gods and Godesses for Hindus to worship and  Anjolie Ela Menon, the woman painter, Meera Nair the woman filmmaker, Shashi Tharoor the writer and politician and    various other  luminaries in sports, cricket, science, art, painting, cinema and literature as well as IAS, IPS cadres are some of the prominent Mallus.  John Abraham, Vidya Balan, Sri Devi and Asin Thottumkal are some of the Bollywood personalities.  Mammootty, Mohanlal and ever green hero Prem Nazir, who is a Guinnes record holder with 720 films to his credit and most of them as hero of the film and the the thespian Sathyan are celebrated mallu film actors.  Adoor Gopala Krishnan, Bharathan, Padmarajan, K.G. George are the prominent yester years’    Mallu film Directors.  Johnson master was a prominent lyricist, composer and music director of Malayalam films. The honor of celebrated Mallus are endless.

The Swati Thirunal Rama Varma, the Maharajah of Travancore was an eminent ruler, administrator, reformer, visionary, poet, musician, philosopher and linguist.  

A famous quote of Kerala born Dr. S. Radhakrishnan –

       "The teacher refines and reconciles the different currents of thoughts…..

         He adopts the method, not of the denial but of presentation and shows how these different

         lines of thought converge towards the same end.”

Kumaranasan, K.P. Keshava Menon,  Kelappan, Mamman Mappila, Kunchakko, Kunchan Nambiar and Eraimman Thampi  are some of t he yester year's  prominent Mallu celebrities.

India’s most advanced society with 100% literacy boasts about lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rate. Kerala has the highest Media exposure and has the most circulating regional daily and English language newspapers. 

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thumba, Trivandrum is the lead center for development of satellite launch vehicles and associated technologies. 

Kerala contributes to the national exchequer with major contribution to its foreign exchange revenue. The Mallu makes beeline for Gulf countries and the entire world.  The popular saying goes like    -

“One Mallu abroad triggers five aboard”.

Mallu is the most hardworking populace in the world and when it comes to survival of the fittest none succeeds like Mallu.  Kerala has produced many great administrators, freedom fighters and national leaders.

The beautiful land and its beautiful people, the resurgent Mallu offers high quality of life and a blissful existence.