30 years of Thoovanathumbikal

Thoovanathumbikal... Released on 31st July 1987.

30 years have gone by, but still, when it comes to the most discussed Malayalam movie, I think, Thoovanathumbikal would stand tall at the numero uno position.

For me, Thoovanathumbikal unfolds a new meaning every other time I watch it. It takes quite a talent to explore a plot with some complicated characters. Of course! It’s a Padmarajan cult after all. So there’s absolutely nothing to wonder about. Every frame in his movies are so detailed that each of them can be expanded to a separate individual movie. Also, another notable fact is that each character in Thoovanathumbikal, regardless of the screen time, be it Thangal – the pimp, Ravunni – the neighbour, Davidettan – the bartender, the drunken person at the bar or Jayakrishnan’s friends possess a character that makes them deeply etched in the viewer's psyche. Above all, what makes this movie dearer to me is the backdrop of my Thrissur town.

Jayakrishnan is till date my favourite character ever portrayed by Mohanlal. Jayakrishnan’s principles, determination, sincerity, simplicity, social life, friendships, love life are so imitable. And the way Jayakrishnan’s past was narrated, by the stories Thangal and Radha’s brother explains at different stages of the film was quite impressive. Without a slo-mo, punch dialogues or a heavy metal BGM, Mr. Jayakrishnan Mannarthody was capable of inspiring many men for three long decades.

Now, in the movie as Jayakrishnan towers, Clara makes an entry with a rain and Johnson Master's masterpiece BGM; a combination that was never experienced in movies before or after Thoovanathumbikal. Clara is arguably one of the boldest, beautiful and complex portrayals of women that you ever find in Malayalam cinema. She is strong willed and free spirited. She escapes from the clutches of a useless parental relationship by getting into prostitution and later on gets married to a widower, only to help Jayakrishnan. Now, such a character could typically be a sob story woman, with a strong element of pathos and sympathy underlying her character. However, Padmarajan creates a Clara with whom you develop a sense of bonding, someone without stereotypical negative or depressive shades. Sumalatha immortalizes the character of Clara.

The romance, complexity of the characters, the aura in Padmarajan’s script and the fabulous music keeps me glued to the movie for a long time even after it ends. A special mention must also be given to the excellent BGM by Johnson. The music has a character of its own and it creates a tension that is present throughout the movie. The same with the songs composed by Perumbavoor G Ravidranath, written by Sreekumaran Thampi. “Onnaam Raagam Paadi..” is the first song that I would wait to be played on the radio when I was a kid of 3 or 4 years. And it is still my favourite. Mention of Vadakkumnadhan in the lyrics is also a tiny reason that holds this song so close to me.

An article about Thoovanathumbikal cannot go without mentioning about the most beautiful of all inconveniences – Rain. I have met people who really believe Rain became more romantic after Thoovanathumbikal. Sure in many episodes, the rain added more depth to the scenes. Story telling brilliance, again!

All these attributes come together to make Thoovanathumbikal a movie par excellence, which has withstood the passage of time and still weaves a magic among the viewers of Malayalam cinema.

Apart from all what’s told above, Thoovanathumbikal was quite a firm and big reason, capable enough to turn the 2-year-old me to a mighty Mohanlal fan and celebrate myself as a Thrissurkaran.

Some creations are never outdated. They are called masterpieces...

       

Thoovanathumbikal..."Butterflies of the spraying rain"...