Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam; Malayalam-Tamil bilingual drama film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery and written by S. Hareesh from a story by Pellissery. Was reminded of his father. An open ended movie, left to the interpretation of the viewers. First reaction after the movie was, what was it? Though the cinematography, was amazing. There was a lot to ponder, with amazing dialogues. 

The film portrays some incidents in James's life. After visiting Velankanni, Tamil Nadu, a group of Malayali tourists take a bus back to Kerala. While settling the bill, he enquires of Thirukurral.  James stops the bus at a village in rural Tamil Nadu while the tourists snooze. James enters into a house nearby, and starts acting like a member of the family living in the house. He behaves like a Tamilian and speaks in Tamil like a local of the area. It confuses everyone who travelled with him as well as the local people of the village. Eventually the people realise he has taken on the character, mannerisms and language of Sundaram, a member of the family who had disappeared two years earlier. James has knowledge of the village and villagers that only Sundaram would have known. The full is full of long shots, except when James as Sundaram is looking at himself in the mirror. 

James/Sundaram grows confused at the apparent sudden changes in the village, such as a temple being built that had not started construction when Sundaram went missing. James' family and friends plot how to drug him in order to return him to Kerala and get him treatment for his presumed mental disorder. It hurts to see James in pain. The way Malayalee and Tamil people see each other has been very well portrayed very well. 

However at the end, James regains his true identity and willingly goes with them to return home. In the end, it is shown that Sundaram's character was merely a dream. Or was that a dream? Its only the mother and the dog who see Sundaram in James and not others. 

Every scene and every shot is open ended and as you keep thinking more about the movie, you come up with more interpretations and conclusions - it is in creating this continuous audience engagement with the narrative that LJP has succeeded as a filmmaker. This is not a movie that you can watch and forget - instead you carry it with you for many more days.

The climax shot reveals the title of the theatre play which the troupe is currently performing, that is, Oridathu directed by Thilakan. Thilakan is the one who introduced LJP's father Jose Pellissery to the film industry, Thilakan even played a prominent role in LJP's debut film, Nayakan. So, this climax shot is LJP's tribute to Thilakan sir. On a concluding not LJP and JP are from our home town, so a soft corner for them, nevertheless, this move has brought out the best of Mammotty and LJP.