Thursday, July 12, 2012

Oru Cheru Punchiri

“Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more intoxicating!"  ~ Leo Buscaglia

Every once in a while,you come across those hidden gems of rare beauty.The beauty ,of which lies,not in its intricate design,but in the underlying simplicity of the whole thing.This is one of those rare films,which portrays the beauty,enjoyed in simple everyday things.For that matter,it ceases to exist as a film and turns more into a celebration of life.When I first watched "Oru cheru Ponchiri",I was taken unaware,because I did not expect any film to portray the depth of actual relationships as this film does.By the end,I was in tears and the hardest thing was,I did not know if I cried tears of joy or sorrow.
It portrays the life of a couple Krishna Kuruppu and his wife Ammalukutty,well into their old age and who are enjoying a peaceful life after finishing off all their responsibilities and seeing their children well settled.They keep themselves engaged and touch the lives of those who come in contact with them.There is the little boy Kannan,who is the helper at their house and whose education Krishna Kuruppu sponsors.There is the neighbor who is a window,with her daughter.Krishna Kuruppu helps her find a job and later on helps in fixing the marriage of her daughter to a boy who he helped find a job,in real estate company where he was employed.The film is filled with moments of fun and those shared glances and unsaid emotions which can only exist between a couple who have been together for so long and know everything,there is to know about one another.Then there are the family scenes,where the couple is clear that they are comfortable living on their own,in their house rather than selling their property and moving to the city with their children.
Just when you have gotten used to the very real life-like moments portrayed in the film,there is an unexpected turn.One fine day,after the couple have helped in the marriage of the neighbor,they played a part in arranging,Krishna Kuruppu lies down saying that he had a good meal.There is a conversation about the time,when they were newly married.The next scene is of him having passed away in his sleep.
How his wife accepts it and is clear on her decision to live in their house,on her own,with the memories of her husband Krishna Kuruppu,brings tears to your eyes.Also,there is a dialogue,which touched me.I will try to translate it for you.
Ammalukutty is seen simply stating "It is lucky that he passed away before me.Many would consider it lucky,if the wife passed away before the husband...But,had I gone before him,who would have taken care of him,as I have.He had his preferences in everything...He would have suffered."This is not the exact translation,but it is the gist of what  she says.
I recall having watched this film 2-3 times,and I can say that,each time,I was crying at the end.

If you are into what they call masala films,I do not know if this is one of those.The story itself is contemporary,in its being down to earth and simple.
It is a must see,if you enjoy good Malayalam movies.If are looking to see a film,because you just love cinema,it is a one of those "stays in your mind for a while" kind.Also,you will get the chance to grasp the culture of Kerala,so enticingly portrayed here.

Film name:Oru Cheru Punchiri Aka "A Slender Smile"
Language:Malayalam
Written and Directed by:M.T.Vasudevan Nair
Cast:Oduvil Unnikrishnan,Nirmala Sreenivasan,Vijayan Peringode,Sreedevi Unni,Lena,Manka Mahesh,Aliyar,Jayakrishnan

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