When two worlds met
BHAWANI CHEERATH
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Sasi Paravoor's `Nottam' narrates a modern tale through the traditional art form of Koodiyattom.
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I started each shot with a prayer, appealing to the Gurus of Koodiyattom to give us their blessings. Nedumudi Venu
FILM ART: Jogathy Sreekumar, left, Nedumudi Venu, centre, and right M.R. Gopakumar in a scene from 'Nottam'.
One might be tempted to ask what is new about `Nottam,' the latest film by Sasi Paravoor where he uses a traditional art form to narrate a story on the celluloid. True, this has been attempted by many with varying degrees of success, but the two-hour long film turns out to be a different experience.
On the surface it's a story of a Chakyar who realises the immense possibilities for him and his art when he starts a website and conducts a performance tour abroad. There is more to this transition than new opportunities and money. It's a constant tug-of-war between the commitment of a tradition-bound community and the loud-mouthed non-resident Indian (NRI) for whom a few signatures and dollar bills carry more weight.
One might wonder how Koodiyattom can become the leitmotif of a film of this kind but the director has successfully woven social mores, lifestyles and changing values and fine-tuned it to suit the medium.
Learning process
Says Paravoor, "Three years ago when we started working on the film, with Salim Mankuzhy, the screenplay writer, the early exercise was based on a Kathakali artiste. When the spotlight fell on Koodiyattom with the UNESCO recognition, I changed my mind, and began to watch and learn more about this ancient theatre form so that the film could be situated in the world of the Chakyars."
This learning process that the director talks about is evident throughout the film. The art form has not been brought in as a USP, but unobtrusively woven into the story and unfolds before the viewer with a telling effect.
While the director of a film is its helmsman, none can ignore the fact that successful teamwork also shows in the final product. The triumph of `Nottam' lies in the clear demarcation in the individual roles and the fact that there is just the right amount of acting, none going overboard in the effort to prove himself a better actor.
The film scores high on casting. The roles seem tailor-made for the actors. Nedumudi Venu as Vasu Chakyar, Jagathy Sreekumar as the Vidushakan, M.R. Gopakumar as Chakyar Asan's man Friday, Nambisan, and Margi Sathi as Saraswati Nangiyar, effortlessly essayed the characters. The pace of the film and the music have all maintained the restraint and unhurried calm of the community.
In sharp contrast to this tranquillity is the excited, agitated, hurried countenance of Menon uncle (Janardhanan) for whom its money that talks and the Chakyars are mere exhibits to be flaunted abroad as ethnic chic.
Study in contrasts
The contrasts come through crystal clear when Vasu Chakyar derisively says, "There is no need to affix my signature, the Chakyar's word is commitment enough" or when Unni (Jagathy Sreekumar) hands over a bundle of currency notes to Gouri (Samritha), Nambisan's daughter for pursuing her education and adds, "this thing spoilt my sleep last night," - all hinting at how far removed the art and artistes are from the rampant consumerist culture.
Reverent approach
That Koodiyattom was approached with due reverence is evident throughout the film and none could have put it better than Nedumudi, "I started each shot with a prayer, appealing to the Gurus of Koodiyattom to give us their blessings and forgive us if we slipped because we were taking on the task of only acting out a form which had a strong ritualistic tradition.Living a role is only as close as we can get to the art form, whereas the Chakyars are unsurpassable for their histrionics."
Director Sasi Paravoor.
Enchanting locales of the Kerala countryside have their special appeal, because of the freshness that has been captured.
Lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri and music director M. Jayachandran have lifted the music to a level that fits with the total ambience of the film.
Mention must be made of the song `Pachapanamthathe' by Ponkunnam Damodaran, and rendered by K.J. Jesudas which had a refreshing lilt.
The three-year hiatus since his maiden film `Kaatu Vannu Vilichapol' has been worth it, and `Nottam' confirms that Sasi Paravoor is no flash in the pan.
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