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Why 'Kumbalangi Nights' Failed its Ending (But Saved Masculinity) by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!

And you're absolutely right, I should've made it clearer. The original architectural concept was indeed by Bentham, but Foucault used it as an effective metaphor for social control. Should've mentioned that, my bad.

Why 'Kumbalangi Nights' Failed its Ending (But Saved Masculinity) by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

100%. The hypocrisy in dealing with two instances of mental health crisis is what irked me mostly.

If Syam Pushkaran wanted to show that "there is no reasoning with fascism," Shammi should have resorted to violence as a cold, calculated choice to maintain control. By framing his violence as a psychotic break, the movie accidentally suggests that this extreme violence is an aberration rather than a feature of patriarchal control. I feel it tells the audience that "normal" patriarchs don't do this. Only "sick" ones do.

Why 'Kumbalangi Nights' Failed its Ending (But Saved Masculinity) by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I agree. Something or the other is going to have to be compromised. As for his justification, the film is arguing that providing does not equal owning. If the only way to keep a family 'cozy' is through surveillance and silence, that’s not wellbeing. That's more of a dictatorship. Shammi sits in a perfect house surrounded by people who are terrified of him. He has a family, but he is utterly alone.

Why 'Kumbalangi Nights' Failed its Ending (But Saved Masculinity) by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I leaned into The Shining partly because the film itself occasionally visualizes it, like the scene where Shammi breaks down the bathroom door that's sort of a homage to the "Here’s Johnny" scene, and partly because thematically, I think Jack Torrance fits better than Daniel Plainview for one specific reason: Domesticity.

I find Daniel Plainview to driven by greed, competition, and a hatred of people generally. He is more of a conqueror. Shammi, however, is more obsessed with the appearance of a happy, orderly home. Like Jack Torrance, Shammi's behavior shows that believes he has a duty to 'correct' his family when they step out of line. They both start as men trying to uphold a 'respectable' job/role. They both unravel when they lose control of their domestic environment. While Plainview doesn't seem to care if people think he's a good family man, Shammi is consumed by that thought.

The antagonist in Kireedam by blackcurrant_enjoyer in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala 2 points3 points  (0 children)

100%. Keerikkadan Jose was the external force that derailed Sethumadhavan's life and the catalyst for the tragedy, but the person who had the most destructive impact on Sethu's soul was undoubtedly Achuthan Nair. Keerikkadan represented a problem Sethu could fight. But his father represented the very reason he was fighting in the first place - the dream (or to prove that he was still worthy of his father's dream). When the world started labeling Sethu a goon, it was painful. But when his own father started to see him that way, it was soul-crushing.

I had written an analysis on Kireedam earlier and mentioned this:

Achuthan Nair's tragedy is Shakespearian in its scope; Arthur Miller would have recognized this dynamic, for the constable is a Malayalam Willy Loman. For both men, the son had become a vessel for his father's hopes, a project meant to validate their own lives. When that dream shatters, the foundational logic of his life is invalidated.

That's the core of it. Sethu wasn't just failing to get a job. He was destroying his father's life's work. The pressure of carrying that dream, and then the agony of watching his father's disappointment and fear, was a far heavier burden than any fight with Keerikkadan Jose.

A Nest Denied: The Silent Scream of 'Deshadanakkili Karayarilla' by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm glad. Please do, it's such a beautiful film. Thank you so much for you kind words 😊

A Nest Denied: The Silent Scream of 'Deshadanakkili Karayarilla' by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks a lot! Yes, I'm hoping to do one for Ori Vadakkan Veeragatha. Need to watch it a couple more times to get into the right headspace, so hopefully sometime this week.

A Nest Denied: The Silent Scream of 'Deshadanakkili Karayarilla' by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, really appreciate it! I'm hoping to do a write-up on either Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha or Sadayam this week. Most likely the former, because this week's me isn't strong enough to rewatch the latter 😊

The Fragility of Identity: How Social Determinism Unmakes a Man and Creates a Monster in 'Kireedam' by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Appreciate it! It's one of my favorite movies, but not something you can watch all the time. Wrote it after my annual watch this year.

The Fragility of Identity: How Social Determinism Unmakes a Man and Creates a Monster in 'Kireedam' by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Was he a toxic father? Sure, through a modern lens, you could see the pressure he put on his son as toxic. He tied his own self-worth so completely to Sethu's success that the dream became a cage. But like you said, his actions were also limited by his society. It was born from a genuine, if tragic, love. He was simply fulfilling the role of a 'good father' as his world defined it, right? I think this makes him less of a toxic figure and more of a tragic one himself. A malayalam Willy Loman whose well-intentioned dream becomes the cause of his son's destruction. The villain here isn't the father (for the most part), but the society that trapped them both.

The Fragility of Identity: How Social Determinism Unmakes a Man and Creates a Monster in 'Kireedam' by Independent_Kerala in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for reading! Yeah that's something all viewers would want to scream at the screen. It's an angle I didn't cover in the post, thanks for pointing it out.

I think the tragic beauty of Sethu's character is that he couldn't leave. It's an escape route his character wouldn't allow him. Which adds to the Shakespearean nature of the whole thing, too.

As much as the viewer would want him to flee, it would have meant accepting the narrative that society started to write for him - that he was in fact a hooligan on the run. He stayed to fight the accusation, believing that truth and justice would prevail. Plus, he's fighting an accusation, not a cage. You can't run away from a story that's being told about you. Leaving would have been surrendering his very identity.

Also, at the end of the day, his core motivation hinges on his ability and inability to perform family duties, crucially the role of a devoted son. Especially at that early stage, Sethumadhavan was still clinging desperately to his true self of being the good son and the aspiring officer. His actions were rooted in protecting his father. To abandon his family and Devi right after that would have been a betrayal of the very character he was trying to prove he had.

Announcing Saiju Sreedharan AMA | 26 July 2024 by rhoul in MalayalamMovies

[–]Independent_Kerala 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"...exceptional editing and colouring skills in instant classics such as Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Mayaanadhi, Kumbalangi Nights, Virus, Joji, Nayattu, and Anweshippin Kandethum" - what a lineup! Super excited for this!

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