Ranjith, the reformer in Malayalam film industry

Ranjith made a unique space for him and his audience with movies like Pranchiyettan, Indian Rupee and Spirit. Malayalam film industry is jubilant watching this director's movies becoming successful. I've enjoyed all these movies. I am writing this to appreciate a unique pattern that I've noticed in his movies.

Like in any society around the world, we have our own social ills. These are not evident for us as it became part of our culture. They come in many forms having their own impact on the society's future. Honour killing in north india, cash for vote in tamil, corruption across india, manual scavenging in parts of india, disposal of human excreta from trains, dowry, classification of Muslims as terrorists across the world, displacement or removal of an ecosystem for development, parents not cared by children and many many more.

Movies have always been a powerful media dealing these issues. In Kerala 3 of such social ills are - the belief that reputation and acceptance for an individual in society has a price and can only be bought, ambitious men chasing money at the risk of losing everything belonging to them and alcoholism. Ranjith's recent movies have tackled each of them separately. So what? Many others have done it you would say. But the way he handled them is different.

Ranjith did it without preaching and without taking a higher moral ground. This is astonishing. As the way I see it everyone enjoyed watching themselves as the protagonist in these movies. We were never questioned for our choices and least our intelligence. So, we all had a good time watching his movies and the journey of protagonist. The success of Ranjith is how these movies make an indelible mark on our thought process without us knowing it. We come out carrying a lingering thought that question our choices for a long time. We start seeing things around us in a different way. We probably would never realize this change in us and how it has been germinated by his movies.

Is it so? What do you think?

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2014 at 11:43 PM

    Lets rewrite the social evils part: in no order
    1. alcoholism
    2. gold : "pennaayal ponnu venam" concept
    3. crab mentality: its ok if i don't progress as long as others are not allowed to progress
    4. hartal / bandh
    5. men refusing to work had in kerala, but are willing to slog and suffer in gulf
    6. talk but do nothing

    ReplyDelete
  2. Utopian KeralaJanuary 31, 2014 at 10:47 PM

    :-)

    ReplyDelete

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