Elsamma Enna Aankutty: Malayali humour in full throttle! Kunchacko Boban, Indrajit and Ann Augustine shine in this Lal-Jose directorial

When my parents and I opted to watch Lal Jose's film 'Elsamma Enna Aankutty', we never expected that Padma theater in Ernakulam would be packed with college students, families and batches of girls. The film poster had seemed to hint comedy and entertainment, with stars like Kunchako Boban and Indrajit.

Elsamma enna aankutty: Story, Screenplay

This movie is beautifully shot in the hilly ranges of a village near Idukki. I am not a photography expert but the landscape's scenic beauty is truly breathtakingly remarkable.

The protagonist is a young girl called Elsamma (starring Ann Augustine), who dons various hats in her struggle to make an honest living to support her three sisters and helpless mother. She works as the village's newspaper girl and her close friend is Palunni (Kunchacko Boban), the milk delivery boy.

Elsamma enna aankutty: Kunchacko, Ann Augustine shine
Right from the start, the conversations are typical of two young people who know and respect each other but nothing more is said to make us wonder deeper. The chemistry is good and it sets the tone of the movie.Both of them have a local godfather called Paapan (starring Nedumudi Venu) who is wealthy and lonely as his only son is settled in the US and rarely visits him.

Besides walking around like a boy in a shapeless shirt and lungi, Elsamma is a responsible citizen. She takes on local politicians, works with the police to expose liquor baron and other illegal activities in the village. Without being too much of a tomboy, she does everything that with conviction and boldness, due to which she is called 'Elsamma enna aankutty.'

Elsamma enna aankutty: Indrajit in rich brat role
When Ebymon, the rich brat and grandson of Paapan appears in the village (starring Indrajit), the story takes a predictable turn. He flirts with her and her sisters, calls his city friends to solicit them and so on. He does every cheap trick in the book to impress the tough and sensible Elsamma, who see through it all with a stoic smile and witty lines but uses it to make Paalunni jealous.

The protagonist, Elsamma, reminds viewers of other strong protagonists we have seen in Malayalam movies like Samyukta Varma in "Veendum Chilla Veetukaryangal, Meera Jasmine in 'Kasthuriman' and Manju Warrier in 'Ee Puzhayum Kadannu'. However, the movie does not break the mould because it follows a predictable triangle plot.

When the film ended, the viewers were smiling and recollecting memorable moments from several scenes. Sure, this is a family entertainer and one that is going to draw in families and college students in big numbers. It comes with a strong social message about taking responsibility in life seriously at a young age.

When Abymon proposes to Elsamma, she tells him, sweetly, "What you feel for me is not love but something else. It is a disease that affects you and not me because I have lots of work to do in my life and you don't." The humour is unmistakable.

I really liked this message and the movie. What about you?

Comments

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences. [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste. You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) - Why it is spiritually relevant

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) is a film that I was desperate to watch for two reasons. One, I am a Suriya fan and I had heard so much about his performance in this movie that I didn't want to settle for watching a CD of it and losing the actual cinematic experience. Second, I had read from various bloggers and their reviews that this film revolves around the story of Bodhidharman, a 16th century prince from Tamil Nadu who had mastered knowledge spanning multiple forms of art, and was sent to China to save the people from evil. Once he goes there, the transformation begins for himself and for the people there and he goes on to become Damo, the father of Shaolin and Kung Fu and hypnotism and such other mystical yet spiritually relevant forms of mind mastery. 7 Am Arivu Goes Over the Top with the Dravidian Rhetoric In 7 Am Arivu, there has been a lot of controversy created by the fact that nearly every character eulogizes about the importance of being Tamil and yes, the Dravidi

Vidyarambham: How and why Malayalis celebrate writing the words ''Harisree Ganapathaye Namaha"

For Malayalis, Vidyarambham is an auspicious day on which the elders and children mark the day by writing the sacred words, "Harisree Ganapathayeh Namaha." The observance of this ritual may differ from region to region, community to community and family to family. Whatever I share here is based on how vidyarambham is celebrated in my home. [READ: What is Vidyarambham?] Vidyarambham: How Malayalis observe this sacred day In families where the children are gearing up to enter pre-school or play school and are not yet ready to join the formal schooling system, Vidyarambham marks an important occasion for an elder to introduce them to the world of "vidya" or "knowledge." The words ''Harisree Ganapathayeh Namaha" are written on the child's tongue by the grandparent, an elder or parent. [Image credit: Travel Manorama Online ] Vidyarambham: Why it matters An interesting aspect of Vidyarambha

The Amazing Tale of Peddabottu: How she battled all odds, took leadership roles and defied conventional norms in a unique way

When we first come into the world, we mark our entry with a big cry. The wise ones say that we loathe to leave the safety of the mother's womb. As we grow up, we learn to seek happiness in the things we do. We find different ways to be happy. The wise ones says, ''Pain makes you strong.'' The truth about happiness is that it teaches us nothing, whereas pain nudges out of our complacent comfort zones. It teaches us to reflect, look within and find the answers from a zone that we are not usually familiar dealing with. [Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: https://svara.substack.com/] Pain and sorrow manifest in our lives differently and across different phases but how we react to it defines our the direction of our life. A newborn child undergoes pain when vaccinated but will a mother stop her child from being vaccinated simply because she doesn't want her child to undergo pain? [ Must Read: A Dad's Advice to the Daughter He loves ] So, there

Petals!

Search This Blog