Skip to main content

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

Most Popular Posts

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

What is the story of Shivaji? The great son of a great mother called Jijabai

Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha warrior whose guerrilla warfare tactics are fleetingly mentioned in Indian history textbooks, is increasingly relevant today. A Hindi movie 'Tanhaji' starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol got many of us curious to know more about this warrior. Sadly, we don't seem to have much information in our history textbooks!   [ READ: Significance of Surya Argya  and How do you Light Deepam? ] Source: Anjali Natarajan on Twitter  Shivaji Maharaj: The Great Son of a Great Mother Jijabai The more I read about Shivaji Maharaj,   the more fascinated I am.   I wondered why we have learned so little about this great warrior and his great mother Jijabai, and why public memory has been totally erased from most history books! As a mother, I have always been fascinated by how some of India's greatest and most revered men and women are individuals who were deeply influenced at an early age by their mothers. Bharat is a country that belongs to great mothers who

Vidyarambham 2019: What is the literal translation of Ezhuthiniruthu?

Vidyarambham 2019 will forever remain one of my happiest moments of the year.   Growing up, the festival of Vijayadashami is linked to my happiest memories with my cousins and parents, a remembrance of piping hot prasadam and books that are carefully wrapped and labelled and then, placed in the puja room. [READ: How and Why Malayalis celebrate Vidyarambham]                                                [Image: Pixabay] Believe it or not, three times a day, a puja would be conducted at home. Those were the days when we didn't have domestic help as an integral part of inside kitchen chores. This meant that everyone pitched in. Yes, it seems almost unthinkable nowadays.   Back then, all family members would gather and pitch in for cooking and cleaning and so on.   A sense of togetherness is what made the festival so special.   For children, this became THE season to not have to study anything, watch TV and play outdoors with other cousins and be up to all kinds of mis

Malayalam Movie Review: Rani Padmini asks serious questions but fails to deliver a meaningful impact

I like movies that show strong women.  I had great expectations from Aashiq Abu's latest Malayalam movie - Rani Padmini.  The two heroines Manju Warrier and Rima Kallingal demonstrate commendable chemistry despite a poorly paced script and badly written screenplay.  W hile Jinu Joseph is impressive as the racer, there is no chemistry with Manju Warrier. The vibes are sangfroid between the two actors.  The first half of the movie puts you on edge. You keep waiting for a spectacular story but the second half is where the story "begins."  The pace of the film is inconsistent. The 'Ant" story and also the 'paragliding' scenes were stretched to too slow. Then suddenly, the narrative becomes too pacy. Malayalam Movie Review: Rani Padmini Story The story goes like this: Padmini  (starring Manju Warrier)   is a Malayali girl married to a Delhi based racing car driver, whose name is Giri (starring Jinu Joseph). The couple love