Skip to main content

Gautamantey Radham Movie review: This Neeraj Madhav starrer is a heartwarming family entertainer

"A car is not just a car, it is like bringing home a new family member," Gautaman's wise grandmother tells an 18 year old grandson with a naughty sparkle in her eyes. In another moving scene, Gautaman talks about how the car is the only place where family members sit in the closest proximity to one another while traveling their everyday moments, a safe haven that is second only to home.
These fleeting glimpses are one of the many heartwarming moments from this quaint family entertainer that revolves around a coming-of-age phase for a young boy. 

Starring Neeraj Madhav, Valsala Menon, Renji Panicker, Devi Ajith, this family entertainer packs in precious moments in a middle class family.

Adding to the old-fashioned charm of this clean family film, this grandmother-grandson bonding is a joy to watch. 

From buying one's first car to dealing with other people's judgment of it,  'Gautamantey Radham' shows the reality of how a highly brand-conscious Malayali identity.  

Before we judge others, let's look at how many times we ourselves mentally judge a person's 'worth' based on the expensive brands others wear or own. It could be a car, a watch, a phone - the reality is that the brand-conscious Malayali is here to stay. 

The film also navigates through moments beginning with Gautaman's first 'mistaken' car purchase to what it eventually becomes for him - a legacy of love and most cherished family moments. 

From start to finish, I found myself enjoying Neeraj Madhav's effortless portrayal of the protagonist in 'Gautamantey Radham'. Essaying the role of Gautaman's grandmother who dreams of her journey from Ceylon to Kochi in a car, veteran actress Valsala Menon deserves a standing ovation. 

From scene to scene, dialogue to dialogue, she is a Queen of Hearts.

In the scenes where she is walking, hand in hand with her grandson, I found myself remembering beautiful moments when my grandmother and I used to hold hands and walk together.

When Gautaman held his grandmother protectively close to him as he took her around to see Ram Setu, I had tears in my eyes. 

Because we don't need movies to tell us how precious this relationship between a grandmother and grandchild is - we know it. This film brings it to life.

There's no doubting it - Gautamantey Radham is a beautiful reminder of how deep and lasting our family relationships can be.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most LOVED 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 bor...
180 comments
Read more

Arike malayalam movie review: Bittersweet love story with brilliant portrayal by supporting artists!

Director Shyamaprasad’s ‘Arike’ starring Dileep, Mamta Mohandas and Samvrutha had got mixed reviews and ‘the movie is boring’ comments from many friends and acquaintances. When I sat down and watched it, the experience was slow, sweet and painful. It was an intoxication of sorts. [READ: Which is Jayaram's first movie?] Arike malayalam movie:  Simple story, Subtle Performances ‘Arike’s story is simple. It revolves around the perfect couple Shanthanu (starring Dileep) and Kalpana (starring Samvrutha Sunil) whose best friend is Anuradha (starring Mamta Mohandas). The characterisation is what makes the movie interesting despite its slow pace. From the start, we see that the happily in love couple relying solely on Anuradha to arrange their clandestine meetings.  Anuradha doesn’t believe in love but she desperately wants her best friend’s affair to culminate in marriage and prove her wrong. Arike malayalam movie:  Striking Characterization in Arike Best friend Ka...
8 comments
Read more

Thank You for the Kreativ Award

Lord, thank you for your love and grace in every moment of my life and for finding me worthy of this award.  A big thanks to Nivedita for this Award. I don't know if I deserve it but you make me feel that I do. You, the reader, helped me improve through every post. Your feedback and suggestions motivated me to write in the only manner that I know: from the heart. Thank you all for the love and patience. A big thanks to all my Twitter friends who have placed their trust in me and humbled me with their overwhelming support, friendship and acts of kindness. As the rules for accepting this blog award make it necessary for me to share 7 facts about myself, here we go: 1. Kochi is my favorite city. It's in my soul 24X7. 2. I dislike certain traits in people such as dishonesty/corruption, boasting, constantly finding fault or being judgmental about others to camouflage their own faults, leading purposeless but extravagant lifestyles and taking advantage of friendships for wrong...
21 comments
Read more

It's a Rainy Day...what would you eat?

Growing up in Kochi where rains are an everyday affair, my first concern was always to find creative ways to enjoy it like walking in the rain, feeling the raindrops slide down my face and believing this is what it means to be one with Nature. I always love shopping in the rain so that its a great excuse to get drenched! Of course, I get scolded for it, even now! When I was a kid, I remember my mother teaching me to sing, "Rain rain, go away, Come again, another day" and now I teach my son the same rhyme. Watching the rains with my parents and sister is now a distant memory but it is the memory that springs to mind all the time. Relationships are always based on love, but in today's times, love itself has become an abstract concept. (Shobit whose blog is titled Mindzspeak has an interesting post on this. To read it, click here.) Rainy days make me hungry. I am so used to munching on something hot and having some hot tea while enjoying the rains. In the pic below tak...
21 comments
Read more

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...
1 comment
Read more