Karutha Pakshikal

Rajappan · Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:58 am Post subject: Karutha Pakshikal

Kamal’s Karutha Pakshikal is a melancholic, slow moving tearjerker. The film based on Kamal’s own short story Manju Kanatha Aniyathi Kutty exhibits emotional depth. . It is indeed a brave attempt by the writer-director to move away from the comforts of commercial cinema for which he deserve applauds.

It requires guts to cast Mammootty in a totally deglamourised role as pandi, a Tamil migrant labourer who earns a living by ironing the clothes of local residents in Trichur. Murugan (Mammootty) is a naïve, simple and gullible man who is hardworking and principled. He lives in a slum near the railway station with his children Azhagu, Mayil and Malli (Malavika) the apple of his eye a six year-old blind girl. Murugan takes life as it comes and never complains but can’t stand Poonkodi (Padmapriya) who makes a living by begging on the streets with a hired child in hand!

One day while on his daily work schedule Murugan always accompanied by the blind Malli, who gets to know all about nature from her dad meets Suvarna (Meena). Suvarna who is fighting cancer takes a liking for Malli and she decides to donate her eyes to her after her death. Murugan the nice guy is in a fix as one of his biggest dreams is to bring back some light into the life of his daughter.

But at the same time, he wants Suvarna to survive. So he takes her on a pilgrimage trip to Punarjanma Malai where the legend says that you will be cured of all diseases. Suvarna and her doctors feel that there is some hope for her to survive but ultimately she dies. Her husband is adamant that he will never donate the eyes to some pandi penn! Murugan’s dreams are shattered and he decides to go back to his village in Tamilnadu.

Karutha Pakshikal is very depressing and moves at snail pace. Kamal could have trimmed it a bit as the film lags especially in the second half. The director has resorted to too many sentiments to woo the lady audiences. Finally the film belongs to Mammootty. His composure his tears in the climax are tangible and real giving it heart-warming immediacy. And the way his character Murugan speaks in Tamilised Malayalam is a lesson in diction& dialogue delivery for students of cinema. Mammootty carries off this deglamorised role with conviction that would have been reduced to a caricature by a lesser actor.

Meena as Suvarna adds depth to melodrama. Jagathy in a cameo as the trusted Karanavar is simply outstanding. Padmapriya in a strong performance oriented role makes you laugh with her antics. Malavika as Malli wins all sympathy votes with her heart breaking innocence despite the deception around her.

Melody king Mohan Sitara has made a strong comeback with the number Venmukil Etho Kaatil Kaiyil… with very meaningful lyrics of Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma. P. Sukumar’s camera has used the tight close-up method to bring out the agony and frustrations of the actors. Karutha Pakshikal is beset with its share of problems, but it would be a crime to miss this brave film.

Verdict: Good