User reviews

Mathilukal (1990) : Brief Review -

One of the Finest Prison-Drama ever made in WORLD CINEMA. An intellectual conversational lecture turned into a Sweet yet Metaphorical Love-Story. How many prison-dramas have you seen which does not include crime horrors, Escape tricks, brutal scenes and highly intelligent characters? Let me give an answer, its NONE. I am saying it again, Mathilukal is one of the finest prison-drama ever made In WORLD CINEMA, I repeat WORLD CINEMA. As i cleared, this does not include POW escape, World War and Crime genre flicks otherwise my list would be full of Hollywood, French and Russian films made before 60s. One more thing to notice is, Mathilukal was made before famous 'The Shawshank Redemption' which also had the same subject with different theories, different methods and different motive of course. Mathilukal focuses on the prison life of a writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and the love between him and Narayany, a female inmate of the prison, who remains unseen throughout the film. In two hours of its runtime, Mathilukal has 75% portion covered with jail life and the Intellectual conversations of the protagonist and then last 25% goes into forming an interesting Love Story. Though, i felt that it should have provided the more space to the love story. It rushes so fast that the stability seems lost. And for 40s period such a quick Love Story, i mean just one indirect conversation didn't look appropriate. Rest, it is an engrossing drama with lots of philosophical and human life circle stuff. Mammootty's portrayal as Basheer is cent percent natural. He does not seem like he's playing it on screen. It seemed like as if he was just wandering as Basheer in himself in front of camera. Adoor sir's direction is simply outstanding. Every single frame says so. Overall, a True Classic that deserved all the acclaim and awards.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.

His Divine Grace Very Great and Honorable Mr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan has an art of its own.

I saw His Divine Grace for first time in Houston International Film Festival in year 2000.

We watched the movie at Houston Museum of Fine Arts with a audience of less than 50.

It is really a work of art...

I would request His Divine Grace to consider making something for rich people... like "Music Room" by His Divine Grace Late Satyajit Ray...

His Divine Grace is in press this week -- India Today.

I still believe His Divine Grace deserve more attention than he is getting in Bombay and New Delhi...

Good Luck.

Thanks and Regards.

Sri. Mammootty got national award for beat actor in this movie , this is a love story but there is no actress in this movie

This movie good charector mammootty Based by a book story Intresting story.

This is a slice of life and simple film about the legendary writer, Vaikkom Muhammed Basheer's time in prison during the pre-independence era. This film explores the friendships and love he finds in the prison. Warning that this film is very slow and I was definitely bored the first 30 minutes. But eventually you will get used to the slowness of the film and appreciate it for its brilliant dialogues, amazing acting, and deep symbolism. The shots in the film are amazing and feel very intimate. It's also a unique pre independence film in that we don't see a single British person or any signs of conflict. Actually there is no scene where mamookka isn't surrounded by the mathilukal, or walls in english. The acting of mamooka is perfect as well and he deservedly got the national award for his performance.

This film is unique because for its style. Even though it is a romantic love story, actress or female character does not appears in film till the end! Isn't this fantastic concept? This is one of the well admired artwork by Adoor Gopalkrishnan. The protagonist is a prisoner and falls in love with a woman locked on other side of a wall. Film is based on few years spent by Malayalam writer VM Basheer in prison. It is cinematic art on his Autobiography. He wrote stories, novels during his stay in prison.

Film opens doors of prison during pre-independent time, and reveal life of prisoners. How it was miserable. They were served food, locked into their room. People spent their years in life gossiping, smoking, walking to and fro. They even lost of count of days spent in prison. Suddenly after long time, they used to get release orders. Protagonist was brought in jail for his civil disobedience against British raj. He has been locked up for more than four years. He was well respected by all prison administrators. Stories by him well received and admired by all. He was supported to write by providing pen and paper regularly,. Few jailers also gave him cigarettes to smoke. Prison chef gave him tea, sugar, so he could prepare tea for himself

Films by Adoor sir have charm of music that expresses emotions of loneliness, hope. One story told by a prisoner is very touching. Film implicitly expresses destiny, hope.

Climax of film is very touching. Basheer won't be able to meet the woman with whom he is talking and fell in love with, because he is released.

In 1942, Basheer, a noted writer in Kerala, South India, was imprisoned by the British Government for "treason", i.e. advocating the exit of the British. Sentenced to 2-1/2 years, he was released early by an amnesty. This movie depicts his months within the prison walls.

And how lacking in incident or interest those months were! Mostly he passes the time smoking, walking about the yard, growing roses, scribbling, and talking with the other prisoners. (The politicals wear white hats, the murderers red, and all others black.) Everyone has heard of him, and he is cheerful to everyone, occasionally offering spiritual advice (like admonishing a guard for stealing his petty property). He is given small presents by the guards and other prisoners--cigarettes, tea, dried fish, writing paper. He meets an old classmate, who was whipped and shackled for petty disobedience, but this is the worst brutality he encounters. His political conversations are equally shallow, consisting mostly of gossip about "Gandhiji", and singing anthems. It is never revealed what he is writing in prison, though his guards request autographed copies of it when it is published. (Other prison writings have included Marco Polo's Travels, Don Quixote, and Mein Kampf, but nothing of that caliber appears here.) When all political prisoners except Basheer are amnestied, he goes into a bit of a funk, but perks up by having bland conversations with an unseen female prisoner beyond the wall in the women's cells. Just before he can meet her by faking illness, he is suddenly released.

Now, drama is built on conflict; but all the conflict in this film is offstage. Basheer is played by Mammootty, an immensely popular Indian actor (almost 300 films!), who has the easy charm of George Clooney, as well as his physical presence. (The latter jars when he speaks of having frequently known hunger.) Other than his old schoolmate, no other character even has a backstory beyond the name of the crime they were sent in for. Perhaps the roses were symbolic, perhaps the wall that blocked his view of the women. But I found very little mental or emotional nourishment to feed on in this movie.

Cinema is an absolutely fantastic medium to reveal a new literature,a new author or a new vision.It is from this point of view one must consider Malayalam language film 'Mathilukal'-A feature film directed by Kerala's most famous director Adoor Gopalakrishnan which had some success in the west especially in some big as well as small film festivals.There is also a book of the same name written by one of Kerala's acclaimed writers V.M.Basheer.It is nice to learn that the film is not a direct copy of the book.This has helped in retaining its original charm as director Adoor Gopalakrishnan chose to integrate his own personal vision to the project.In many ways,he has succeeded in deserving the success but there are many instances where this film lacks seriousness and fails to convey anything substantial.By casting Mammootty to play the role of Basheer,Adoor achieved an artistic coup of sorts as the actor has massive fan following.However,the presentation of the film leaves a lot to be desired especially in the manner comedy has been infused through the film.This is a big disappointment as it robs the film of conveying its message in a poetic manner.