Mohanlal starred Malayalam movie ‘#Arattu’ is not the one which is to be censoriously dissected, studied or analyzed but made only to amuse. While watching the said flick in theatre, I could hear my 10-year old’s loud laughter, sitting beside me, who seems to have thoroughly enjoyed the light moments of the same. His merriment reminded me of the blockbuster ‘#Kilukkam’ which had throbbed the theatres with immense joy and million smiles in the year 1991, when I, the 13-year-old, had watched that with the same enthusiasm and vibrance, along my two-year younger brother. Years later, in 1997, I watched ‘#AaramThamburan’ in Seethas theatre, with the same passion, along with my father who had enjoyed the vibrance of the said #Mohanlal movie to the core, as my son had celebrated the “#Arattu’. Many years have passed, many more elections fought, numerous governments ruled, umpteen revolutions happened, many actors born, and in between, I lost my childhood to my sons and left my father to the memories, but one thing remained untouched- The #Mohanlal!
Decades later, while watching ‘#Arattu’ on screen in the year 2022 with greyish hair, I could feel the same passion and energy, which had depleted somewhere in between from the new age movies due to the extreme realism and near-to-factual style of presentation and characterisations, and got the vibe of the good old vibrance of a classic #Mohanlal movie, same as in 1991 and 1997, irrespective of its imaginary dance numbers, unrealistic fight sequences, illogical but entertaining humour and cliché story lines. The movies are the biggest entertainers of this century , destined to unwind one’s worries, and actors like #Mohanlal are the master chefs of the said evergreen industry. Let us rejoice these kind of movies from a non-critical and non-analytical point of view and enjoy the same without any burden of expectations.
Bijoy P Pulipra