Thaniyavarthanam (1987) :
Brief Review -
A path-breaking human drama that draws a fat twinge on the thin line between superstitious lunacy and literate sanity. A MASTERPIECE! Has anyone here seen Frank Capra Hollywood Classic 'Mr. Deeds Goes to Town' (1936)? A sane, kind hearted is conspired to declare mad by so called sane people and then he lectures people about sanity and insanity in the courtroom at the end. Thaniyavarthanam has got nothing to do with that film, that was a rom-com with happy ending and this is very serious affair with haunting climax. The film has truly changed the perspective of regional cinema with different motive especially for small industries. The film is about that thin line between sanity and insanity trapped in superstitions, rituals and beliefs of old generation. A school teacher living in a village belongs to a family with a history of lunatic males, and soon he falls prey despite being normal due to society misinterpreting his actions. There is a smart brain behind this writing. A. K. Lohithadas has certainly gone beyond mainstream thinking to fetch some mind-shattering stuff. The idea behind this film would have surrendered if it wasn't for the educated character. When we first realise about that mad man, we don't really care much because his character was never shown as sane one but when we see the sanest person in the whole film is being trapped, that hurts so bad. The casting is so amazing that it looked like that the entire cast unit was born to act in this film. Mammootty, Thilakan, Mukesh, Saritha, Parvathy and rest others, everybody just lived theirs character with that much needed intensity through their eyes, body language and expressions. Sibi Malayil is some genius when he is at director's chair, especially when he makes a human drama caught in moral conflicts. Thaniyavarthanam is just Fleckless.. Impeccable! MUST WATCH!
RATING - 9/10*
By - #samthebestest.
