Mathilukal

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.

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

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

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.