Anantaram

The writing adopts a structure that effectively portrays the tumultuous and unreliable psyche of a person grappling with schizophrenia, exploring complicated themes like subjective reality and sexual repression.

Suffice to say, The vision was remarkably ahead of its time and its peers, which undoubtedly contributed to the Malayalam film industry receiving numerous prestigious accolades and much deserved recognition.

However, the execution and overall presentation here may at times appear somewhat banal, particularly when juxtaposed with contemporary features that explore similar themes with greater intent and freedom. I also feel, It would have been beneficial for the narrative to focus more on ambiguity and emotional resonance rather than primarily questioning the fragility of "truth" and the "memories" we revisit later in life.

Nonetheless, we must acknowledge the filmmakers' bravery and resolve in tackling a niche idea with one of industry's emerging talents at the time, Mammootty, especially considering that the cultural appreciation for cinema in its purest form was still in its nascent stages.

"Monologue" is a film about perceptions or specifically the duality of perceptions.From Adoor's own words Ajayan is both introvert and extrovert at the same time. Duality plays a key role in the film, as a media film itself is dual in nature. We know what we see is fiction, but it's by convincing the viewers into believing in the film it succeeds. The film shows us two stories, both narrated by Ajayan like a monologue. After the first story, there seems to be something missing and the second is told like telling the odd number of events first and then the even number of events. But there still seem to be some parts which happened outside the frame. The Malayalam title "Anantaram" (translation: Thereafter) suggests either about the events being consequences or about the after effects. Full review at http://www.asianfilmvault.com/2017/09/monologue-1987-by- adoor-gopalakrishnan.html

Acting, making and colour grading.. exceptional.. The desperation of the protagonist is portrayed amazingly.. Shobhana..The GOT.. Her beauty is stunning in this particular movie.. The younger ajayan, played by sudeesh.. Mind blowing.. Direction as well is great..

Set in the busy state of Kerala, India, Anantaram is a Malayalam film about a lifetime event that happens to a man named Ajayan. Released in 1987, this film is a prime example of Gopalakrishnan's unique directing style, characterised by diligent production and meaningful storytelling. The film starts when Ajayan is a baby and continues into adulthood. For the first 30 minutes of this film, I can tell that the main character, Ajayan, is a troublemaker with a piece of advanced knowledge and mind. This can be seen in one scene where he is late to school and scolded by his teacher. In that scene, he is the character who goes against the norm and breaks the stereotype. He rejects conventional social conventions and explores the limitations imposed on individuals based on their caste, class, and tradition. Ajayan's figure symbolises a spirit of liberation and resistance against repressive systems through his aspirations and societal norms. In addition, this can only be accomplished with the fantastic performance by Ashokan in the leading role. His performances are subtle yet compelling, enabling the audience to deeply understand and relate to the characters' predicaments. Next, I would like to highlight the mesmerising cinematography in this film. The visual storytelling in Anantaram is exceptionally remarkable. Gopalakrishnan utilises extended shots and nuanced visual elements to communicate the internal conflicts experienced by his characters effectively. Mankada Ravi Varma's cinematography effectively portrays the beautiful countryside of Kerala, adding an appealing setting to the characters' inner conflicts. Other than that, I cannot help but notice that the storyline never really tallies, and to connect it to my conclusion, by the end of the movie, where he was reminded to take his medicine, I assumed that Ajayan suffers from some sort of mental illness like schizophrenia or short term memory loss.

I hardly trust my mind when it comes to watching and understanding movies that have memories in a major role. I was first fascinated by Memories of Murder wherein memories played a sort of major character.

Anantharam is altogether different where two different memories have been retold on a story to showcase two different personalities of a character. Both of them starts at one same station and end at the same destination, yet both of them are so different, it puts the viewers in questioning the narration.

There are some minor scenes which really help to understand what exactly has happened throughout the movie. Sometimes the movie felt filled with the formula "show, don't tell", yet one or two junctions help us in understanding the sequences; not necessarily they can be the same for everyone. Moreover, the way it started, it felt like this is going to be an introduction of "Postmodern" cinema in India. However, the importance and use of memories show that the structure of the story is set to be like that of an absurdist story. This film fascinates on a lot of levels, be it story or techniques or direction and they ask to be scrutinized separately. And that is what makes it to be rewatched and rewatched to explore it in detail. -- 5/5.