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The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
G. Aravindan and the Legacy of New Malayalam Cinema
Published : Jul 02, 2025 17:32 IST - 7 MINS READ He had a short life and an even shorter tenure as a filmmaker: Just 15 years during which he directed at least half a dozen masterpieces that were both the pride and the envy of his best peers. The 90th birth anniversary of the Malayali auteur Aravindan is being observed across the country. Govindan Aravindan (1935-1991), was one of the key figures in New Malayalam Cinema genre. There was a time in the 70's and the 80's when Calcutta film clubs would unfailingly celebrate in varied ways—screenings, discussions, writings in journals— whenever Aravindan made a new film. Like many of his predecessors and contemporaries in Bengal, Aravindan never went to film school, nor did he serve apprenticeship under anyone. The innocence of his foremost characters can partially be attributed to his coming into films without any formal preparation, combined with his intrinsically philosophical temperament that were finely tuned to his eclectic sense of music. He had learnt nothing within the confines of a classroom, so the need never arose for him to unlearn anything when it came to making films. He started out with a tabula rasa, making it easier for him to structure his signature in varying styles and idioms in the few but markedly different films he made. All that he had by way of qualification to be a filmmaker were sharp, sympathetic eyes that took in the minutest detail of human conduct or nature's moods; an ear trained in both Carnatic and Hindustani music; the imagination of the poet, which at times veered on the theatrical, married to the temperament of a wayward minstrel; and the intellectual curiosity to experiment with every input that goes into the making of a film. Combined, these rare attributes make a joke of one of his distinguished contemporaries' constant carping that 'the man didn't know where to place his camera'. Seeing the fascinating end-result of Aravindan's alleged lack of technical knowledge, notably in such masterpieces as Thampu or Kummatty, one can only retort: 'Thank god the man never went to film school, for if he had, there was every possibility that he would have learnt where to place his camera but failed to keep his date with the muse.' Also Read | 'Cheriya Manushyarum Valiya Lokavum': G. Aravindan's eclectic work comes alive in an exquisite new collection The final outcome of Aravindan's delayed decision to gravitate to filmmaking was that when he died on March 15, 1991, at the age of 55, he left behind a body of work, which would match the best exertions of the best of his peers in this frenetic, highly competitive field. Varied in subject and style, many of his fictional features, starting with Uttarayanam (Throne of Capricorn, 1974) and ending with Vasthuhara, are leavened by a documentary flavour, indicating his interest in not just telling a story but injecting a veiled commentary on social realities. Spirit of free enquiry Aravindan's documentaries, which one would have normally expected to be critiques of the plaintive human condition in modern India, actually relate more to the arts and well-known practitioners of the arts and even include a mystical philosopher. All these point to a restless, esoteric spirit, a seeker of the higher realms of truth and beauty without divorcing himself from the here and now. Not that he succeeded in realising his goals in everything he did, be it fictional features, documentaries or fusions, but the thing to note was his spirit of free enquiry that drove him to tread difficult terrain. The well-read man that he was, it is likely that Aravindan was aware of Corneille's dictum: 'To win without risk is to triumph without glory'. April 5, 1991, was a day of grief and celebration for Aravindan enthusiasts in Calcutta. On that day, the all-India premiere of Vasthuhara (The Dispossessed), the director's swansong, was screened at Nandan, the West Bengal Film Centre. The screening was preceded by a brief, solemn function at which some of Bengal's best-known directors spoke, including Mrinal Sen, Buddhadeb Dasgupta and Goutam Ghosh. Two of Aravindan's associates had come from Trivandrum for the occasion. The speeches were part personal reminiscences of Aravindan, part a respectful assessment of the artist and his oeuvre, highly individualistic but never too far away from the concerns and conditions of the common man, the little man. What change can do to people's lives is the theme of Vasthuhara. The story is of dispossessed people; of men, women and children deprived of their homes and belongings, robbed of their identity and honour. Using Venu, a Malayali officer working for the Rehabilitation Ministry who makes periodic trips between the Andamans and Calcutta to select Bengali refugee families of 'lower' castes for resettlement in the distant islands, as his central character, Aravindan sought to bring home to viewers the pain and anger and humiliation that never leave the materially and emotionally dispossessed. Aravindan explained: 'The attempt in this story of tense personal relationships is to highlight the eternal phenomena of people being uprooted and swept away and forced to seek refuge in alien lands for no fault of theirs. The 1947 post-Partition exodus of people from East to West Bengal forms a prologue and the 1971 exodus from Bangladesh to West Bengal an epilogue to the stor'. Using documentary footage wherever he felt it necessary, Aravindan chose different locales to narrate a story of individual plight and pluck with collective suffering as an enduring backdrop. When Aravindan made Vasthuhara, he dwelt upon the theme of Partition, which had hardly been explored in the cinema of southern States. His choice of subject, and obvious involvement in it, points to his vast reading as indeed to his concern for fellow-beings in distress. Vasthuhara is a political document of unsurpassed value to film-lovers, especially those whose origins lie in East Bengal. Also Read | Aravindan: Anew and again However much the credit-denying contemporary or the insufficiently-equipped critic may try, they cannot take lightly the delicate vitality of Aravindan's work spread out thinly but securely over a period of just one-and-a-half decades. His humanism, his sense of calm even under pressure, his empathy with the loner and the underdog: Each of these remarkable qualities, without which no artist of substance is made, can be easily discerned in his best films. With Aravindan's untimely death, New Malayalam Cinema lost one of its true-blooded treasures, and the repercussions of that loss is felt to this day among film-lovers in far-flung corners of the country. In fact, such was the nature of the man and the quality of the art he produced, that his passing away is still counted as a personal loss by many in well-defined circles in the Indian film world. Like all originals, Aravindan was able to sculpt a small and steadfast audience, a family of like-minded kinsmen fiercely loyal to his kind of filmmaking that blended elements drawn from diverse yet united streams of thought and perception: Mysticism and materialism, modernism and primitivism, realism and fantastical. By his own admission, he felt attracted to philosophy, not so much in the abstract as a lived-living experience, which shows every now and then in his films. Allured by Buddhism With characteristic candour, Aravindan conceded: 'I cannot say I have an in-depth knowledge of Indian philosophy. The basic concepts of Indian philosophy are part of all of us. Something that we live and breathe every day. This interest in Indian philosophy was born and grew with my reading habit. Within Indian philosophy, what fascinated me most was Buddhism, of which I have read more. My association with Jiddu Krishnamurti also helped in deepening my interest and sensibilities'. One would normally expect a person like Aravindan who was inclined to view practically everything somewhat philosophically, be they related to the arts or to life in the raw, to be a solitary reaper of thoughts and deeds. But the reality was quite different. As if by twirling an invisible baton, Aravindan was able to fashion a gharana of his own, consisting largely of younger fellow-artists imbued with his notions of what was worth pursuing in camera, sound, storytelling. It was a group of talented young people that he enthused and inspired to creativity by his own example, by no means unblemished but remarkable all the same. It been said that the true artist lives and works not just for himself, but goes out of the way to make sure that those coming after him or working alongside him get the support and recognition they deserve, simultaneously enriching himself by his association with his peers. To remember Aravindan is to remember many things, but most importantly, the silences of the man, the silences that marked his best films, and the silences that spoke between the artist and his viewers. Vidyarthy Chatterjee writes on cinema, society, politics. He has been following Malayalam cinema for almost five decades.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Karthumbi umbrella project battles fund crunch amid soaring demand in Attappadi
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Held back by a lack of funds and delayed government support, the Karthumbi Umbrella Project in Attappadi is struggling to keep up with the rising demand. Launched in 2014 by the tribal welfare group Thampu, the initiative has become a lifeline for tribal women in one of the state's most marginalised regions. 'We've made around 12,000 umbrellas this year so far,' says Rajendra Prasad, coordinator at Thampu. 'Once schools reopen, the number could rise to 20,000-22,000,' he said. The project began with a goal to offer sustainable employment to tribal women who had little to no access to economic independence. Currently, 30 women across 13 tribal hamlets are actively making three-fold and walking stick umbrellas at home, taking raw materials from a central store and stitching them during their free time. 'One experienced woman can make up to 15-20 umbrellas a day. It takes about 20 minutes to make one. If she finishes 20, she earns Rs 600,' said Prasad. These numbers could be much higher. But what is stopping them? A lack of consistent support. 'We've trained 250 women but due to a fund crisis, we can't offer jobs to everyone. The tribal department has not given the promised funds for the past three years. That's holding us back,' said Prasad. The gap between potential and capacity is stark. The team received around 25,000 enquiries this year from across the country, but couldn't fulfil most of them due to the shortage of working capital. Sourcing raw materials is another hurdle. 'All the materials come from Bombay,' says Prasad, listing out the eight essential components-nylon cloth, tube frame, chanduwa, handle, top washer, kangri, inner ferrule and covers. The total production cost comes to Rs 290-300 per umbrella, including labour, transport and packing. They sell it for Rs 350 in bulk, while it retails at `460 in shops. 'Some of the women used their income to buy two-wheelers, some built houses,' he said. But the profit margins have shrunk over time. 'Initially, women got `75 per umbrella. Now it is Rs 30 because the cost of materials has gone up,' the coordinator added. The project's turning point came in 2023 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Karthumbi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address. 'That gave us national visibility. We started getting calls from outside Kerala. One of the biggest orders came from Bank of Baroda, which bought 10,000 umbrellas at `350 each. But this year, though they contacted us, we have not been able to confirm the order,' Prasad said.
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Thampu trains tribal youth to become health ambassadors
The tribal youth of Attappady underwent a three-day leadership training under the banner of a tribal initiative called Thampu last week. They were given training to become health ambassadors of Attappady. Known as the Karthumbi youth group, a brand developed by the Thampu, the youngsters were selected from various tribal hamlets spread across the hilly regions of Attappady. 'We offered them training to understand and address various issues like malnutrition, health and empowerment in their communities,' said Thampu president Rajendra Prasad. Fifty youngsters from different tribal settlements took part in the training workshop. 'The objective of Thamp was to empower the tribal youth to become health ambassadors who can work at the grassroots level and find solutions to their health issues,' said Mr. Prasad. Office-bearers of the Karthumbi group from different settlements jointly inaugurated the training camp by taking a health and nutrition pledge. Mr. Prasad presided over the function. Child rights activist and former UNICEF consultant Manish Sreekaryam delivered the keynote address. Thampu project coordinator Binil Kumar T., convener K.A. Ramu, poet R.K. Ramesh, taluk health supervisor Tom, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) representatives Sujaya and Subaira spoke on different subjects. Social work students of Sri Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, supported the camp.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Campaign to fight anaemia in tribal population launched
Kochi: As part of raising awareness in local villages, a tribal NGO, Thampu, launched a year-long campaign, ' Tribal Youth Against Anaemia ', to reach across 30 selected tribal hamlets. Combating anaemia in the tribal population was a challenge faced by administrators and local groups alike in Attappady. A one-day workshop was held as part of the first phase at the Bhoothuvazhi Moopen Villa for kids on Saturday. More than 75 children from the tribal villages participated in the workshop, which was inaugurated by Rajendra Prasad, president of Thampu. Former UNICEF consultant Manish Srikaryam spoke on child rights and adolescence, while Attappadi taluk adolescent counsellor Ayana Joy gave a talk on 'Nutrition Education and Remedies'. Binil Kumar S spoke on adolescence and skill development. A residential camp will be held for three days in the third week of May. Karthumbi Kutti groups that were inactive for a few years will be restarted in 20 selected villages, Prasad said. Leaders chosen from the groups will participate in the summer residential camp. tnn
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Shaji N Karun: A life lived illuminating Indian cinema
Shaji N Karun began his career in the '70s as a cinematographer trained at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. He would go on to become India's most-awarded filmmaker, a virtuoso cameraman, visionary film czar, film festival innovator and pioneer in inclusiveness in cinema in the country. As a rookie cameraman, Karun quickly earned the respect of Indian film industry heavyweights with his works in Mumbai and back home in Kerala. "Listen to what that young man says," Hema Malini would tell her directors on the set in Mumbai when the inexperienced FTII graduate used to cause a stir with his strange suggestions on lighting. Born on January 1, 1952 in the port town of Kollam in southern Kerala, the celebrated Malayalam filmmaker was a magician in imagining the effect of lighting on people and objects on the movie set. Karun's camera magically transformed a torpid earth on the banks of Kerala's famous river Bharathapuzha in Malappuram for the black and white film, Thampu (1978), directed by G Aravindan. Karun's remarkable work with Aravindan in such formidable films as Kanchana Sita, Kummatty and Esthappan in the late '70s and with director K G George in Lekhayude Maranam Oru Flashback and Panchavadi Palam in the early '80s announced the arrival of Malayalam cinema as an artistic and aesthetic force in the global film industry along with the works of such filmmakers as John Abraham and Adoor Gopalakrishnan. "Shaji explained to us about the lighting scheme and composition of the stunning black and white imagery of Thampu when we decided to restore the film that was lying in tatters," says Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, whose Film Heritage Foundation was behind the restoration of the film, which was screened in the Cannes Classics section in 2022. "He said the film had been shot on Indu stock, which was an indigenous film stock manufactured in India," adds Dungarpur. Piravi, Karun's directorial debut in 1988 based on the police excesses in Kerala during the Emergency from 1975 to 1977, reflects his sharp focus on creating images with the lack of light. Piravi, an official selection at the 1989 Cannes film festival where it won a Camera d'Or Special Mention for the first film of a director, exposed the mind-numbing human tragedy of the Emergency through the film shot almost entirely in pouring rains to exacerbate the reality. When Swaham, his sophomore feature had its world premiere, again in Cannes in 1994, "Shaji chose to wear a dhoti and shirt to walk the red carpet", recollects Malti Sahai, the then-director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The last Indian film in Cannes competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or, before Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light in 2024 broke Indian cinema's jinx in the French Riviera, Swaham also revealed Karun's simplicity and determination to reach the highest levels against all odds. After Swaham finished its final touches at the National Film Development Corporation lab in Mumbai, Karun and his friend Sukhwand Singh Dadha from FTII lugged a heavy steel box containing its reels to the Mumbai customs office in Santa Cruz for transfer to Cannes. A friend in Thiruvananthapuram booked Karun's flight ticket to the festival and he stayed in a tiny room of a budget hotel in Cannes waiting for the world premiere. At the festival, he spent his time speaking with other filmmakers from Asia vying for the Palme d'Or, like Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. When Kapadia broke his record for the last Indian film in Cannes competition last year, Karun was among the first to congratulate the Mumbai-born filmmaker, a fellow FTII graduate. His praise acknowledging Kapadia's higher standards of cinematic philosophy, giving her a rare sense of aesthetics and visual language, was notable for its emphasis on lighting. "Payal has the rare ability to recognise the disappearing light and sound in front of her to make cinema enlightening," Karun said. "Payal's gender interpretations in her works allow them to stand out in Indian cinema," he added. Karun won many National Film Awards, beginning with Piravi, adjudged the Best Film in 1988. Karun also won the Best Director prize for the film. His Vanaprastham, a fierce critique of caste politics in the art, won the National Award for Best Film in 1999 and he won it again for Kutty Srank ten years later. Karun directed seven films, his last, Olu, a stunning underwater fantasy, coming seven years ago. Realising his extraordinary understanding of cinema's power, Karun was someone the central government turned to for leadership when it set up committees for promoting Indian cinema. He was often asked to chair the technical committee of IFFI, the showcase of Indian cinema and its talent. He never refused and would bring the best projectors from Belgium to complement the high quality of Indian productions. When the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), the most popular film festival in the country, took shape in 1994, it was Karun who led its festival management. After the Hema Committee report on sexual harassment in Malayalam film industry rocked the state last year, Karun came to rescue of IFFK in December 2024 as the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), honouring female actors in Malayalam cinema from the '60s and '70s and creating an edition centred on women professionals in the industry. When the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Front government in Kerala appointed him as KSFDC Chairman in 2019, Karun decided to do something never attempted in the country before. He worked with the government to produce five first feature films of women directors. It was the first time a state government had initiated affirmative action in the Indian film industry and the first state-funded inclusion initiative anywhere in the world. "There is an immediate connection between violence against women and lack of opportunities," French producer Sandrine Brauer, co-founder of Paris-based Collective 50/50 of film and television professionals worldwide that promotes gender equality in the audio-visual industry, then said welcoming the move. Karun followed up the funding for women directors with production funds for filmmakers from backward communities, including from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe. So far, KSFDC has produced ten films under its affirmative action initiative. To help first-time filmmakers find exhibition opportunities for their movies, Karun built and upgraded cinemas owned by the government in Kerala. "There are nine state-owned movie halls having 17 screens today in Kerala," says Vidya G of KSFDC. "After he (Karun) was diagnosed with liver cancer in January last year, he would come to the office straight from his hospital sessions," she adds. "He was in his office even last week." Karun is survived by his wife Anasuya Warrier, a philanthropist, and their two sons.
