Veyil Marangal Malayalam Movie
It's the story of the never-ending frantic run of the neglected section of our society. The nameless hero is a trope representing marginalized people, who have fallen into the depths of unproven identity in the world they are living in. Helmed by Dr Biju, 'Veyilmarangal' showcases their pangs and woes of being alienated in their homeland. As you think, here, the issue is the question of survival.
While living in an inland island group, Mundrothuruthu, near Kollam, around eight families become victims of nature's fury one night. The family of a middle- aged daily wage worker, played by Indrans, consisting of his wife (Saritha Kukku) and son Achu (Master Govardhan), seeks shelter along with other families in a school. Since these people, who belong to a backward caste, don't have any valid documents like Adhaar, they were told by officials that it would be difficult to get financial aid from the government.
The homeless coolie and his family get a shelter at the mercy of an old woman, who had lost her only son after being tortured by police. The man gets a job in a hotel while his son resumes selling peanuts in the streets. During a bus journey, the man is accused of pickpocketing by mistake. As a result, he spends a night in a police lockup. Deeply pained by the incident, he decides to take up the job offered by his friend's cousin (Krishnan Balakrishnan) in Himachal Pradesh.
So, the family leaves for Himachal where they get the job of taking care of an apple orchard owned by a landlord. Despite the unfavourable weather conditions, they live peacefully there with a monthly salary of Rs 7,000. But once the landlord visits them with a new decision.
'Veyilmarangal' is a testimony to Dr Biju's poetic approach to a socially relevant theme. He discusses the caste system, never-ending exploitation of the underprivileged and the growth of the feudal system at the expense of the sweat dropped by the working class. The drama is subsided here where visuals speak eloquently. The late cinematographer MJ Radhakrishnan has given a spectacular job as he has captured aesthetically the landscape of nature and its fury alike. The crucial visuals have a strong resemblance to the paintings with surrealistic ideas. Accompanied by a simple and subtle presentation, the metaphoric visuals remind us of the burning reality of survival.
It might be an irony that the filmmaker gives a colourful interpretation to the struggling tale of the marginalized section. Indrans is perfect casting as the hapless protagonist, who is destined to live as an alien on his home soil. The stranded people mired in legal formalities are the real "trees under the sun" as the title notes. The dream sequences evoke their unquenched desire to carry on in life.
Despite their pathetic situation in life, they show empathy towards other creatures. Achu develops a deep bond with the lamb in Himachal and he is also concerned about the fate of the puppy after the flood. From the shouting police officer, who forbids Achu from selling peanuts, to the zamindar of Himachal, they represent a cross-section of the 'power-wielding' people. The background score by Bijibal enters the scene after 15 minutes from the start of the 108-minute film. The BGM encapsulates the whole milieu of the plot and disturbs you positively.
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