Vilaapangalkkappauram Malayalam Movie

Vilaapangalkkappuram focuses on the plight of women in our society, in a very sensitive manner. Jul 29, 2008 By Thomas T

When T.V. Chandran makes a film, we expect it to be a sensitive portrayal of things. The acclaimed director has always zoomed in on issues pertaining to women in his films (Aliceinte Anveshanam, Susannah, Mankamma, Paadam Onnu Oru Vilaapam etc are examples). Vilaapangalkkappuram too focuses on the plight of women in our society, and that too in a very sensitive manner.

Saahira is a young girl who was born and brought up in Ahmedabad. While her father Yusuf Ali is from Kerala, her mother Nargis is a Gujarati. Saahira has learnt Malayalam and is her father's pet. She has a younger sister Shamla. Yusuf Ali always talks of returning to his native place in Kerala.

Meanwhile communal riots break out and Saahira loses her family. She is brutally raped and then dumped at a place to be burnt to death. But Saahira manages to escape. The totally shattered girl runs for her life, and while on the run, manages to climb on to a truck that takes her to Kerala.

Saahira, who is in a traumatic condition and unconscious, is admitted into a hospital and taken care of by a doctor named Mary Varghese. Later Dr. Gopinath, who shares a very strange kind of relationship with Mary Varghese, too comes in and starts looking after Saahira, who slowly recovers. But this is not the end of Saahira's traumatic experiences. She is forced to be on the run constantly.

Vilaapangalkkappuram is like most other T.V. Chandran movies, where the story and the subject discussed take the upper hand. All the actors have done full justice to their respective roles. Veyil fame Priyanka as the protagonist Saahira has delivered a good performance, while Suhasini as Dr. Mary Varghese is good, though her dialogue delivery seems a bit unimpressive at places, thanks to the shoddy dubbing. Biju Menon as Dr. Gopinath is his usual self. All the others have done their respective roles perfectly well, though none of the performances seems extremely outstanding, the subject being the hero here.

The treatment of Vilaapangalkkappuram is different from usual T.V. Chandran films. In full control of the script, the accomplished director has evolved a style of filmmaking that is in keeping with international standards. Cinematography by M.J. Radhakrishnan and editing by Beena render full support to the director. The only song in the movie, "Mullulla murikkinmel…" has come out well and is also filmed well, but one wonders whether it was needed in the first place. Also, the satirical humour attempted at some places in the film seems to lack punch.

Vilaapangalkkappuram is a film that makes you sit up and think. So sensitively has T.V. Chandran depicted the plight of women in our society that it calls for some amount of introspection. The subject taken up for discussion, the excellent script and its sensitive treatment make Vilaapangalkkappuram stand out. Kudos to producer Aryadan Shaukath (who has also penned the story) and director-cum-scriptwriter T.V. Chandran and the entire team!