CHEMMEN’S GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR

                Thespian Madhu does not search for reasons or words to explain why Pareekutty, his character inChemmeen, remains immortal for generations of Malayali film buffs. Released on August 19, 1965,Chemmeen unleashed waves of excitement and won popular and critical acclaim. Celebrating the golden jubilee of its release this year, the movie remains a landmark in Malayalam cinema for several reasons.Trying to analyse the reason for the film’s astounding success, Madhu traces his journey as the romantic in Ramu Kariat’s film. He admits that he was taken aback when he was given a hero’s welcome recently when he went for a photo shoot on the beach in Thiruvananthapuram. “Matrons were kissing me and many women were gawking at me openly,” he smiles.

                   “I have acted the tragic hero in many films and so I have often wondered what made Pareekutty such an endearing presence in our collective psyche. I feel it is because he is a hero who loves unselfishly; he knew in his heart of hearts that he would never win Karuthamma’s hand. Yet, he continued to love her and help her in so many ways,” says Madhu.He adds: “In fact, when I look back, I feel that if Pareekutty had even once asked Karuthamma to elope, she would have done that or indulged in an extra marital affair. But Pareekutty was above all that.”Trying to analyse the terms of endearment between the rich trader and the poor fisherwoman, both of whom belonged to different communities, Madhu says that it is the nobility of his character that has stood the test of time. “Pareekutty gained nothing from the relationship, Yet, he loved her with all his heart. Financially, he suffers; his reputation suffers. He goes to his sweetheart’s home to inform her of her mother’s death. None told him to do so but his large heart persuades him to make the journey to inform the married Karuthamma that she had lost her mother,” explains Madhu.

With a mischievous look he adds that he was surprised and delighted when he was cast as Pareekutty because Chemmeen was a novel he had read many times and he had liked the character of Pareekutty. But in the sixties, the role should have gone to the good-looking Prem Nazir. “Perhaps I got the role because I was a newcomer without an image. Perhaps viewers might not have accepted Prem Nazir’s character meekly accepting the fact that Karuthamma was meant for someone else. They may have wanted him to vanquish his rivals and win the girl. But I was never stuck with any image. Perhaps that is why Ramu Kariat chose me for that role,” he muses.

              Although the novel was set in the coastal area of Alappuzha, the film was shot on the Nattika beach in Thrissur. “All of us had to rough it out on the beach during the shooting. There were no caravans or resorts nearby in those days. We would change our costumes and do our makeup in the huts of the fishermen. In facts, some of the extras in the film even borrowed the clothes of the fishermen to wear,” recollects Madhu. He remembers how the fishing community in Nattika came out in large numbers to watch the shooting and lend a helping hand with the catamarans and boats.He believes that the film became a landmark owing to director Ramu Kariat’s ability to dream big and visualise the wide canvas of the movie and Kanmani's Babu Sait's bold decision to produce the film. “Look at the team he assembled for the film. In those days Malayalam cinema was still finding its feet and that is when he roped in people like Marcus Bartley for cinematography, Hrishikesh Mukherjee for the editing and Salil Chowdhury for the music. He was determined that Chemmeen should be a classic and, at one point, tried hard to get a Bollywood star in the cast. Although there were many naysayers, Kariat was never disheartened by any of them and the result is there for all to see. The attention to detail in S.L. Puram Sadanandan’s script is fascinating even now,” says Madhu.Talking about the song ‘Maanasa maine varu’, picturised on Pareekutty, Madhu says that initially he was concerned about the singer Manna Dey’s pronunciation of Malayalam words as he could not get it completely correct. “However the popularity of the song proves that music knows no language. The sheer musicality of the number erased all barriers and it became a cult song that captures the longing of the heart,” says Madhu.The veteran actor points out that many viewers assumed that Pareekutty planned to sing his heart out in despair. “But actually all he meant was that he would sing and pine for her till his end. That is the spirit of Pareekutty. He lived and died for his love,” believes Madhu.

                 ‘Chemmeen,' released in 1965, put Malayalam cinema on the national map. The film won the President's Gold Medal for the best film of the year. The film acquired cult status in the history of Malayalam cinema besides being the first South Indian film to win the coveted President's Gold Medal for the best film. The film was released commercially on August 19, 1966.The film was based on a highly acclaimed Malayalam novel of the same title by the renowned novelist and Jnanapith winner Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai. First published in 1956, the novel won the award for the best literary work from Kendra Sahitya Academy in 1957 and was the first Malayalam novel to receive the national honour.

               ‘Chemmeen' was translated to more than 30 languages which include major Indian languages and foreign languages. The novel was accepted as part of the UNESCO collection of Representative Works - Indian series.

In 1965 Babu Ismail produced the film version of the novel under the banner of Kanmani Films. The story of ‘Chemmeen' is set in a fisherfolk community settled in the southern belt of the coastal area of the state. The highly emotional melodrama told the tragic love story set in the backdrop of a fishing village interlinked with some ancient beliefs that exists among the community.The Hindi film ‘Nadiya Ke Paar' (1948) produced by Filmstan under the direction of Kishore Sahu, with Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal in the lead roles, was probably the first Indian film that focussed on the life, customs, traditions and beliefs of the fishermen. The Malayalam film ‘Thirakalkkapuram,' was a sequel to ‘Chemmeen.' But this film failed badly at the box office.‘Chemmeen' was a huge hit. It was one of the earliest colour films made in Malayalam. Besides the National award, the film won a Certificate of Merit at the Chicago Film Festival. The film was screened at the 2005 Brisbane International Film Festival as a part of the retrospective on 50 years of Malayalam Cinema.The dialogues written by the popular playwright S. L. Puram Sadanandan closely followed the local parlance and slang of the fishermen community, as used by the novelist. Directed by Ramu Kariat, the film was canned by cameramen Marcus Bartley and U. Rajagopal. The editing was by Hrishikesh Mukherji. The superb musical score by Salil Choudhary was another major strength of the film. This was the debut Malayalam film of the composer. The film brought to Malayalam cinema playback singer Manna Dey.

                 The film included the top acting talents of Malayalam cinema like Sathyan, Madhu, Kottarakkara and Sheela. The theme of the film was based on a myth prevalent among the fishermen communities along oastal Kerala. The myth is about chastity. They believed that if a married fisherwoman loses her chastity while her husband is away at sea, ‘Kadalamma' or the sea goddess would consume him. This myth is perpetuated by the novelist in his novel through a tragic love story. This was adapted for the film quite impressively. Karuthamma (Sheela), the daughter of a fisherman Chembankunju (Kottarakkara) is in love with a fish trader, Pareekutty (Madhu). Chembankunju's only aim in life is to own a boat and net. Pareekutty finances Chembankunju to realise this dream. This is on a condition that the fish caught by Chembankunju will be sold only to him. Karuthamma's mother Chakki (Adoor Bhavani) comes to know about the love affair of her daughter with Pareekutty, who belongs to another religion and warns her to keep away from such a relationship. A fisherwoman has to lead a life within the boundaries of strict social traditions and an affair or marriage with a person of another religion will subject the entire community to the wrath of the sea.

Karuthamma sacrifices her love for Pareekutty and marries Palani (Sathyan), a young fisherman. Karuthamma accompanies her husband to his village. Karuthamma gives birth to a child and she has endeavoured to be a good wife and mother. But the scandal about her love affair with Pareekutty makes her family life unhappy. Although Palani accepts that Karuthamma's affair with Pareekutty did not break the barriers and slip into illegitimate relations, the village does not believe it and Palani is censured.

Chembankunju becomes more greedy and heartless. His dishonesty drives Pareekutty to bankruptcy. Chakki dies of illness and Chembankunju marries Paappikunju (C. R. Rajakumari). On the arrival of her stepmother, Panchami (Lata), Chembankunju's younger daughter leaves home and joins Karuthamma. Chembankunju's savings is manipulated by his second wife. The setbacks in life turns Chembankunju mad. Palani's friends ostracise him and refuse to take him with them for fishing.One night Karuthamma and Pareekutty meet each other by a stroke of fate and their love is awakened. Palani is alone at the sea and baiting a shark. Caught in a huge whirlpool Palani is swallowed by the sea. The film ends with Pareekutty and Karuthamma found dead, holding their hands, their bodies washed ashore. At a distance lies a baited, dead shark.

                 The film was dubbed to major Indian languages. Timeless music created by the Vayalar-Salil Choudhary combination was a highpoint. All the four songs became super hits. It is said that Salil Choudhary composed the tunes first and lyrics added in. Manna Dey sang his first Malayalam song, ‘Maanasa mainey varoo...' which was an instant hit. The solo by K. J. Yesudas, ‘Kadalinakkre ponore...' was based on an improvised tune of a very popular Bengali folk song composed by Salil Choudhary ‘Hai hai ki hayrilam...' The chorus led by P. Leela and Yesudas, ‘Pennale pennale ...,' based on a folk tune also became very popular.As the first South Indian film to receive the President's Gold Medal. As the debut Malayalam film of music director Salil Choudhary and playback singer

Prof. John Kurakar