Anantaram
Encyclopedia
Anantaram is a 1987 Malayalam feature film
production written and directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan
. Mammootty
, Ashokan
and Shobhana star in the lead. The film is structured like a monologue. It develops through a commentary by the protagonist about himself in the first person. The attempt of the protagonist is to narrate how he became what he is now.
) about himself in the first person. Later he tells another story about his life with the same background. Finally both these stories fuse together.
Ajayan was born an orphan. He is brought up by a doctor. A brilliant child, Ajayan grows up into an introvert and confused youth. The beautiful Suma (Shobhana) arrive at their house after marrying Balu (Mammootty
), his foster-brother. Ajayan at the very first sight of his sister-in-law gets sexually attracted to her. This creates internal conflict within him and ultimately he leaves the house.
In the second story Ajayan narrates his confused youth and about the beautiful girl, Nalini who enters his life. Ajayan's mind shifts often between reality and an imaginary romantic world. Finally both these stories converge to a point where both Nalini and Suma become a single entity.
1987 FIPRESCI Prize (Karlovy Vary
)
1987 National Film Awards
(India
)
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
production written and directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Adoor Gopalakrishnan
Moutatthu "Adoor" Gopalakrishnan Unnithan is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. Adoor Gopalakrishnan had a major role in revolutionizing Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of India.. Adoor's first film Swayamvaram pioneered the new wave cinema...
. Mammootty
Mammootty
Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
, Ashokan
Ashokan (actor)
Ashokan is Malayalam actor who is best known for his roles in Peruvazhiyambalam, In Harihar Nagar and Amaram.-Career:He made debut in 1978 was Peruvazhiyambalam was directed by Padmarajan where he played as a 15 year old boy who becomes fugitive after killing of bully...
and Shobhana star in the lead. The film is structured like a monologue. It develops through a commentary by the protagonist about himself in the first person. The attempt of the protagonist is to narrate how he became what he is now.
Plot
The film develops through a commentary by Ajayan (AshokanAshokan (actor)
Ashokan is Malayalam actor who is best known for his roles in Peruvazhiyambalam, In Harihar Nagar and Amaram.-Career:He made debut in 1978 was Peruvazhiyambalam was directed by Padmarajan where he played as a 15 year old boy who becomes fugitive after killing of bully...
) about himself in the first person. Later he tells another story about his life with the same background. Finally both these stories fuse together.
Ajayan was born an orphan. He is brought up by a doctor. A brilliant child, Ajayan grows up into an introvert and confused youth. The beautiful Suma (Shobhana) arrive at their house after marrying Balu (Mammootty
Mammootty
Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
), his foster-brother. Ajayan at the very first sight of his sister-in-law gets sexually attracted to her. This creates internal conflict within him and ultimately he leaves the house.
In the second story Ajayan narrates his confused youth and about the beautiful girl, Nalini who enters his life. Ajayan's mind shifts often between reality and an imaginary romantic world. Finally both these stories converge to a point where both Nalini and Suma become a single entity.
Cast
- MammoottyMammoottyMammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
as Balu - AshokanAshokan (actor)Ashokan is Malayalam actor who is best known for his roles in Peruvazhiyambalam, In Harihar Nagar and Amaram.-Career:He made debut in 1978 was Peruvazhiyambalam was directed by Padmarajan where he played as a 15 year old boy who becomes fugitive after killing of bully...
as Ajayan - Shobhana as Sumangali and Nalini
- SudheeshSudheeshSudheesh is an Indian actor who mainly works in Malayalam cinema.-Filmography:-External links:****...
as teenage Ajayan - BahadoorBahadoorBahadoor , born P. K. Kunjalu, was a Malayalam film comedian who, along with Adoor Bhasi, redefined the way in which comedy and funny scenes were perceived in Malayalam cinema. They made a significant contribution toward establishing comedy as the predominant genre of Malayalam cinema...
as Driver Mathai - Azeez as the gambler
- Kukku as the nurse
- Krishnankutty Nair as the ailing patient at the dispensary
- Kaviyoor PonnammaKaviyoor PonnammaKaviyoor Ponnamma is a Malayalam film actress. She won the Kerala State Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1994.Ponnamma was born in Kaviyoor village, near Tiruvalla to a conservative upper-class family...
as Yogini Amma - Adoor PankajamAdoor PankajamAdoor Pankajam was an Indian actress, in Malayalam movies. She hailed from Adoor in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala state. Mainly, she was a supporting actress, and a comedian. Her sister Adoor Bhavani was also a Malayalam cinema actress....
as Lakshmi Amma
Themes
In Anantaram, the theme of perception is dealt with through the protagonist, a youth who, like Adoor, is both an introvert and an extrovert at the same time. In an interview, Adoor said, "Anantaram is basically about perceptions. About a young, impressionable boy who is an introvert and an extrovert at the same time. You will say he's like me. My treatment was not very familiar, though I was searching for the familiar experience of growing up, struggling with life and relationships. What is in the frame and what is juxtaposed to it just outside the frame... or let us put it this way, it has to do with attuning to the reality just beyond perception. Actually this is part of daily experience though we don't analyse it."Critical reception
The film is considered Adoor's magnum opus by a few critics, however the overall reaction was mixed.Awards
The film has been nominated for and won the following awards since its release:1987 FIPRESCI Prize (Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately west of Prague . It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
)
1987 National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
(India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)
- Won - Best Director - Adoor Gopalakrishnan
- Won - Best ScreenplayNational Film Award for Best ScreenplayThe National Film Award for Best Screenplay winners:-References:...
- Adoor Gopalakrishnan - Won - Best AudiographyNational Film Award for Best AudiographyThe National Film Award for Best Audiography winners:...