This is also a book about cinephilia. Is that how you would characterise Kerala or does that only exist in pockets?
The present-day Malayalam cinema is in itself partly a result of cinephilia. This cinephilia might not be very obvious on the surface in Kerala, but is very much deep-rooted across the State thanks to the hundreds of film societies that have remained active here over the past many decades. That culture which originated in the 1960s has reinvented and sustained itself even in times when film societies were expected to die out. Malayalam subtitling of English and foreign language films through a network of film society volunteers is a case in point. It is perhaps a reflection of this cinephilia that filmmakers here are forced to look beyond formulaic narratives and explore unconventional paths to surprise the very demanding audience here.
Lots has been written about the current crop of Malayalam films. The entire country is watching them. Do you think the current state of Hindi cinema is partly to blame for audiences seeking newer viewing options?
I would say the current state of Hindi cinema is only partly responsible for audiences seeking out better options. The major reason I feel is the availability of subtitled versions of films from various Indian languages on OTT platforms unlike the case, say, a decade ago. By some coincidence, this past decade was also one of the worst in the history of Hindi cinema, owing to its stale and sometimes even poisonous content dictated by a market beholden to a monolithic political project. When art or cinema is dictated by such a narrow vision lacking in any diversity, it is bound to be reflected in what is being produced. When a good number of the films produced from an industry are of this kind, discerning audiences will naturally look for better options.
One figure who keeps appearing in the book is KG George and quite rightly so. Why do you think his films aren’t as widely discussed beyond Kerala as the films of Adoor Gopalakrishnan and G Aravindan?
Unlike the independent cinema of Adoor or Aravindan, which catered to the film festival audience and thus had proper English subtitles even back in the day, many of KG George’s middle-of-the-road films are still not available with proper subtitles. So, even as his minute observations of Kerala society and its underlying hypocrisies as well as his command over the medium cemented his status as one of the greatest filmmakers Kerala has ever produced, his works still remain unknown to a large section of the audience outside Kerala who are now discovering Malayalam cinema.
You also present a genealogy of sorts to illustrate the rise of the present new wave of Malayalam films and I quite agree that the middle of the road Malayalam cinema of the 1980s pioneered by George, Padmarajan, Bharathan etc is an important period. Would it be possible for the current Malayalam films to be made without the films of the 1980s which instilled a sensibility and also perhaps appreciation for themes, plots and storytelling of a certain kind in the Kerala audiences?
KG George, Padmarajan, and Bharathan laid the foundation by showing the mainstream audience that another kind of cinema was possible, just like middle of the road cinema in other languages. Until then, independent cinema and mainstream cinema in Kerala existed in silos with their paths rarely crossing each other. Middle cinema imbibed the best qualities from both sides and produced something new, which was accessible to everyone. Independent filmmakers sometimes held grudging respect for how effectively they conveyed what they wanted to say to a larger audience while mainstream filmmakers aspired to match the artistic quality of their films. The sensibilities of these films were imbibed by a generation of filmmakers who came after them. Although this new generation sure had their taste of world cinema, they found their true roots in Kerala’s middle cinema of the 1980s. So, I guess what we are witnessing now could not have been possible if not for the foundation built in the 1980s.
Who is your intended reader for the book? Is it primarily the new viewer of Malayalam films beyond Kerala?
When Rupa Publications approached me for this book, the project began as something meant for those who are just discovering Malayalam cinema. However, the story of the present cannot be told without taking a look at the industry’s past because what we are witnessing now did not originate in a vacuum. In telling this story of close to a century, I have tried to bring in elements into the book to ensure that even people who are very familiar with Malayalam cinema will also find it interesting.
Would you say Kerala is able to sustain this filmmaking primarily for high literacy and an informed political consciousness that pervades the state?
These can certainly be considered as some of the contributing factors, but there have also been long periods of not-so-great films from the industry, which points to the fact that whenever we have had a great set of writers and filmmakers, the industry has produced great films.
I also enjoyed your chapter on the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). How important is community in sustaining/creating a film culture?
Communities of film aficionados are as important as the camaraderie within the filmmaking community. Quite a few of the filmmakers, screenwriters and technicians in Malayalam mainstream films currently are a product of such communities, offline and online. Parallel to the fan clubs of various stars, these communities where films are viewed critically are much needed to inspire writers and filmmakers to challenge themselves.
A famous filmmaker from Kerala once told me that Kim Ki-duk (also mentioned in your book) is liked in Kerala because his films have a lot of sex and violence. Would you agree?
Maybe initially the hype about Kim Ki-duk to an extent had to do with depictions of violence and sex, but then people have queued up in large numbers for his films like The Net too, which does not have any such elements. The Net was screened at the IFFK in 2016 and the theme set around the conflict between North and South Korea struck a chord at the festival, with the lampooning of hyper nationalism getting loud cheers at the screenings.
You also write about Mohanlal and Mammootty. While Mammootty has reinvented himself as evident through his recent films, can we say the same about Mohanlal?
Mohanlal has done his share of remarkable roles of every possible shade in the early phases of his career, but like Mammootty, he also had to pay the price for superstardom. While Mammootty was the first one to be successful in coming out of this rut, Mohanlal also has been making such attempts by working with younger filmmakers like Lijo Jose Pellissery. Although such attempts have not been commercially successful, he has also in recent times shown the intent to experiment. Both of them have quite a lot left to give to Malayalam cinema.
While you mention a lot of films and historical information which the readers will benefit from, in most cases, the analysis doesn’t proceed beyond the synopsis and some associated details. Was this intentional to not overwhelm the reader and just present a guide of sorts?
This partly has to do with the word limit that I had to stick to. I was given an upper limit of 60,000 words and I ended up writing over 90,000 words despite a process of internal editing while writing. I had to keep out a lot of things so that I could touch upon every aspect of Malayalam cinema I wanted to include in the book. I would have liked to have an in-depth look at some of my favourite films, but had to stop myself considering the primary responsibility of doing justice to the vast subject that I had at hand.
You also write about film policy and some remarkable initiatives led by the previous Left Government in Kerala. What are your expectations from the newly elected Congress Government in the state?
I hope the incoming government will prioritise the effective implementation of the film policy as well as the continuation of such wonderful initiatives as the project to promote women filmmakers and those from SC/ST communities.
Kunal Ray adores Malayalam cinema. He teaches at FLAME University, Pune