Celluloid - Malayalam Movie review
People of the underside of the reality are often neglected
by the society. Their lives and contribution may not be colorful enough to
capture the attention of mass media. There are many people in our history who
have contributed to our growth and development. We are what we are today is
just because of the handful of great men who lived here before us. J C Daniel is one among those forgotten ones.
The film titled Celluloid
is really a tribute to the movie artist, J C Daniel who was an artist to the core. The movie
tells us that Daniel loved motion pictures till the end of his life. This film
is based mainly on the ups and down happened in the life of Daniel. Prithviraj gave
life to the character, J C Daniel. Kamal,
the director of the film said in a TV interview that Prithviraj was the only
choice before him as he thought about J C Daniel. Of course, Prithviraj has
done justice to the character, J C Daniel. This movie tells about the pathetic
ending if the artist Daniel at the end of life long difficult situation .The circumstance
was not favorable for him to establish himself as a movie artist in Malayalam. The
stinking caste system existed in Kerala was the stumbling block before him. He fell
down hitting against the sharp thorns if the existed social, political and cultural
structure. The great artist had to apply for a pension to make a living towards
the end of his life. But that request was a denied due to the lack of evidence
and the identity of Daniel is under suspicion. Thus the great artist became an
unwanted stuff in his on motherland.
His wife Janet was a constant source of support and
encouragement for him. As his dream project, Vigathakumaran collapses
due to caste system; he had to sell everything and to go to an interior village
for a new life. But life was still cruel to him. He was cheated by some Tamil
film artist in the second attempt of Daniel in movie industry. This incident
brings the maximum destruction to his life. Thus he becomes indifferent to life
and cinema. He did not intervene when his six years old boy played with the only
film print and burning it into ashes.
Sreenivasan played
a significant role to make the story of Daniel known in Kerala. He challenged
the social and political perspective in order to establish Vigathakumaran as the first
Malayalam movie. The development of the movie is very interesting. All the
supporting characters also contributed for the smooth and steady development of
the story.
We cannot forget the character (Rosamma) Rosy who had to
leave her land as a result of the attack from the higher caste. Her life became
so tragic that she was forbidden to enter the theater and to watch her own film.
Rosy was a Pulaya convert Christian
girl. Even though she is Christian now the caste identity is still fresh in her
consciousness and also in the consciousness of the society.
As a whole this movie challenges the systemic evils in our
society that never allows the oppressed people to become free from the clutches
of oppression and exploitation.
Joseph Shibin SJ
DNC
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