‘Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam’: An absurd gem

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam

Malayalam(Theatres)

Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery

Cast: Mammootty, Ashokan

Rating: 4/5

Early on in the film, a shopkeeper introduces Jameson (Mammootty) to a quote from Thirukural that associates sleep with death and waking up with rebirth. ‘Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam’, the latest directorial of Lijo Jose Pellissery, has arrived in theaters after garnering much acclaim at the Kerala Film Festival. The film is an absurdist interpretation of the quote.

We are first introduced to Jameson, a miserly man who leads a party of Malayali Christians returning to Kerala after a pilgrimage to Vellankanni. He is self indulgent and fails to notice that his actions cause inconvenience to others.

He is insensitive enough to ask the bus driver to play Malayalam songs instead of Tamil. But when he wakes up from an afternoon slumber, he walks into a village in the middle of nowhere and starts living the life of Sundaram — a man who disappeared two years ago — like its clockwork. The chaos that ensues as a result forms the plot of the film.

The film stands in stark contrast from the director’s previous ventures, at least superficially. Lijo is often described as the ‘Master of Mayhem’ thanks to films like ‘Jallikattu’ (2019) and ‘Angamaly Diaries’ (2017. The films featured loud, testosterone fuelled characters and an ever moving camera in chaotic situations. In contrast, the characters in this film are mostly understated and the camera is mostly static. Chaos is inherent in the story but the treatment is subdued.

The dialogues and songs from vintage Tamil movies along with the sounds of birds chirping and leaves moving in gentle breeze form the background score of the film. The film puts us in a meditative state and implores us to ponder over its philosophical undertones. Cinematographer Theni Eshwer’s masterful composition breathes fresh life into these static frames.

Mammootty steals the show. The range he displays while portraying Jameson, an uptight Malayali and Sundharam, a steadfast Tamilian, is spellbinding. A scene in which he slouches over a plate of rice and sobs is heart wrenching. It is amazing to watch a veteran reinventing himself at the age of 72.