Iruttinte Athmavu- Velayudhan crosses over to the Other Side
MT Vasudevan Nair’s screenplay of Iruttinte Athmavu (1967), though written based on his short story which was published even earlier, sounds as incisive and at some levels, visonary, in the way he has made his characters speak on the issue of the Unsound Mind in our social structure.The Unsound Mind, by default is considered unproductive for the family, and hence, its very existence from the perspective of material wealth is a waste on the existing resources. It is when humanity rides over selfishness and extends the same respect and care that it would for a ‘normal being’ that the Struggling Mind’s incapabilities somehow recede to the background and it starts feeling whole again, as a human being. MT Vasudevan Nair, very cleverly and clearly brings this division, right in the family itself, the haves and the have-nots, and the difference in perspectives as seen through the eyes of arrogance powered by material wealth and that of empathy borne out of a deep understanding of human suffering.
Here are some of my favorite lines from the movie.
Gopalan Nair : പൊട്ടന് ആണേലും തോന്ന്യാസം കാട്ടാന് ബുദ്ധി ഉണ്ടല്ലോ.
Velayudhan : മനുഷന്മാര്ക്കു പിരാന്ത് പിടിച്ചാ തല്ലി കൊല്ലുമോ അമ്മുക്കുട്ടി ?
Velayudhan to his Grandpa :തുപ്രങ്ങോട്ടെ നെയ്യപ്പം വേണോ മുത്തശന് ?
Grandpa’s reply : മുത്തശന് ഇനി വേണ്ടതു ഒരു മാവ്.പിന്നെ തെക്ക് വടക്ക് കിടക്കാന് ഇത്തിരി സ്ഥലോം !
Gopalan Nair : പ്രാന്താണെങ്കില് മുറിയില് അടച്ചിടണം.
It is interesting to note how all these never seem out of place in Kerala,in our sensibilities and attitude, four decades later !
Which are the lines that have stayed with you ? Do write in !
Related : The Songs from Iruttine Athmavu ( 1967 )
Related : Classic Picks | P Bhaskaran | Iruttinte Athmavu (1967)
