Naalu Pennungal

Four shorts centered on women from the lower castes in rural Kerala that highlight their sorry plight. Each character fills a “traditional” role forced upon woman like that of house wife, prostitute and spinster. Sadly, little has changed today with what has been portrayed in film. Kerala is still rife with hypocrisy and double standards in all strata of society. But as a package the film does not meet the usual high standards of Adoor Gopalakrishna.

Rating: * *

Kaattukuthira

Kochuvava's (Thilakan) earliest memory is that of the body of his father, brutally slaughtered by the local Nambudiris for sexual transgression with one of the daughters from the tharavadu. Growing up, he works hard and ruthlessly makes himself in to a rich man of the village. Now his only aim is to bring shame and suffering to the already crumbling Nambudiri illam. Considered to be one of Thilakan's finest roles, I came away feeling he has played better parts in films that have even finer story lines.

Rating: * *