Bharathan

I remember a friend remarking: “While watching a Bharathan movie, one gets the smell of Kerala’s soil made wet by the first monsoon rains.”

Defining imagery, I must say.

Kerala’s culture, traditions and linguistic nuances ran in Bharathan’s blood. He panned the social diversity of the state like no one else, and with unmatchable intensity. The focus never got diluted. It was almost like, through his storytelling, Bharathan attempted social documentaries of various micro-communities.

Be it the fisherfolk in Amaram and Chamayam, the moosaris in Venkalam, the malayora vibhagakkar in Thazhvaaram or Churam—he tried to detail their lives in all their glorious intricacies.

He had a thing for symbolism. And he made use of traditional symbols that were exclusive to the communities he documented. Be it the process of idol-making in Venkalam or the ocean’s cathartic role in Amaram or the train tracks in Paalangal.

In his attempt at exquisite detailing and aesthetic highlighting, I felt, Bharathan often left the storyline, or at least its treatment, in the realm of mediocrity. Exceptions being Amaram and Thazvaaram, where he beautifully struck a balance between the micro and macro.

Of course he had his share of non-community based stories too. But not many of them really impressed me.

In fact, according to me some of Bharathan’s finest creations are the ones where he concentrated more on the script and storyline rather than the garnishing. Maalootty, Oru Minnaminunginte, Keli etc.

An all-rounder of sorts, Bharathan often overreached himself. His attempt to infuse an “aesthetic” element into everything he did often spelt his undoing, particularly in his later films like Patheyam, Devaragam and some earlier ones like Vaishali.

I think he didn’t know his limitations, both creative and technical. As a result, he often came across as highly pretentious—a trait (pretentiousness or pseudo-aestheticism or in simple terms “artsy-fartsy”) he generously bequeathed to two of his most important protégés Jayaraj and Kamal.

Particularly, when it came to sexuality and sexual themes, while many would call him bold, I think he was more of an exhibitionist. His portrayal of sex, as compared to many other directors, to me seemed attempts to titillate the movie watcher rather than explore it.