How old are you does not steer
clear of some clichés in Malayalam Cinema but at the same its portrayal of
its main subject, the typical Malayalee
housewife, is nothing less than perfect. In the first half we encounter a woman
who works in a government office, and comes back and cooks and cleans for the
family, and little else besides that. Although it is made clear that she showed
extraordinary potential as a young woman in college, she has turned this
potential inwards and into the four corners of her home. Her dissatisfaction
with this arrangement comes through in a lot of small moments throughout the
first half of the film--she is unaware of the President’s visit in her own
town, about the expiration of her driving license and shows little to no
interest in her work, and lesser even still about the welfare of the people
outside of her immediate family. She is bitter in her interactions with people
and apathetic towards the rest of the world, and seems to have given up on
herself as well as the world in general. This in turn has affected her
relationship with her own family, including her husband and daughter. Locking
up everything to do with her personality that has evidently been trying to
express itself for a long time, has turned it into something uninteresting and
unattractive.
Come the second half, due to some
changes in her life (spoilers!) she decides that it is time at last to let it
go, and give some time to take care herself and her thoughts and dreams. The
film moves effortlessly into a story of success and optimism from one of dreary
negativity—a lot of nuances in relationships are brought into the fore. This
change of perspective in Nirupama’s life also changes her character and her
interactions with people. She is more confident, and for the first time in the
movie she shows a true empathy for somebody outside her own family. Maybe it is
significant that this instance is what begins her journey into a successful,
well-rounded, positive individual.
Rosshan Andrews and Booby Sanjay
have done a good job. Although some clichés could have been avoided, these are
easily made up for by the rest of the movie.
Manju Warrier comes back to the
silver screen after fourteen years with an effortlessness that is reserved for
people who are born to be artists. The subtle and imperceptible changes she
makes in body language and mannerisms as the movie progresses mark the changes
that Nirupama has gone through so well. She handles comedy with ease, as
always. And as for everything else: whatever situation Nirupama is in, Manju
makes the audience feel what she feels. Her scenes with Boban are the best. The
changes they go through in their relationship are efficiently conveyed scene by
scene, each dialogue bringing a perceptible change in the atmosphere around it. Both
of them complement each other so well!
Kunchacko Boban deserves so much
praise for the way he has portrayed the role of the husband in this movie. His performance
is immaculate. His role required a nuanced performance, as a person who is
inherently good but is a little self-centered: Boban brings this out perfectly.
(By the way, this is a welcome departure from the portrayal of husbands in ‘family’
movies as the heartless ‘villain’. In real life things are not that simple or
black and white!) Also he deserves even more praise for taking up this role in
this woman centric film. I love the way Boban has been going about in his comeback
career. Choosing different roles and giving understated but excellent
performances. Good on you Kunjacko! Four for you.
Now for the bad stuff: It’s full
of spoilers, so don’t read if you have not seen the movie!!!!
1. I
hate to see that again the daughter is shown as a very self-centered person who
does not understand that her mother is also a different person like herself and
everybody else, and the narrative somehow forgives her for it. I think the
position is that it is okay because she is young. There are things that she
does that are very cruel, but this is hardly ever brought into question. I
understand that she is not an adult, but everybody needs to take accountability
for their actions to some extent. It is also shown that she is very
intelligent, insightful about everything else, so why are her interactions with
her mother so inconsiderate?
2. The
daughter calling the mother ‘edo’ and ‘thaan’ to show closeness is old. And it
has always been awkward. Please stop.
3. Given
the amount of bitterness that Nirupama shows in the first half, maybe some more
time could have been taken out to show that she opens her mind not only towards
her own personal development, but for the welfare of other people as well? Of
course the episode with her and the old lady is significant, but maybe the
montage scenes could have elaborated on this somewhat more. After all, there is
a need for a human being to develop and flourish but it is based on the fact
that everybody has this right! So a couple of shots where she realizes and
understands other people’s need for self-discovery, support or even for being
treated fairly could have been included. Like in the case of that old man in
the beginning who came to her office for help.
4. The
fact that Nirupama took an active interest in the affairs of her college and
took strong stands for its development is good to show us that she had a
determined, strong personality before. But the examples that her friend gives—that
of her speaking out against a strike and challenging political student
organizations—in my opinion it reeks of a middle class aversion to anything
political. What was the strike for? Nobody mentions that, what if it was for a
legitimate cause? At the same time Nirupama’s strike and her strong conviction
in her position for other issues is lauded. What differentiates the two? Seeing
that the movie delivers a message that people should not be reduced to thinking
and living for their immediate family alone, such a blind and categorical
denouncement of strikes and protests is unwarranted and out of place. Social
and Political Consciousness forever! (I understand that there are a lot of
strikes in colleges for trivial issues. It is just that they did not even go
into the reason for it, and in any case this sort of thing has become as boring
as movies having denouncements of ‘harthaal’ in Kerala. Isn’t there something
else/any common social or political issue that the average Malayalee is worried
about? Other than not being able to travel in a bus on harthaal day? Personally,
I think a lot of it shows a deeper mistrust in anything political, anything
that involves some sort of commitment outside of your immediate family--“Swantham
Karyam Zindabad” being the only slogan that is acceptable. )
5. Also
her friend jumping at a security officer is unwanted and sticks out in the
movie by a mile. Granted, he didn’t have to shout at them, but she could have
at least tried explaining they were old students. Susan in the movie is rich
and influential, and comes from a position of privilege and power. The security
guard does not. There is no bravery that comes forth in this exchange. Standing your ground or sticking up for your rights
should not mean humiliating or thinking little of people who have little or no
power over you. Plus he was only doing his job.
