Kaatha--The Core

 "Kaatha--The Core" (2023) is one of the more delicate stories I have ever seen.  Lots of films these days cover homosexuality and many convey the agonies of hiding one's true self.  This takes a little different perspective.It might seem a bit like "Maestro" (2023) which I have not yet seen.  But it is not bombastic and a lot more dignified.  You might think Indians are not as civilized as us, but this film shows otherwise. 

We are introduced to Mathew and Omana, a well respected couple in their community.  They live with his father while their daughter is away at a nearby college. 

Mathew was well regarded and is asked to be a candidate for an upcoming by-election in fact they won't consider anyone else.  Even as his wife is divorcing him and revealing embarrassing information.  She had already set the divorce proceedings into action. It might seem strange, but all through the proceedings they continued to sleep together.  They even went to the court together.  She didn't want him to give up his candidacy.  

An interesting sidelight was with the supposed homosexual partner who was a driving instructor.  He claimed that he had received a lot of calls from fathers who felt he was a safe choice as a driving instructor for their daughters.

The whole community was more accepting of Mathew, but for most it was an adjustment.  They all admired him and his wife.  Some prided themselves as progressive while others admitted they were more traditional.  Silence is strikingly used to demonstrate thought.

The court case was interesting in itself, but I leave that and the followup for you to check out.  

The film was very professionally done as you might better appreciate when you read about some of the contributors.

Mammootty who played Mathew was also one of the producers.  He is one of the most popular and talented of Malayalam film people.  He is actually the only actor who has been the lead in six different languages:  Malayalam, Tamil, Telegu, Hindi, Kannanda and English.  Altogether he has 425 acting credits, 10 as a producer and 8 as a playback singer.   His film credits include "Bhoothakkannadi" (1997), "Karutha Pakshikal" (2006), "Kerala Varma Pazhassiraja" (2009), "Varsham" (2014), "Pathemari" (2015) and my top overall film seen in 2020, "Peranbu" (2018).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/03/peranbu-top-film-out-of-india.html

Jeo George was the director who had earlier been involved with writing tv sitcom scripts.  He has 12 acting credits, 7 directing credits and 7 writing credits.  One credit (in all 3 categories) was "Kilometers and Kilometers" (2020).  He has won awards at international film festivals.

Adarsh Sukumaran was one of the writers. He has 3 writing credits, two as actor and one as playback singer.

Mathews Pulickan composed the music.  He has 8 credits for composing. The music is described as soulful.

Salu K. Thomas the cinematographer has nine film credits.

Francies Louis was the editor.  He learned editing working while working on some shorts he had written.  He also gained experience editing advertisements.  He has 5 editing credits including "Kilometers and Kilometers" (2020).

Jyotika (or Jyothika) played Omana.   She has performed in Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam and Hindi films.  She has 50 acting credits including "Raatchasi" (2019), "Thambi" (2019) and "Ponmagal Vandhal" (2020).  She has been a producer for 6 films.  For her acting check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/04/raatchasi.html  For her producing check where she was heavily involved with my top overall film for 2021."Jai Bhim" (2021).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/11/jai-bhim.html

Sudhi Kozhikode played Thankan the alleged partner. He has two film credits  including "Virus" (2019).

RS Panickar  plays Mathew's father.  This was the film debut at the age of 72.  His role is critical although he doesn't say much.  He knew his son was gay at an early age and thought a marriage would help smooth over the situation but came to regret that decision.  Omana stated at one point she tolerated her unhappy arrangement because of him.  RS Panickar was a retired University Joint Registrar.

Mathumani played the lawyer for Mathew.  She has 45 credits including "Kilometers and Kilometers" (2020), "Kaaval" (2021) and "Night Drive" (2022).

Chinnu Chandni Nair played the lawyer for Omana.  In her early grades she spent time in Tanzania with her parents and developed an interest in theater while there.  Her parents took her back to India for high school.  She has 7 film credits.

This film may seem boring to some, but it deals subtlety with a situation that societies all over world are adapting to.  Homosexuality has been something that was hidden, often in films, a subject for blackmail.  Giving new rights people, both straight and gay are adapting generally in a tolerant direction.  For part of my adjustment see  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/05/sex-in-classroom.html the fourth paragraph.

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.

Jana Gana Muna

At first the story seemed confusing, a dead body picked up, then I thought I picked out a hero, then he did something very brutal.  Mobs were yelling and screaming and being beaten.  That was in the first half.  The case went to court opened up in different directions. Then one could see the cold relevance to events elsewhere in the world.  I am reminded of the January 6th hearing and how crowds were whipped to a frenzy.  Thus is my memory of "Jana Gana Mana" (2022).

Huge twists, but more importantly were the underlying social structure and the people who wanted to gain power against the common people.  Corruptions and manipulation with some surprising resistance. 

The plot is key.  You think you know what will happen and anticipate the twists, but until near the end it seems just like another courtroom drama.  It is hard to imagine the court room procedures are normal, but they serve to make a few points.  Apparently a sequel is in the works. 

The dialogue is Malayalam and available in other regional languages, but English is prominent in the court room.  Lately I have increased my Malayalam selections as many of them are outstanding.

One of my favorite type of films.  A surprise ending (with a hint for more to come) with a message.  The message is a local one (India with its peculiar social structure), but with global implications for human nature.

Dijo Jose Antony was the director in only his second film.  He has acted and been a playback singer.

Sharis Mohammed was the writer in only his fourth film.  His first was also the first for Dijo Jose Antony

Jakes Bejoy composed the music.  Had done "Forensic" (2020).

Sudeep Elamon was the cinematographer with nine film credits beforehand.

Sreejith Sarang was the editor.  Mostly worked in Tamil cinema.

Mammootty narrated the story.  He had trained and practicised as a lawyer.  He is a very prolific award winning actor with over 400 film credits.  His films include "Bhoothakkannadi" (1997), "Kerala Varma Pazhassirajua" (2009) "Karutha Pakshikal" (2006), "Varsham" (2014) "Pathemari" (2015) and my favorite movie seen in 2020, "Peranbu" (2018)  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/03/peranbu-top-film-out-of-india.html

Prithviraj Sukumaran plays an activist lawyer.  He has been in mostly Malayalam films, but also Tamil, Telegu and Hindi.  While in his school performed in plays and debated.  He went to the University of Tasmania to study engineering, but got sidetracked with film roles.  Films include "Urumi:  the Warriors Who Wanted to Kill Vasco Da Gama" (2011) and "Koode" (2018).

Suraj Venjaramoodu played the police officer who you thought you knew, but he is more complicated than first impressions.  Has over 250 credits since 2002 including "Pulimurugan" (2016) and "Thundi Muthalum Driksakshiyum" (2017) and "Vikruthi" (2019) and "The Great Indian Kitchen" (2021)

Mamta Mohandas in flashbacks the dead teacher.  She has appeared in "Forensic" (2020).  She won a playback singer in 2006.

A film containing a lot of emotion.

PERANBU, TOP FILM OUT OF INDIA,

Peranbu was declared the top rated 2019 movie from India by IMDB, a Tamil movie beating out some very good Bollywood movies.  I was expecting some sort of action oriented movie or maybe a romance, but "Peranbu" is quite different.  The focus is on a spastic young girl and her father whose wife had left him.  To those used to watching glamorous actors there is an adjustment required.

The story is framed as a memoir written by the father and is split into 12 chapters.  Each chapter is titled as an aspect of nature for example ruthless, lawless, compassionate.  The father, Amudhavan  and his daughter, Paappa go through a series of mostly negative experiences, some of which seem to promise a breakthrough, but almost always ending in disappointment that the audience will feel.  The daughter Paappa is severely misshapen with her mouth open to one side and her tongue hanging out.  Her hands and her feet are bent at awkward angles.  She walks painfully and clumsily.

The father admitted that he had abandoned his daughter and taken a job in Dubai for 10 years.  His wife and daughter lived with his mother, brother and sister-in law all of whom rejected Paappa in one way or another.  We learn his wife left with another man and felt it was Amudhavan's turn to take care of the daughter.  We first encounter Paappa screaming and disrupting the household.  The first move is to a rural area and the most encouraging aspect is that Paappa perks up with a horse and with a wild bird.   Later they move back to Chennai, a very big city in southern India so she can relate more with other people.

Paappa at 14 is old enough for puberty and sexual awakening is developing .  Applying sanitary pads, masturbation and fingering are mentioned, but not shown.  Amudhavan is steered towards counseling, but finds himself restricted by the need for a job.  His daughter spends some time in an institution with other spastics and he sleeps in his car nearby.  A father of one of the spastic residents was aware of his son being beaten, but felt it was better than the abuse he attracted at home in the neighborhood.

One night he hears a woman being attacked and helps beat off the offender.  It turns out to be a prostitute, Meera who is also a transgender.  He becomes a protector and they develop a sort of relationship with ups and downs.

The viewer is always hopeful, but very often disappointed with other people who reject Paappa or try to take advantage of her.  We know even at the end that her physical problems will never end.  Without spoiling too much, at the end one is left with a good feeling with the main characters happier.

Ram, known by his mononym directed and wrote the script.  He has written and directed three other films, "Kattradhu Thamizh" (2007) ) and "Taramani" (2017) that both included Anjali in important roles and "Thanga Meengal" (2013) that had him playing the lead role with Sadhana as his daughter

Amundhavan Karuppia was a co-director who played a small role as well.  Anjana Krishnakumar was also listed as a co-director and had been a second unit director for "Taramani" and "Thana Meengal"  as well as writing some Malayalam dialogue.

The acting, not only of the four following, but of all the supporters is above average and adds to the reality.

Mammootty played Amudhavan as a loving, mature father.  He is best known for Malayalam films and 3 times won a national award for best actor and has over 400 acting credits.  He had trained and practiced as a lawyer and his demeanor is reflected in his acting.
 
Sandhana lives in Dubai where her mother operates a dance school.  She played Paappa and went to extraordinary contortions that make one cringe a bit, but before long everyone roots for her.  In reality dance is one of her favorite activities and ambitions.  She had played in "Thanga Meena" and won an award as best child actor.

Anjali (still another mononym not to be confused with Anjali Ameer below) played a supporting role as duplicitous housekeeper that made you at first like her, then hate her and then perhaps feel sorry for her.  She has mostly played in Tamil and Telegu roles with a few in Kannada.  She has been a prolific award winner.

Anjali Ameer plays a transgender prostitute.  She is a Malayal.  She is in reality transgender and will soon be appearing in a film about her life in which she will play both the male and female roles which will also include Mammootty. 

Music was provided by Yuvan Shankar Raja who has 150 credits for film composing and has also been a playback singer.  There are about 4 unobtrusive songs and some very unique and enjoyable background music.  I had bought one of his songs from "Taramani" and it is one of my favorites.

The cinematography is handled by Theni Eswar. who had also done "Taramani."  My favorite sections were in the rural scenes which were beautifully shot. 

The movie was very moving and I fear I have not done it justice.  Do not watch expecting something light and frothy, but expect to be emotionally involved.  Available on Prime.